David Debs Webster ~ My Newly-Discovered Granduncle

Isn't this a darling baby? I believe this is my newly-discovered granduncle, David Debs Webster.

A sweet 3rd cousin of mine recently emailed a scanned copy of a photo postcard to me with this baby's picture on it along with some writing. I'm so thrilled that she found this while she was looking through some photos, and then sent it to me along with some other pictures. She's so thoughtful and kind!

Here's what the writing says on this postcard:

(Stamped): Argenta, Arkansas 

3-23-6 

Dear Sister: This is my youngest boy. His name is David Debs Webster. Born Sept 12 - 1905.  

Write, Lovingly 

Ur bro. 

Fred E. Webster

This postcard definitely interested me because Fred E. Webster is the name of my maternal great-grandfather. His name at birth was Watson Emory Webster, but he changed his name to Frederick Emory Webster later in life. You may know him here on my blog as "The Traveling Dentist."

So, is David Debs Webster one of my great-grandfather's children? The middle name of Debs is an interesting clue. My maternal grandfather was named Debs Warren Webster. He was one of the children of Frederick Emory Webster and Esther Matus Villatoro.

Fred is addressing his sister in this postcard. My 3rd cousin is a descendant of one of Frederick's sisters.

My 3rd cousin also sent me a scanned image of the address side of this postcard. It was addressed to Mrs. P. A. Hammett in Marysville, Kansas. One of Frederick's sisters was married to Paul Anderson Hammett and they lived in Kansas for a number of years.

These clues indicate to me that yes, the Fred E. Webster who wrote on this postcard, is my great-grandfather, Frederick Emory Webster. I know that he was in Arkansas at least a couple of times in his life.

Now that I'm almost positive that David Debs Webster is a son of my great-grandfather, Frederick Emory Webster, the question is who is David's mother?

I've been doing research to try and answer that question. I don't have definitive answers yet, but I have several clues that are leading me in one direction. I hope to find documents to prove my theory.

In any event, this is an exciting discovery. Another leaf for our family tree!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jana

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