Ephraim Webster
| Ephraim Webster | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 30, 1762 Hampstead, New Hampshire, United States |
| Died | October 16, 1824 (aged 62) Syracuse, New York, United States |
| Occupation | State agent in land treaties with the Onondaga nation |
| Spouse(s) | Hannah Danks |
Ephraim Webster (June 30, 1762 - October 16, 1824) was the first white settler in Central New York when he arrived in 1786 to an area later named Syracuse. For three decades, the Onondagas trusted and relied on him more than any other white man.
Webster was a translator and acted as agent for the Onondagas on several land treaties with the State of New York and was instrumental in the eventual settlement by white pioneers of Syracuse, New York, although the Onondagas later felt betrayed by him.
Ephraim Webster was born on June 30, 1762 in Hampstead, New Hampshire, United States and was raised in Newbury, Vermont. He was the son of Ephraim Webster Sr. and Phebe Tucker. He had nine siblings. His mother died when he was a teenager and his father, son of Samuel Webster and Mary Kimball, remarried on January 8, 1778 in Chester, New Hampshire to Sarah Colby Wells, a widow. Ephraim Webster Sr. was very well-written and left an extensive family diary.
In 1777, at age 15, he served as a private in George Washington's Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. During his time in service, he was called on by the commanders of Fort Ticonderoga in New York to volunteer with another soldier to swim Lake Champlain and carry dispatches to General Lincoln near Mount Independence, Vermont. The trip was a distance of 2 miles (3.2 km) and took place in the late autumn when the water was already quite cold. The two soldiers departed one evening and feared they would not make it alive. Webster completed the duty, however, nearly lost his life and had to be rescued by his companion, Wallace of Thetford.
...
Wikipedia