News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-09-24
WILLIAM SEWARD WEBB.
Though Born to Wealth He Leads a Busy
and Useful Life.
From The New York Commercial

"A cnllu Oh luxury, born OF family
distinguished in the history of his
couGtry, William Seward Webb has
had all the advantages that could
possibly be- thrown around man to
make his career successful one.
William Seward Webb, son of Gen.
New York January 81, 1851. His
grandfather, Gen. Samuel B. Webb,
was Revolutionary officer of dis
tinction, commanding regiment at
Bunker Hill and afterward serving
on the staff of Putnam and Washing
ton, and being an intimate friend of
General Washington.
in his early days private tutors
carefully attended to the education
of William Seward Webb, and when
old enough he WAS sent TO the mill
tary school of Colonel Churchill at
Sing Sing. Two years following this
term be spent at Columbia College,
and so, was we'll equipped to enter
any field of labor he might choose.
He had early in life showed strong
prediction for medical study, and
his family encouraged his choice of
profession. He accordingly entered
the College of Physicians and Sur
geons of New York, graduating in rs
The following two years he spent in
study in the medical schools of Vienna.
DIR. Webb, well prepared as he was
by native tendency and earneststudy
for the profession of medicine, found
his energies unavoidably turned into
another field In 1881 he married
Lila Osgood Vanderbilt, daughter of
the railroad magnate, William IL.
Vanderbilt, and soon after this mar
riage an abundant channel for his en-
ergies was opened in connection with
the Vanderbilt railroads. The business
faculty quickly developed under the
inf uence of association with men of
finance and affairs, and DR.. Webb be-
came manager OF the Wagner Palace
Car Company, with credit to himself
and the company, being elected Presi-
dent in 1883 This company he later
reOrganiZ q, and to his excellent
judgement and policy the present
efficiency of the service is due.
Shortly after this another business
of an entirely # rent nature fell into
his hands. This was the construction
of the Adirondack and st. Lawrence
Railroad, line which extends from
Herkimer, N. Y, to he St. Lawrence
River, distance of 233 miles. This
undertaking was managed solely by
DR.. Webb, and in 1891 he was elected
it's President. His interests now ex-
tend to many railroads and other
corporations, in each Of which he is a
director, trustee or official.
Aside from business affairs DR..
Webb finds much to interest him.
For three years he held the position
of President General in the National
Society of the Sons of the American
Revolution, an organ;z ition which
differs essentially from the 'Sons of
the Revolution" He is also Presi-
dent of the Vermont Society of the
the Sons of the American Revolution
and since 1891 has been On the staff
of the Governor OF Vermont with the
rank of Colonel.
He gives much time and attention
to horse breeding, and his Shelburne
Hill farms stud, where he has several
hundred head of pedigreed stock is
model institution He is an ardent
admirer of hackneys, and has bred
them with great success, as is attested
by the priz IS he yearly takes with his
exhibit at the New York horse shows.
He owned for several years the fam
GUS hackney stallion, Matchless of
Londesboro, the winner of numerous
prizes in London and New York. DR..
Webb is prominent member of the
American Hackney Horse Society,
and has been it's secretary and treas
urer ever since Its organic alton.
To his Shelburne Farms estate DR..
Webb has added large preserve in
the Adirondacks, which is known as
the Ne ha sane Park. 1t is made up
of forest, hill and lake in it's virgin
beauty. This preserve is we'll stocked
with game and fish, and a charming
hunting lodge has been erected there,
where DR.. Webb spends several weeks
each year in the hunting and fishing
season.
DR.. Webb is globe trotter also be-
ing one of the most extensive travel
ers among New Workers. There are
few portions of the world he has not
visited. With Mrs. Webb he does
much entertaining in the smart set,
in the winter in New York, in the
summer at Shelburne, VT, and at
Newport, R. |.
He il member of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, and a staunch
supporter of the Republican party in
politics. He has never sought office
and takes no active part in politics.
DR.. Webb is President of the fol-
lowing companies Cape Breton
Railway Company, Depew Improve
ment Company, Dominion Securities
Company, Raquette Lake Railway
Company, St. Lawrence and Adiron-
dack Railroad Company and the
Storage Power Company. He is Vice
President OF the Mohawk and Malone
Railroad Company and Chairman of
Board of Directors of the Rutland
Railroad Company. He is either
Trustee or Director in the following