James Webb

James Webb (1792–1856) was an attorney, judge, and politician in the Republic of Texas and during the early days of statehood after its annexation by the United States. Webb was born in Virginia in 1792 and spent part of his early years in Georgia and Florida. He taught school as a teenager, worked in the office of the county clerk and studied for the bar. He became an attorney in 1816.

He moved back to Florida in 1823 where he established the community of Webbville in Jackson County. He served as one of the trustees of the first public school in the area, Webbville Academy. In 1828 he was named a federal judge for the newly created Southern District of Florida by President John Quincy Adams.

In 1838, he moved to Texas where he caught the attention of President Mirabeau Lamar, who made him Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, and Attorney General of the young republic. In 1841 he was named minister to Mexico. He attempted to establish diplomatic relations during this time, but was unsuccessful. Returning promptly to Texas, he served for three years in the Republic of Texas Senate (1841-1844).

He served again as Secretary of State after statehood. In 1854, Webb was appointed judge of the Texas Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court, based in Corpus Christi, his new home. He was still serving when he died on November 1, 1856, en route to Goliad, Texas, for a court session. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Goliad.

Webb County, Texas is named in his honor.

Early life James Webb was born to Francis Webb and Frances (née Walker) Webb in Fairfax County, Virginia, on March 31, 1792. In 1810, the family moved to Janes County, Georgia, then to Hancock County, where the father died. At age 17, James went to work teaching school for one year, then moved to Essex County, Virginia, where he was hired to work in the county clerk's office. During this time he began "reading law," a prerequisite for becoming a lawyer in lieu of attending law school. He served a tour of duty in the War of 1812, then resumed his studies and was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1819.

Life in Florida In 1823, James Webb moved his residence and law practice from Georgia to Jackson County, Florida. He had already married Rachel Elizabeth Lamar, and they were expecting a second child. (The first child was a 10-year old daughter named Mary Elizabeth.) The mother and daughter decided to live with Rachel's family until James obtained land and built a house for them.

There were few attorneys in the Florida Panhandle, so James claimed about of land near a community known only as Chipola Settlement. He opened a law office in Chipola, and soon took on Peter W. Gautier, already a prominent figure in Florida, as his partner. Chipola had become established only a year before Webb arrived, and the area was already attracting many settlers. Chipola Settlement grew from fewer than 200 inhabitants in 1822 to more than 2000 in 1825. The land was well watered by several creeks and rivers, and soon proved highly suitable for agriculture, especially for raising either cotton or sugar. The Florida Territorial Legislature appointed a commission in 1827 to choose a final site for the county seat, survey it, and begin selling lots. James Webb was selected as one of the commissioners. Hardly had he left Webbville when a rival group from Marianna, Florida announced its intention to move the proposed county seat to Marianna, quickly swinging into action, lining up political support, even as Webbville businesses were moving to Marianna. Dissident members of the Territorial Legislature pushed forward an act threatening fines for any officials who failed to conduct their official business from Marianna. County officials scrambled to relocate their offices to the de facto county seat. Webbville became the county's first incorporated town on November 19, 1828, but it was a hollow victory. The reality was that effectively moving the county seat to Marianna ended the rise of Webbville. The buildings were soon scavenged to erect buildings in Marianna and elsewhere. Before the outbreak of the American Civil War, Webbville had become a ghost town.

Legacy Webb County, Texas, formed from Nueces County, Texas, was named to honor James Webb for his services to both the Republic of Texas and the modern State of Texas.