Son of Chauncey Griswold Webb and Eliza Jane Churchhill

Married Almira Sophia Taft, 22 Nov 1855, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Children - Chauncey Gilbert Webb, Ella Taft Webb, Alice Webb, Wilford Taft Webb, Frederick Taft Webb, Effie Taft Webb, Vivie Webb

Married Georgiana Kate Cropper, 20 Dec 1867, Deseret, Millard, Utah

Children - Milo Wise Webb, Leslie Webb, Gilberta Webb, Theodora Webb, Kathleen Clementine Webb, George Percy Webb, Ethel Matheny Webb, Adolf Webb, Carlisle Webb, Nellie Blythe Webb

History - Chauncey Gilbert Webb was born December 15, 1836 in Kirkland, Lake County, Ohio, to Chauncey Griswold and Eliza Jane Churchill. He died in 1923 in Colonia Juarez, State of Chihuahua, Mexico and is buried in the cemetery in that area.

Webb was a follower of the Mormon faith. He was a hardworking, enterprising man, and worked his way up into Brigham Young's favor. He was a self-professed member of Young's Avenging Angels. Whether he was in on the murders of the Mountain Meadow's Massacre is not known for certainty.

He and Brigham had a dispute over a contract and Webb left Utah in 1879 and went to work for a time laying track on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in Arizona. He soon moved to the Gila Valley in Arizona where he became a member of the first town Council, was Mayor of Pima and was active in the Graham County Democratic party. Webb did well for a time with his store, cattle ranch, stage line, and real estate operation. He helped build Pima's first school. He helped families in need (for a purpose).

Many people began to owe him money that they couldn't pay. He became overextended and had no capital to fulfill several government contracts. At 52 years old, he was in debt and needed cash. Although no one was ever convicted of one of the most daring crimes to happen in Arizona, Chauncey Gilbert Webb was thought to be the Mastermind of the Wham Robbery.

The U.S. Army and Major Joseph Washington Wham lost $28,315.10 in gold and silver coin that was to have been used for payrolls at several Army Forts. Eight of Major Wham's men were wounded in the fight. U.S. Marshall William Kidder Meade and the Graham County Sheriff arrested eleven men. They included Webb, his three sons and eight other men. They were put on trial in Tucson, Arizona.

After a lengthy trial, they finally were acquitted. The money was never recovered, but it was thought that Webb took it to pay off massive debts.

He and two of his sons left in 1891 for Mexico. He was ordered into exile there, never to return to the United States. His wife and other children stayed in the U.S. He sought work on the building of a railroad in Chihuahua and lived in Colonia Dublan. This is where my father knew the Webb's.

My father was a just a young man in his late teens and out of respect for older people, he always spoke of the old man as Uncle Gilbert. He said that Uncle Gilbert told him much of what went on in Utah and at Pima.

He gave my father lots of good advice, telling him, "Son, don't ever do anything that will cause you to loose your family and your country. It just isn't worth it. I will never get to go back and I'll never see my wife and family again".

I guess the old fellow had lots of time to reflect on the things he had done wrong. "Uncle Gilbert" died in 1923 in Colonia Juarez, Mexico.

An Enduring Legacy, Volume Six, p. 177

Elder Franklin Richards and a party of elders returning to Salt Lake City had witnessed the plight of the Willie Company. The best thing they could do, they felt, was to hurry on to Salt Lake and report the conditions, that relief might be sent. They arrived in the city as October conference was convening, and President Young addressed the people, saying in part:

There are a number of our people on the Plains who have started to come to Zion with handcarts and they need our help. We want twenty teams by tomorrow to go to their relief. It will be necessary to send two experienced men with each wagon. I will furnish three teams loaded with provisions and send good men with them and Brother Heber C. Kimball will do the some. If there are any brethren present who have suitable outfits for such a journey, please make it known at once so we will know what to depend upon.

Women collected bedding and clothing and provisions were gathered. That evening twenty-seven young men met and received final instructions to prepare them for their errand of mercy. Among this group were George D. Grant, William H. Kimball, Joseph A. Young, Cyrus H. Wheelock, USMB James Ferguson, Chauncey Webb, Thomas Bankhead, Daniel W. Jones, Stephen Taylor, Joel Parish, Charles Grey, Amos Fairbanks, Thomas Ricks, Edward Peck, William Broomhead, Ira Nebeker, Able Garr, Harvey Cluff, and Heber P. Kimball, nearly all trained scouts. The others were equally trained to rescuing, (USMB Clark Allen Huntington).

When the relief party reached Fort Bridger and had not yet met the handcart company, they became alarmed, as they had expected to meet the advance company under direction of Captain Willie. After deliberating, a decision was made to send Joseph Young and Cyrus H. Wheelock ahead to urge the companies on, if possible. Soon the snow became deep and with a cold north wind causing deep drifts, they had to camp. Men and animals were completely exhausted. It was here on the night of October 20 that Captain Willie and Joseph Elder, riding two worn-out animals, brought the news that unless immediate aid came, his company would perish.

Immediately the men prepared to start again, and after a hard journey they arrived at Willie's camp where they found people who had not eaten for forty-eight hours. Fires were lighted and food prepared, but for some the rescue party was too late. That night nine more deaths occurred. Part of the rescue party stayed with the Willie Company but most of them pushed on to relieve the suffering of the Martin Company and the Hodgett and Hunt wagon trains. The rescue party had broken a trail and the Willie Company was urged to try to follow it. All along the way they met relief parties carrying more provisions.

At Fort Bridger they were met by half a hundred wagons. What a glorious day as the rescue wagons returned to the city carrying the exhausted and travel-worn pioneers! The Willie Company arrived November 9, the Martin group November 30 and the wagon trains completed their journey between December 10 and 15. Much compassion was shown in the way these travelers were received. Homes were opened to them and food and clothing freely given.

Many thrilling accounts are recorded of the kindness and brotherly love that existed among these ill-fated pioneers. One of the most heroic mass rescues the frontier ever witnessed was performed by the scouts and men who answered the call to bring more than a thousand persons, who were stalled in the snow three hundred miles from any settlement, safely to their destination.

Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, Brigham Young Company (1848); Approximate age of departure, 11; Rescue Companies (1856), Approximate age of departuare, 19.