William Craw Webb (April 21, 1824April 19, 1898) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and pioneer of Wisconsin and Kansas. He was the first Kansas Insurance Commissioner, served as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives and the Wisconsin State Assembly, and served as a Kansas district court judge. Earlier in life, he served as a Union Army officer in the American Civil War. His brothers,

James H. Webb James Henry Webb Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States ...

, Henry G. Webb, and

Charles M. Webb Charles Morton Webb (December 30, 1833August 12, 1911) was an American lawyer, Republican Party (United States), Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a Wisconsin circuit courts, Wisconsin circuit court judge for 28 years in centr ...

, were also prominent lawyers and politicians. Their father, John Leland Webb, was a politician in Pennsylvania.

Biography

Webb was born in

Ridgebury Township, Pennsylvania Ridgebury Township is a township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 1,978 at the 2010 census. History The first settlers to Ridgebury Township were two families from Orange ...

, on April 21, 1824, son of John L. and Annis (Hammond) Webb. Later, he was a resident of

Wautoma, Wisconsin Wautoma is a city in Waushara County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,218 at the 2010 census. Wautoma is the county seat of Waushara County. The city consists of three noncontiguous areas: one is entirely within the Town of Wa ...

. He died on April 24, 1898, in Topeka, Kansas.

Political career

Webb was Chief Clerk of the Wisconsin Assembly for the 1857 session, when his brother, Henry, was a member. In the fall general election that year, he was elected to succeed his brother as a member of the Assembly for the 1858 session. He was elected again to serve in the 1862, 1863 and 1864 sessions. He served a term as Speaker. Previously, he had been Chief Clerk of the Assembly in 1857. Webb was also District Attorney and Judge of

Waushara County, Wisconsin Waushara County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,520. Its county seat is Wautoma. Waushara County is located in central Wisconsin, about north of Madison. History Waushara Coun ...

. In 1870, Webb was a Kansas District Court judge. From 1871 to 1873, he was the first Kansas State Superintendent of Insurance. Webb was a member of the House of Representatives from 1870 to 1871 before being re-elected in 1891. Additionally, he was Attorney and Superior Court Judge of Shawnee County, Kansas. Webb's affiliation by the time he held office was with the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

Military career

Webb was initially assigned to the

37th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 37th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 37th Wisconsin was organized at Madison, Wisconsin, and mustered into Federal service on April 9, 186 ...

of the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was later commissioned Colonel of the 52nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, but was never mustered into federal service at that rank, because the regiment did not reach its full strength. He was a Companion of the Kansas Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Family

Webb's son

Leland Justin Webb Leland Justin Webb (August 5, 1846 – February 21, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician. His father was Colonel William C. Webb, a district attorney, judge and state assemblyman. Formative years Born in Smithfield, Bradford County, ...

, was a lawyer and politician.The Sunflower Picket-Leland Justin Webb
/ref> His brothers, Henry and

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

were also active in politics and law in Wisconsin and Kansas.

References

External links

* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Webb, William C. People from Bradford County, Pennsylvania People from Wautoma, Wisconsin Politicians from Topeka, Kansas Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives District attorneys in Wisconsin Wisconsin state court judges Kansas lawyers Kansas state court judges Kansas Insurance Commissioners People of Wisconsin in the American Civil War Union Army colonels 1824 births 1898 deaths 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers Burials at Topeka Cemetery Military personnel from Pennsylvania 19th-century Wisconsin politicians 19th-century Kansas politicians