413 East & West St.

  Webb Home

413 East and West Street The Webb Home dates of construction vary from 1850-1854 by Junius Webb. This home was built as a town home for the family before he went to the Civil War. The Webb family lived 18 miles from Minden.

     The Webb-McDaniel Home located at 413 East & West Street was built with slave labor as a town house in the Federal Design by Junius Y. Webb, a prominent merchant and planter of what was at that time Claiborne Parish. Estimated dates of construction vary from 1850-1854. Williamson Jones, Parish Surveyor, map of 1851 shows J.Y. Webb as the owner of this location approximately 373’ wide x 533’ deep. Webb Court is shown on the survey and is said to have been the original carriage drive to the rear of the house. The house is distinctive in that it has three stories on two levels, for the original hand hewed random width cypress boards on the front gallery, its solid 3 inch thick cypress interior walls and the original hand made doors and facings over the windows. Three of the original four fireplaces remain. Their small size seems to indicate that they may have used coal, which though low in quality was available in the area, as a fuel. This home has had only three owners. The last Webb family occupants of the house were Captain Webb’s two elderly unmarried daughters, Ida and Sally and their youngest brother ,Stephen, who required special care. Upon their death, M.P. Hodges purchased it from the Webb family and resided there until 1968 when it was purchased by the present owner Carolyn McDaniel and her husband at that time, Joe Warren, and preserved just prior to being demolished. She and her present husband ,Jim , now occupy and maintain the home. The basic plan is the same as originally built.

     Junius Y. Webb was born in Marengo County, Ala., on July 22, 1832, and was a son of Samuel S. and Ann M. (Dickens) Webb, both natives of North Carolina. When still a young man and before achieving his majority he had successfully established himself in the mercantile business.

      In October 1854 he married Miss Annie E. Grigsby, a native of Alabama and daughter of Dr. Samuel Grigsby. After his marriage, Mr. Webb continued as a merchant and planter. During the Civil War, he enlisted in 1862 in an independent cavalry company, the Minden Rangers. At the reorganization of the company in 1863, First Sergeant Webb was elected Captain, serving in that capacity until the close of the war.

     Captain Webb’s primary residence is said to have been located about 18 miles north of town at Flat Lick Plantation ,where he farmed large acreage, and it was here that he sent his family to be cared for by his slaves during the war. The town house remained vacant until his return at wars end.

     At the close of the war Captain Webb continued as a successful merchant and planter. He owned many very large tracts of land. Some that extended to Red River. Court records reflect his involvement in sale and purchase many acres in this area. Mineral analysis of some of this land showed fifty-two per cent iron ore which was said to be of the quality needed for the manufacture of steel. Captain Webb was anxious to have this mineral developed, but did not succeed in getting support for the project. He and his son Samuel G. Webb founded Webb Hardware & Mercantile in which Samuel was active until his death in 1954.

     Captain and Mrs. Webb had 12 children: an unnamed infant who died at birth, Annie, Ida, Samuel Grigsby, Mary Irene, Sally, Junius Young, Mildred, John Webb, Eva, Rhydon Dickens and Stephen Webb. Captain Webb and family, with the exception of the youngest child , were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

      Records indicate that in addition to his business responsibilities Captain Webb also served as Alderman and Treasurer of the Town of Minden for many years.

      His wife Annie died August 03, 1906 and he died two years later on August 04, 1908. They and several of their children are buried in a fenced plot in the Old Minden Cemetery.

     He was considered one of the most reliable and trusted men in the parish.
 

"The Monroe News-Star" Tuesday, April 12, 1910 Page 8, Column 2 Burial of Robert Webb. Minden, April 12.

The burial here Sunday afternoon of the remains of Robert B. Webb, only son of Junius Y. Webb, and wife, Lena Bridger Webb, of Dallas, Texas, who died on Saturday (sic) morning last at Austin, Texas, where he was just completing the last few weeks of his collegiate course, was the cause of a great deal of sorrow and aroused a sympathy most profound in the hearts of Minden's citizens here, where the family is so well known, respected and loved. Handsome, intelligent, loyal to truth, duty and uncompromising in his defense of right, Robert was the embodiment of a pure, well developed manhood, who amid changes of scene and association maintained unsullied the beautiful character developed at home by a fond father and mother, and the sweet association with a loved and only sister. Capt. Junius Y. Webb, merchant, Minden, La. The business position occupied by Capt. Webb in this community is such, that in depicting the commercial interests of Minden it would be manifestly impossible to omit mention of an institution that adds so materially to the stability and representative enterprise of that city. He is one of the oldest merchants and most public-spirited men in Webster Parish. The Captain was born in Marengo County, Ala., on July 22, 1832, and is a son of Samuel S. and Ann M. (Dickens) Webb, both natives of North Carolina. There he made his home until 1862, when he came to Louisiana, and died in what is now Webster Parish in 1863. His wife died in Mississippi while on a visit to a daughter in 1860. They were the parents of six sons and two daughters, all of whom grew to mature years and became heads of families. All the brothers, with the exception of our subject, were physicians and very successful practitioners, being men of superior education. Capt. J. Y. Webb passed his boyhood and youth in Alabama, secured a good education in the high schools of his State, and when quite a young man, and before arriving at his majority, he engaged in the mercantile business at Sumterville. On October, 1854, while a resident of Alabama, he was married to Miss Anna E. Grigsby, a native of the same State and daughter of Dr. Samuel Grigsby. After his marriage Capt. Webb, continued merchandising in Alabama up to 1855, when he closed out and moved to Louisiana, where he began tilling the soil in Webster Parish. In 1858 he located in Minden, embarked in mercantile pursuits again, and this carried on up to the breaking out of the war. In 1862 he enlisted in an independent cavalry company, the Minden Rangers, composed of some of the best citizens of Minden, a number of whom has since become men of more than local renown. This company served first as Gen. Frank Armstrong's escort, after that with Gen. W. H. Jackson. At the reorganization of the company in 1863 Mr. Webb was elected captain, serving in that capacity until the close of the war. During the latter part of the service he was on the staff of Gen. Scott, as inspector. He is considered one of the most reliable business men of Webster parish. He owns quite a tract of land in this parish, which is very rich with iron ore, some of which the Captain had analyzed, and which showed fifty-two per cent of iron of superior quality. It is said to be a quality for the manufacture of steel. Capt. Webb is anxious to have this mineral developed, but being several miles from the railroad he has not succeeded in getting the proper parties to take hold with him in its development. To Capt. And Mrs. Webb have been born nine children: Ida, Samuel G. (a merchant in Minden), Sally, Junius, Mildred Watson (wife of Standley Watson), John, Eva, Rhydon and Stephen. Capt. Webb and family, with the exception of the youngest child, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.