Webber Stevens was born on May 27, 1844, in Stafford, New York.96 He was the son of Richard Stevens and Elizabeth Webber Stevens, who were immigrants from England.97
His parents moved to Oakfield, when he was 4 months old. He grew up in Oakfield and spent his life living in the town. He was educated at Cary Collegiate Seminary and Lima Seminary. He also took a course at the Eastman Business College in Poughkeepsie.98 He was a farmer.
He married Frances Jane Stevens and had 8 children: Richard F. (b.1872), William W. (b.1873), Ada A. (b.1875), Fanny E. (b.1877), George B. (b.1879/1880), Ralph W. (b.1885), Arthur G. (b.1889), and Clare M. (1891).99
Webber Stevens was an active member of the Oakfield Community. He was described in his obituary as a “public-spirited citizen, always taking great interest in the welfare of Oakfield”. He was an active member of the Oakfield Methodist Episcopal Church and taught Sunday school there. 100
He was president of the Oakfield Realty and improvement company, was president of the Cary Cemetery Association, was treasurer and an active member of the Oakfield Grange, and a member of the Oakfield Tent Knights of the Maccabees (KOTM).101 He served on a Grand Jury in Genesee County in 1882. He again served on a Genesee County Grand Jury in 1888 and acted as the clerk for the Grand Jury.102
Webber Stevens was active in local politics. At some point, he served as village president of the village of Oakfield (within the town of Oakfield). In 1892, he was elected as a member of the local school board.103 Webber Stevens was an active prohibitionist in politics. In 1886, he was elected as the Prohibition Party candidate for excise commissioner in Oakfield.104 In 1892, Stevens ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for State Assembly in Genesee County. He received 456 votes (5.69% of total).105
Stevens continued to make a living as a farmer until at least 1900.106
In 1907, he suffered a stroke, and he spent his last few years in declining health. On November 29th, 1910, his health problems caused him to become bedridden. In January 1911, he had his right leg amputated up to the knee, but his health continued to deteriorate. He passed away peacefully on March 5th, 1911. He was survived by his wife and seven of his children. He was buried in Cary Cemetery in Oakfield.107 106
Sources:
96 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911, Accessed, June 8, 2021,
97 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911; “Webber W Stevens: United States Census, 1910”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 8, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPBR-2KY
98 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911
99 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911; “Webber E Stevens: United States Census, 1900, Oakfield”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 8, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSXB-5ZH; “Webber Stevens: United States Census, 1880”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 8, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ84-L7F;
“Notice to Creditors”, The Daily News, (Batavia, New York), November 11, 1911, Accessed, June 8, 2021,
100 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911; “Webber E Stevens: United States Census, 1900, Oakfield”, FamilySearch.org; Webber Stevens: United States Census, 1880”, FamilySearch.org
101 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911
102 “Grand and Trial Jurors”, The Daily News, (Batavia, New York), May 31, 1888, Accessed, June 8, 2021; “Circuit Court Convenes”, The Daily News, (Batavia, New York), June 18, 1888, Accessed, June 8, 2021,
"The Jurors”, The Daily News, (Batavia, New York), October 30, 1882, Accessed, June 8, 2021,
103 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911
104 “Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, New York), March 3, 1886
105 “To The Voters of Genesee County”, The Daily News, (Batavia, New York), October 31, 1892, Accessed, June 8, 2021,
Edgar L. Murlin, The Red Book, An Illustrated Legislative Manual of the State, Containing the Portraits and Biographies of its Governors and Members of the Legislature, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1893), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4046279&view=1up&seq=673, 531
106 “Webber E Stevens: United States Census, 1900, Oakfield”, FamilySearch.org; “Webber W Stevens: United States Census, 1910”, FamilySearch.org
107 “W. Webber Stevens Dead at Oakfield”, The Daily News, (Batavia, News), March 6, 1911; “W. W. Stevens (1844-1911) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave, Accessed June 8, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66286102/w.-w.-stevens
-- Contributed by Jonathan Makeley
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