Myron E. Webster is a native of Christain county, Illinois, born in the year 1860. His father was Myron P. Webster. Webster is a good old name and the subject of this sketch traces his lineage back to the world renowned Daniel and Noah Webster, and their descendants justly pride themselves on their "family tree." Mr. Webster's mother was a native of Vermont; before her marriage she was Julia Chase. After she removed to New York she met and was married to Myron P. Webster. They emigrated to Springfield, Illinois at an early day, traveling over the chain of lakes, and down the Illinois river in a small boat, much after the pattern of canal boats drawn by horses on a tow path at the side of the river, possibly not quite as quick transit as by cars, but exceedingly safe, and in earlier days people seemed to have more time to jaunt through the country. At that period only one railroad ran through the state, and that is now the Wabash. When this road was built the tracks were made of wood with iron nailed on the top. Myron E. Webster is one of nine children, eight of whom are living and all are residents of the state of Kansas; their homes embracing Clay, Washington and Cloud counties, excepting a sister in Kansas City, Kansas, and one brother in Ellsworth county. There are none so distant as to make it impossible to meet occasionally in pleasurable family reunions, where they can indulge in a retrospective rehearsal of childhood days when cares were unknown.

Mr. Webster owned a small farm in Washington county, near the Cloud County line, which he disposed of, and in 1890, purchased the "Nick Guiger" farm on the main Elk creek, one of the most desirable farms in the country, and under his management it has been a great success. He had 13,000 bushels of corn carried over for several seasons, some of it as far back as five years and his farm was called "Egypt" because of the abundance of corn, when there was a shortage in the country. People came from Concordia and other points hauling it away in wagons and paid from sixty to seventy cents per bushel; it was bought principally for feed. To the hungry stock it was a priceless boon and if their satisfaction could have been expressed in words they would have shouted, "Corn is king." Mr. Webster's farm lands consist of two hundred acres in Cloud county and five hundred acres in the Republican river valley in Clay county, where he had three hundred acres in corn, two hundred of which was washed out by floods. He generally plants two-thirds of his land in corn. In the years 1896-7 he raised one hundred and twenty acres of corn that averaged fifty-five bushels to the acre. He does not raise much stock.

Mr. Webster was married in 1888, to Lora V. Matthews, a daughter of William Matthews, who died in the army of a gunshot wound, and from overexertion, gangrene set in causing his death. He was buried In Nashville, Tennessee. Mrs. Webster's family emigrated to Kansas in 1879; her mother now resides in Beatrice, Nebraska. Her family consists of two sons and one daughter; one of the sons is older than Mrs. Webster and the other younger.

To Mr. and Mrs. Webster have been born three children; the eldest, Lila Gay, deceased at the age of eight years. Longfellow beautifully tells us. "There is no flock however watched and tended, but one dead lamb is there." An infant was deceased January, 1902. One daughter remains to her parents' loving care, Julia May. She has considerable talent for music and her parents are ambitious to cultivate the gift; she is also very apt in her studies and a general favorite. Mr. and Mrs. Webster and daughter have recently returned from an extended trip to the coast, after visiting many places of interest.

The Webster home, a pretty cottage, is beautifully situated near the banks of Elk creek, which is a running stream of water, a greater part of the year and is skirted by heavy timber. The stream is crossed by a rustic bridge, reminding the beholder of a dainty picture painted by an artist that loves a bit of sky, a purling stream winding its way through mossy banks shadowed by overhanging trees where bright plummed birds fearlessly sing from morn till dewy eve. The cottage is surrounded by trees and a grassy lawn, adding much to its appearance. Mr. Webster brought some cedars and pines from Washington to test their growth in Kansas soil and climate. He had previously been rewarded by the fine growth of a dozen or more evergreens.

In politics Mr. Webster is a Republican, has been a member of the school board nine years, and during, his reign a new school house has been erected. Mr. Webster and family are members of the Baptist church, Clyde congregation. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is one of the very prosperous men of the township, possessing a keen, shrewd eye for business which makes money, and money begets many comforts and pleasures. Mrs. Webster has helped with true womanly instincts to bridge over many difficulties, and has been a helpmate and companion, an unselfish, devoted wife and mother.