WEBBER, THOMAS E. AND LEONA

by Mrs. Laura (Webber) Decker

Entry F443 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Thomas E. Webber was born October 15,
1871 Brooklyn, New York. Died March 3,
1941. Married Leona Hendricks of Douglas,
Nebraska, born October 15, 1874. Died
August 2, 1952. They were married December
29, 1902. Both were buried in the Cedarview
Cemetery in Mullen.

The Webbers spent their pioneer days in
southern Wyoming, where he drove a stage
and engaged in different occupations of that
day, in Carbon County from Encampment to
Rollins and also carried mail over the divide.
T.E. Webber wished to work for himself so
with a team of horses he started looking for
a location in Nebraska. He stopped in Seneca,
Nebraska the year 1911. He heard Mr. Souls
wanted to sell his homestead rights. This was
7 miles southwest of Seneca and 20 miles
southeast of Mullen. Mr. Webber met his
family, wife Leona and children, Laura and
Doris at the train. He hired a team and buggy
at the livery stable to take the family out to
see the place which Leona hated on sight. The
house was made of sod with the corners
rubbed off by range cattle. They moved in,
built walls of concrete around the sod and
plastered the walls inside and hung wallpaper
curtains. Two years later in 1913, their son
Erwin was born, the year of the terrible
blizzard.

There are many interesting stories of the
family. Books were exchanged among the
neighbors to read. Mrs. Wiggins, Esther
French's mother, was the teacher in the
neighborhood. Daisy Meidell, a neighbor girl
was bitten by a rattlesnake and Dr. Phillips
kept her with his family for weeks till she
recovered. Many picnics were held at Halsey
and gatherings of the Farmers Union at
different homes by turn. "A big prairie fire
came over the hill and burned the school
house, we were attending, after our teacher
took us to a nearby sod house and saved us."
Mr. Webber rode through fiames to see if the
children had escaped and was so happy and
relieved to find them alive.

Through all the hardships and experiences
T.E. Webber and wife Leona built up a cattle
herd, raised successful crops and purchased
more land to enlarge his ranch. After his
death, Mrs. Webber sold the ranch and with
her daughter Doris, Laura and her family
moved to California August 1956.

Laura N. Decker 81' oldest daughter of
Thomas and Leona Webber, died October 31,
1985 in Vallejo, California after a long illness.
Laura was born in Denver, Colorado and later
moved with her parents in 1911 southwest of
Seneca, Nebraska at an early age. She taught
school at age 17 and married Isaac Madron
about 1922. To this union two children were
born. Isaac passed away in 1925. In 1931
Laura married Leonard Decker. They moved
to Vallejo, California in 1940, where she
worked in the Optical departments at Mare
Island Naval Shipyard and the Benicia
Arsenal for five years. She was a member of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints; the Children Home Society; and the
Past President of the Relieg Society.

Laura is survived by her husband, Leon-
ard, daughter, Leila Gordon, son Willard
Madron, five grandchildren, five great-
grandchildren, one sister, Doris Webber, and
one sister-in-law Elva Webber and many
friends. She was preceded in death by her
parents, and brother, Erwin. Services were
held November 4, by Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints, First Ward. Burial in
the Skyview Memorial Lawn Cemetery.