WEBB
86
WEBB
which he purchased in 1877, combined with the
"Constitutionalist", and retained until his death.
In addition to his editorial work he was agent of
the New York Associated Press, 1866-92, and general
manager of the Southern Associated Press. He was
a member of the state Legislature, 1872-74-76;
delegate-at-large to tlie Democratic National Con-
vention, 18S4, and a member of the World's Colum-
bian Fair Commission. To fill an unexpired term
he was appointed by the governor, as a Democrat,
a United States senator from Georgia, 2 April, 1894,
and then was elected to the same office by the
Legislature, 3 March, 1895.
Biographical Congressional Directory (Washington, 1903); Lamb, Biog. Did. of U. S. (Boston, 1903); Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.), Morning Star (New Orleans), contemporary files.
Thomas F. Meehan.
Webb, Benjamin Joseph, editor, historian, b. at Bardstown, Kentucky, 25 Feb., 1814; d. at Louisville, Kentucky, 2 Aug., 1897. His father, a convert, was one of the pioneers of Kentucky in 1774. Benjamin was educated at St. Joseph's College, Bardstown, which he left at an early age to learn the printer's trade. He was foreman of the office of the "Jour- nal", a newspaper in Louisville, when, in 1836, the Rev. Dr. Reynolds (later Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina), who had been one of his teachers at St. Joseph's, persuaded him to undertake the pubhca- tion at Bardstown of the "Catholic Advocate". This paper, with the assistance of Bishops Spalding,
David, and Flaget, he successfully conduCi,ed; he re-
moved its oiBce to Louisville in 1841, and in 1847 re-
tired from its management. He continued, however,
to defend CathoUc interests, notably in connexion
with George D. Prentice, editor of the Louisville
"Courier-Journal" in 1855, in a series of letters on the
intolerance of Knownothingism, which had disgraced
the city by the atrocities of "Bloody Monday". These
letters were printed subsequently in book form with
the title, "Letters of a Kentucky CathoUc". On 1
May, 18.58, at the instance of Bishop Spalding and in
connexion with other members of the Particular Coun-
cil of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of LouisviUe,
he issued the "Cathohc Guardian", which the
Civil War troubles ended in July, 1862. He was also
a contributor to the "CathoUc Advocate" on its re-
vival in 1869. His long association with Catholic
interests in Kentucky prompted him to compile
"The Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky"
(Louisville, 1SS4), a volume invaluable in its records
of the men and times of the pioneer era. He served
as a member of the state senate from Louisville during
the years 1867-75, and in 1868 wrote, at the request of
the Legislature, "Memoirs of Gov. Lazarus W. Powell
and Gov. John L. Hehu" (published by the State).
During his life he was justly regarded as the foremost
Catholic layman of Kentucky.
History of the Ohio Falls Cities (Cleveland, 1S82); The Record and Catholic Advocate (Louisville), contemporary files.
Thomas F. Meeh.^n.
