Path of the Pioneers: Bastrop to Austin (Part III)

 

Webberville

The Texas Historical Commission placed a marker here in 1997 (30.225596,-97.514005). The marker reads: 

This community was named for John F. Webber (1793-1882) who received a land grant in 1827 and settled in this area with his African American wife and children. A post office was established in 1846 for Webber’s Prairie, and by 1853 the name was changed to Webberville. Based on a cotton farming economy, the town later included gristmills, cotton mills, general stores, schools, churches, and a cemetery. The post office was discontinued in 1903. A ferry crossing on the Colorado River ceased operation in the 1920s.

Webberville historical marker in front of Ebenezer Baptist Church

Noah Smithwick (Evolution of a State) a friend of Webber, moved to Webber's Prairie in the latter part of 1839 and relates that Webber "built the first house, a fort in the prairie [Webber's fort, and that] Other settlers collected around the pioneer cabin, among whom were the Dutys, the next to locate. There were five brothers of them, Joseph, the only one who had a family, William, Matthew, George and Richard". More on Matthew & Joseph Duty shortly.

 

Webberville Ebenezer Baptist Church

Behind the Webberville historical marker is the Webberville Ebenezer Baptist Church. It too has a historical marker:

This church traces its origin to the plight of Anglo American John F. Webber, who along with his African American wife and children, settled in this sparsely populated area of Texas in 1839 to escape the racism they had experienced in towns and cities. A community known as Webber Prairie consisting of plantation owners and their slaves developed here. Racial prejudice caused Webber to sell his land to Colonel John Banks in 1851 and move his family to Mexico. 

In 1868 Matthew Duty donated one acre of land here for the purpose of building a church for the area’s recently emancipated African Americans. That year the Webberville Ebenezer Baptist Church was organized as a mission of the St. John Regular Missionary Baptist Association. Charter members included Thomas Reads, Suns Johnson, Lowens Berry, and Mary Green. The Rev. Wesley Barrow served as Ebenezer’s first pastor. 

In 1956 several members of the congregation left Ebenezer Baptist to form a church in Austin which became known as the New Light Ebenezer Baptist Church. Ebenezer Baptist remains active despite the relocation of many of Webberville’s families to nearby urban centers. Former members continue to gather here on special occasions and holidays.

Smithwick says Webber moved to what was then an unsettled area to escape the social stigma of those times associated with mix race marriage. "The Webber family of course could not mingle with the white people, and, owing to the strong prejudice against free Negroes, they were not allowed to mix with the slaves, even had they so desired: so they were constrained to keep to themselves. Still there wasn't a white woman in the vicinity but knew and liked [Webber's wife] Puss .. and in truth they had cause to like her, for, if there was need of help, Puss was ever ready to render assistance, without money and without price, as we old timers know. Webber's house was always open to any one who close to avail himself of its hospitality, and no human being ever went away from its doors hungry if the family knew it. The destitute and afflicted many times found an asylum there." (pp. 163-166).

 

Matthew Duty and the "Duty roan"

Next to the church sits a small cemetery in which some of the early pioneers Smithwick mentioned are buried. One is Matthew Duty whose marker reads:

Marker of Matthew Duty 1793-1837

Matthew Duty

Born 1793 Sumner Co. Tennessee

Died 1837 Webberville, Bastrop Co.

Republic of Texas

An Austin Colony Pioneer 1829-1837

Son of Solomon Duty an early Texas Pioneer

Matthew Duty was killed and scalped 

by Indians in the Spring of 1837

Jenkins recounts the story of Matthew Duty in his memoirs (Recollections, pp. 47, 66, 244). Matthew Duty had ridden out one evening to look over the crops. While out of sight he was ambushed by Indians, his horse -- known as the Duty roan -- returning home without its rider.

Earlier that year, Duty showed great heroism saving the life of Billy Hornsby in another Indian attack. Duty put himself, riding the Duty roan, between Hornsby and a band of attacking Indians, allowing Hornsby time to escape on foot.

Joseph Duty

After Matthew's death, the horse was ridden by Joseph Matthew but was captured by Indians who shot at Joseph, missed, but wounded the Duty roan. Joseph escaped on foot, but the horse was taken by the Indians. But then later in the 1840 Battle of Plum Creek against the Peneteka Comanches, Jacob Burleson shot an Indian on a horse that turned out to be the Duty roan! It was then kept and ridden by the Burlesons in many more fights against the Indians.

1880 Map of Travis County showing land owned by John F. Webber, Matthew (heirs) & Joseph Duty