Foundry worker and Union army soldier
Bill Webb talks about how his ancestor George Edmondson came to West Virginia.
William Webb
Courtesy of Bill Webb
After retiring from a career in banking, Bill Webb began to investigate his family history. His interest had been sparked by a family Bible record of his ancestor Brown Colbert that he saw as a child in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The research of Bill and his wife, Eva Kobus-Webb, revealed the connection to Monticello and brought to light other Colbert descendants like the Civil War soldier George Edmondson and suffragist Coralie Franklin Cook.
Interview Information
15 July 2007, Charlottesville, VA
Interviewee: William Webb
Excerpts
“In my mother’s attic”
Bill Webb tells how he discovered his ancestor Brown Colbert, who sought freedom in Africa.
"It's been rolling for me ever since."
Bill Webb talks about the path from a Bible record entry to discovery of his connection to Monticello.
Theme: Oral History Transmission
Why did he go?
Bill Webb considers his ancestor Brown Colbert's decision to emigrate from Virginia to Africa.
Themes: Antislavery, Family, Struggle for Equality
"A true all-American story"
Bill Webb regards his "multicultural family" as a part of the American story.
Themes: Family, Racial Identity
Ancestry
- Elizabeth Hemings 1735–1807
- Betty Brown 1759–post 1831
- Brown Colbert 1785–1833
- Malinda Colbert Edmondson ca. 1808–1863
- William Webb 1942–
Related People
- Brown Colbert ancestor
- George Edmondson great-grandfather
- Coralie Franklin Cook relation