Alonzo was born 14 Aug 1844 in Henrietta, New York[1] to Amanda Webster and __________.[2] He passed away 12 Apr 1887 at Dodge City, Ford, Kansas. He enlisted with the Michigan Cavalry in 1863 and mustered out at Salt Lake City 1866 as a Corporal.[3] His obituary states his actual date and place of discharge was 7 March 1866 at Camp Douglas, Wyoming Territory.[1] It is likely this was simply recorded at Salt Lake City.
After the Civil War he settled in Fort Hays, Kansas, established a business and was characterized as a "distinguished character against the lawless element of the town." Alonzo and his wife Amanda moved to Dodge City in 1872 (some records state 1873), the same year many other noted early Dodge City citizens arrived.[4]
Alonzo Webster's dry goods store was located at 1st Avenue and Front street. With his lifelong friend and business partner O.A."Brick" Bond he opened the Stock Exchange Saloon and when prohibition came into fashion the Palace Drug Store.[4]
He held a number of public offices including Ford County Treasurer 1873-77 (two terms) and Mayor of Dodge City beginning in 1881 for three terms and had been reelected to a fourth term one week before his death.[1]
The election of Alonzo Webster as Mayor brought a decided change to the bustling Dodge City. The Boot Hill Museum covers this change in colorful fashion: "He made no fancy promises when he took oath of office, but word soon spread among the cattle trails that Dodge City had a mayor who knew how to use a sawed off shotgun and was an artist with a revolver. Soon after taking office Webster published a set of rules for Dodge City policemen, never seen before. City lawmen were from that point on, prohibited from outside employment required to wear their badge and could not be intoxicated while on duty. They also had to have the mayor's permission to leave town."
"Webster was said to have the manhood and the nerve to enforce the law. He was elected mayor believing he would enforce the law. Up to this point, Bat Masterson, a noted desperado, was running the city of Dodge City with a gang of ruffians he formed. They were all defying the law as they wished. This came to a head when there was a large disturbance in the middle of Front Street with Bat in the middle of the foray with his two pistols drawn. Mayor Webster did not call upon some timid police officer to enforce the law. Instead, Webster grabbed his sawed off shotgun, marched into the middle of the street and aimed his weapon right at Bat. He then said to him, "Damn you, throw up your hands or you are a dead man." Bat dropped his two six guns, threw his hands up, and law was enforced that day in Dodge City."[4]
The day after his election to his fourth term as Mayor, Alonzo was struck by a rheumatic attack, something from which he had suffered for some time. On Tuesday, April 12, 1887 at 5:00 a.m. he passed away at the home of his niece, Mrs. M.W. Sutton. His wife who had been away was summoned did not arrive before his passing. He was survived by his wife and a son. His funeral was held at the McCarty Opera House with over one thousand attendees. A great procession carried him to the Prairie Grove Cemetery.[1] Those interred in the Prairie Grove Cemetery have been moved to the Maple Grove Cemetery.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Webster-10525
From contributor Wendy McDaniel:
"There's a picture of Alonzo B. Webster in the book "Why the West Was Wild" by Nyle H. Miller, p.353. The index and numerous references in the book indicate he was mayor, and acting marshal of Dodge City in 1882. This Kansas Historical Society webpage has pictures of his funeral parade and lists his death as April 12, 1887. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/303239. Census records on Ancestry.com list about 1846 as his birth year, and New York as his birth place.
Other Ancestry.com records are from Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 and list his current occupation as Merchant, and his military service (33 months) from 1883-85.
p. 120 There is a synopsis of one of the difficulties Alonzo faced as Mayor in the book 'Age of the Gunfighter: Men and Weapons on the Frontier, 1840-1900' by Joseph G. Rosa has in 1881, and it includes a story about Bat Masterson and Luke Short."
After the Civil War he settled in Fort Hays, Kansas, established a business and was characterized as a "distinguished character against the lawless element of the town." Alonzo and his wife Amanda moved to Dodge City in 1872 (some records state 1873), the same year many other noted early Dodge City citizens arrived.[4]
Alonzo Webster's dry goods store was located at 1st Avenue and Front street. With his lifelong friend and business partner O.A."Brick" Bond he opened the Stock Exchange Saloon and when prohibition came into fashion the Palace Drug Store.[4]
He held a number of public offices including Ford County Treasurer 1873-77 (two terms) and Mayor of Dodge City beginning in 1881 for three terms and had been reelected to a fourth term one week before his death.[1]
The election of Alonzo Webster as Mayor brought a decided change to the bustling Dodge City. The Boot Hill Museum covers this change in colorful fashion: "He made no fancy promises when he took oath of office, but word soon spread among the cattle trails that Dodge City had a mayor who knew how to use a sawed off shotgun and was an artist with a revolver. Soon after taking office Webster published a set of rules for Dodge City policemen, never seen before. City lawmen were from that point on, prohibited from outside employment required to wear their badge and could not be intoxicated while on duty. They also had to have the mayor's permission to leave town."
"Webster was said to have the manhood and the nerve to enforce the law. He was elected mayor believing he would enforce the law. Up to this point, Bat Masterson, a noted desperado, was running the city of Dodge City with a gang of ruffians he formed. They were all defying the law as they wished. This came to a head when there was a large disturbance in the middle of Front Street with Bat in the middle of the foray with his two pistols drawn. Mayor Webster did not call upon some timid police officer to enforce the law. Instead, Webster grabbed his sawed off shotgun, marched into the middle of the street and aimed his weapon right at Bat. He then said to him, "Damn you, throw up your hands or you are a dead man." Bat dropped his two six guns, threw his hands up, and law was enforced that day in Dodge City."[4]
The day after his election to his fourth term as Mayor, Alonzo was struck by a rheumatic attack, something from which he had suffered for some time. On Tuesday, April 12, 1887 at 5:00 a.m. he passed away at the home of his niece, Mrs. M.W. Sutton. His wife who had been away was summoned did not arrive before his passing. He was survived by his wife and a son. His funeral was held at the McCarty Opera House with over one thousand attendees. A great procession carried him to the Prairie Grove Cemetery.[1] Those interred in the Prairie Grove Cemetery have been moved to the Maple Grove Cemetery.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Webster-10525
From contributor Wendy McDaniel:
"There's a picture of Alonzo B. Webster in the book "Why the West Was Wild" by Nyle H. Miller, p.353. The index and numerous references in the book indicate he was mayor, and acting marshal of Dodge City in 1882. This Kansas Historical Society webpage has pictures of his funeral parade and lists his death as April 12, 1887. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/303239. Census records on Ancestry.com list about 1846 as his birth year, and New York as his birth place.
Other Ancestry.com records are from Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 and list his current occupation as Merchant, and his military service (33 months) from 1883-85.
p. 120 There is a synopsis of one of the difficulties Alonzo faced as Mayor in the book 'Age of the Gunfighter: Men and Weapons on the Frontier, 1840-1900' by Joseph G. Rosa has in 1881, and it includes a story about Bat Masterson and Luke Short."
Alonzo was born 14 Aug 1844 in Henrietta, New York[1] to Amanda Webster and __________.[2] He passed away 12 Apr 1887 at Dodge City, Ford, Kansas. He enlisted with the Michigan Cavalry in 1863 and mustered out at Salt Lake City 1866 as a Corporal.[3] His obituary states his actual date and place of discharge was 7 March 1866 at Camp Douglas, Wyoming Territory.[1] It is likely this was simply recorded at Salt Lake City.
After the Civil War he settled in Fort Hays, Kansas, established a business and was characterized as a "distinguished character against the lawless element of the town." Alonzo and his wife Amanda moved to Dodge City in 1872 (some records state 1873), the same year many other noted early Dodge City citizens arrived.[4]
Alonzo Webster's dry goods store was located at 1st Avenue and Front street. With his lifelong friend and business partner O.A."Brick" Bond he opened the Stock Exchange Saloon and when prohibition came into fashion the Palace Drug Store.[4]
He held a number of public offices including Ford County Treasurer 1873-77 (two terms) and Mayor of Dodge City beginning in 1881 for three terms and had been reelected to a fourth term one week before his death.[1]
The election of Alonzo Webster as Mayor brought a decided change to the bustling Dodge City. The Boot Hill Museum covers this change in colorful fashion: "He made no fancy promises when he took oath of office, but word soon spread among the cattle trails that Dodge City had a mayor who knew how to use a sawed off shotgun and was an artist with a revolver. Soon after taking office Webster published a set of rules for Dodge City policemen, never seen before. City lawmen were from that point on, prohibited from outside employment required to wear their badge and could not be intoxicated while on duty. They also had to have the mayor's permission to leave town."
"Webster was said to have the manhood and the nerve to enforce the law. He was elected mayor believing he would enforce the law. Up to this point, Bat Masterson, a noted desperado, was running the city of Dodge City with a gang of ruffians he formed. They were all defying the law as they wished. This came to a head when there was a large disturbance in the middle of Front Street with Bat in the middle of the foray with his two pistols drawn. Mayor Webster did not call upon some timid police officer to enforce the law. Instead, Webster grabbed his sawed off shotgun, marched into the middle of the street and aimed his weapon right at Bat. He then said to him, "Damn you, throw up your hands or you are a dead man." Bat dropped his two six guns, threw his hands up, and law was enforced that day in Dodge City."[4]
The day after his election to his fourth term as Mayor, Alonzo was struck by a rheumatic attack, something from which he had suffered for some time. On Tuesday, April 12, 1887 at 5:00 a.m. he passed away at the home of his niece, Mrs. M.W. Sutton. His wife who had been away was summoned did not arrive before his passing. He was survived by his wife and a son. His funeral was held at the McCarty Opera House with over one thousand attendees. A great procession carried him to the Prairie Grove Cemetery.[1] Those interred in the Prairie Grove Cemetery have been moved to the Maple Grove Cemetery.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Webster-10525
From contributor Wendy McDaniel:
"There's a picture of Alonzo B. Webster in the book "Why the West Was Wild" by Nyle H. Miller, p.353. The index and numerous references in the book indicate he was mayor, and acting marshal of Dodge City in 1882. This Kansas Historical Society webpage has pictures of his funeral parade and lists his death as April 12, 1887. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/303239. Census records on Ancestry.com list about 1846 as his birth year, and New York as his birth place.
Other Ancestry.com records are from Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 and list his current occupation as Merchant, and his military service (33 months) from 1883-85.
p. 120 There is a synopsis of one of the difficulties Alonzo faced as Mayor in the book 'Age of the Gunfighter: Men and Weapons on the Frontier, 1840-1900' by Joseph G. Rosa has in 1881, and it includes a story about Bat Masterson and Luke Short."
After the Civil War he settled in Fort Hays, Kansas, established a business and was characterized as a "distinguished character against the lawless element of the town." Alonzo and his wife Amanda moved to Dodge City in 1872 (some records state 1873), the same year many other noted early Dodge City citizens arrived.[4]
Alonzo Webster's dry goods store was located at 1st Avenue and Front street. With his lifelong friend and business partner O.A."Brick" Bond he opened the Stock Exchange Saloon and when prohibition came into fashion the Palace Drug Store.[4]
He held a number of public offices including Ford County Treasurer 1873-77 (two terms) and Mayor of Dodge City beginning in 1881 for three terms and had been reelected to a fourth term one week before his death.[1]
The election of Alonzo Webster as Mayor brought a decided change to the bustling Dodge City. The Boot Hill Museum covers this change in colorful fashion: "He made no fancy promises when he took oath of office, but word soon spread among the cattle trails that Dodge City had a mayor who knew how to use a sawed off shotgun and was an artist with a revolver. Soon after taking office Webster published a set of rules for Dodge City policemen, never seen before. City lawmen were from that point on, prohibited from outside employment required to wear their badge and could not be intoxicated while on duty. They also had to have the mayor's permission to leave town."
"Webster was said to have the manhood and the nerve to enforce the law. He was elected mayor believing he would enforce the law. Up to this point, Bat Masterson, a noted desperado, was running the city of Dodge City with a gang of ruffians he formed. They were all defying the law as they wished. This came to a head when there was a large disturbance in the middle of Front Street with Bat in the middle of the foray with his two pistols drawn. Mayor Webster did not call upon some timid police officer to enforce the law. Instead, Webster grabbed his sawed off shotgun, marched into the middle of the street and aimed his weapon right at Bat. He then said to him, "Damn you, throw up your hands or you are a dead man." Bat dropped his two six guns, threw his hands up, and law was enforced that day in Dodge City."[4]
The day after his election to his fourth term as Mayor, Alonzo was struck by a rheumatic attack, something from which he had suffered for some time. On Tuesday, April 12, 1887 at 5:00 a.m. he passed away at the home of his niece, Mrs. M.W. Sutton. His wife who had been away was summoned did not arrive before his passing. He was survived by his wife and a son. His funeral was held at the McCarty Opera House with over one thousand attendees. A great procession carried him to the Prairie Grove Cemetery.[1] Those interred in the Prairie Grove Cemetery have been moved to the Maple Grove Cemetery.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Webster-10525
From contributor Wendy McDaniel:
"There's a picture of Alonzo B. Webster in the book "Why the West Was Wild" by Nyle H. Miller, p.353. The index and numerous references in the book indicate he was mayor, and acting marshal of Dodge City in 1882. This Kansas Historical Society webpage has pictures of his funeral parade and lists his death as April 12, 1887. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/303239. Census records on Ancestry.com list about 1846 as his birth year, and New York as his birth place.
Other Ancestry.com records are from Kansas, Grand Army of the Republic Post Reports, 1880-1940 and list his current occupation as Merchant, and his military service (33 months) from 1883-85.
p. 120 There is a synopsis of one of the difficulties Alonzo faced as Mayor in the book 'Age of the Gunfighter: Men and Weapons on the Frontier, 1840-1900' by Joseph G. Rosa has in 1881, and it includes a story about Bat Masterson and Luke Short."
Inscription
A.B. Webster
Corpl.
Co. C 1st MICH CAV.
Family Members
Children
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