Webb
The ancestors of the Webb family that settled in Harbour au Bouche have a rich history and a long line of sea captains that date back to the early days of American colonization. John Webb was born in Dorsetshire, England about 1615. He was in Boston as early as 1634 and married Anna Bassett of Hartford in 1640. Eight children were born to this couple including Captain Daniel Webb born in 1651 in Salem, Massachusetts.
Captain Daniel married Mary Beckett in Salem in 1765 and one child was born to this couple, Captain John born in 1676.
Captain John married Elizabeth Phippen in Salem in 1705 and four children were born to this couple including Captain William Webb born in Salem in 1717.
Captain William Webb married Abigail Riggs in 1741 in Gloucester, Massachusetts and they had two children including Captain William Webb born in 1744 in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Captain William Webb married Elizabeth Holland in Manchester in 1763. This couple had one child Michael Theodore, born July 1, 1768 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
It would appear that Captain Webb and his family were among the early loyalists who resettled in Nova Scotia during the American War of Independence. The Muster Roll of Captain George Vanputt’s Company of Loyal Nova Scotia Volunteer Regiment on microfilm at the Nova Scotia archives indicates that William Webb enlisted on April 10, 1776 and that William died that same year on October 2, 1776. The Muster Roll of Captain Daniel Cunningham’s Company of the Loyal Nova Scotia Volunteer Regiment records the enlistment of drummer Michael Webb at Halifax, Nova Scotia under date of March 13th, 1778. On April 7, 1778 Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Hierlihy arrived in Halifax on board HMS Hope and the independent Companies of Captain Vanputt and Captain Cunningham were both placed under the command of Timothy Hierlihy, commonly regarded as the founder of Antigonish. This explains why drummer Michael Webb accompanied by his widowed mother on June 8, 1784 was able to draw for and obtain a 200 acre land grant in West River on the outskirts of present day Antigonish as part of the Soldiers Land Grant awarded to Timothy Hierlihy. Michael became close friends with the D`Aigle family of Harbour au Bouche and eventually married a daughter, Jeanette Francoise D’Aigle around 1791. Five children were born to this couple:
- Michael Hubert married Anastasia Petitpas
- Margaret who married Mark Crispo
- Annie who married Joseph DeCoste
- Reine who married James O’Neill
- Euphrasia who married Benjamin O’Neill
Michael Hubert is the common ancestor of virtually all of the Webb’s with roots in Harbour au Bouche and Mulgrave.