John Webster (governor) facts for kids

John Webster (born before August 16, 1590 – died April 5, 1661) was an important early settler in New England. He served as the governor of the Connecticut Colony for one year, starting in 1656.

Early Life

John Webster was born in Cossington, Leicestershire, England. His parents were Matthew Webster and Elizabeth Ashton.

Career and Public Service

In the early 1630s, John Webster moved to the Massachusetts Bay Colony with his wife and five children. They first settled in an area called Newtowne, which is now known as Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 1636, he likely moved with a group led by Thomas Hooker to settle Hartford, Connecticut. One of his first public jobs was on a committee. This committee worked with the Court of Magistrates to decide how to handle a conflict with the Pequot Native Americans.

From 1639 to 1655, he was chosen to be a magistrate. A magistrate was an important public official who helped make decisions and enforce laws. In 1655, he became the Deputy Governor of the Connecticut Colony. The next year, in 1656, he was elected as the governor. After his term as governor, he continued to serve as a leading magistrate from 1657 to 1659.

John Webster also played a key role in creating the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. These orders were a set of rules for governing the colony. They are considered one of the earliest examples of a written constitution in history. He was one of nineteen men who helped draft and approve this important document in 1638-1639.

Family Life

On November 7, 1609, John Webster married Agnes Smith in Cossington, England. Agnes was born on August 29, 1585, also in Cossington. She later passed away in Hadley, Massachusetts in 1667.

John and Agnes had nine children, all born in England:

• Matthew Webster (born 1608/09)
• Margaret Webster (born 1609/10)
• William Webster (1614–1688)
• Thomas Webster (1616–1686)
• Robert Webster (1619–1676)
• Anne Webster (1621–1662)
• Elizabeth Webster (1622/23–1688)
• Mary Webster (born 1623)
• Faith Webster (1627–1627)

Famous Descendants

Many notable people are descendants of John Webster, including:

• Pat Bagley (born 1956) – an editorial cartoonist
• Earl W. Bascom (1906–1995) – a rodeo pioneer and artist
• George H. W. Bush (1924–2018) – the 41st President of the United States
• George W. Bush (born 1946) – the 43rd President of the United States
• Johnny Carson (1925–2005) – a famous American television host
• Samuel Colt (1814–1862) – an American inventor
• Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) – a well-known American poet
• William Faulkner (1897–1962) – an American writer and Nobel Prize winner
• Rutherford B. Hayes (1822–1893) – the 19th President of the United States
• Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) – a famous American actress
• Jared Ingersoll (1749–1822) – a signer of the Declaration of Independence
• Janis Joplin (1943–1970) – an American rock and blues singer
• Noah Webster, Jr. (1722–1813) – a famous American dictionary writer