The Beginning of the Webb-Thomas History

Now that we know the true meaning of LOVE, you will better understand this story of Brotherly Love that persevered through the darkest and hardest time for all African Americans-SLAVERY.

 Slavery, historically, has been portrayed and dramatized as a time of masters, plantations, and human property slaves. Slaves were categorized as property like their cattle. They had no rights, not even to their own names. Although they came here with African names and identified each other by tribes, their names and identity became property as well. When they were brought across the water, not only did they lose their birth identity, they loss their language, their traditions and, most of all, they lost their family.

 But there is one thing that not even slavery could take from Africans, their Soul, Spirit, Faith and Love. And this is where this story of Brotherly Love begins.

 It was only after the 1860 census do we get a glimpse of tracking Africans (referred to as Blacks). The census identified blacks at that time as slave inhabitants. This was recorded by a Civil District Count by counties through a slave owner.

 In the 1860 census, through the slave inhabitants originating in the County of Roanoke, Virginia then westward to the Counties of Gibson, Henderson and Shelby in the State of Tennessee, is where we first find the beginning of the Webb Family tree, as far back as 1810 with John and Susan (Pearce) Webb.

 Slave owner A. J. Webb identified 9 slaves, all males, 58, 55, 29, 25, 23, 18, 16, 14, 2/3 baby. A. J. Webb also indicated that he had three slave houses. Meanwhile, Charles Sturdevant in Mecklenburg, Virginia, had dealings with A. J. Webb in selling and buying slaves, one being Fannie Sturdevant (Sudevant) Webb and her parents, Charles Sturdevant, who was named after his slave owner, and Minerva Sturdevant. It is also significant to note that sometimes they didn't know the true ages of the slaves, so they estimated their ages. The slaves also took the last name of their masters. So, according to this census, this may be the only record where we see George Washington Webb and Henry Webb together.

 It was not until the 1870 census in Gibson County, Tennessee, United States Post Office Milan on July 14, that we see Washington Webb, age 30, occupation farmer, and his wife, Fannie Webb, age 20, occupation keeps house and a daughter, Mary, age 1. And it is that same year in the County of Shelby, in the State of Tennessee, and indicated that his birthplace was Virginia, August 2, that we see Henry Thomas, age 25, occupation farmer and Nellie (Hamilton) Thomas , age 16, occupation keeping house, born in the state of Mississippi, there were no children listed at that time.

 Both brothers were born in Virginia, and other siblings, that were sold to other slave owners. The family migrated westward from Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana. Eventually their roots spread all over the United States.

 The Webb-Thomas Reunion began with two enslaved brothers, Henry Thomas and George Washington Webb, better known as Wash.

 George Washington Webb, who was a slave, had a brother, Seneco. Seneco (Henry, Sr. ) was sold as a slave and was given the last name Thomas in 1850. The children were Henry Thomas, Jr. and Curley Thomas. Curley Thomas' child, Nellie Thomas, married Henry Wilson. From that union was born four children: Sutton, Curley, Earlene B., and Omar Wilson.

 In 1918, Father Washington and Mother Fannie departed this life, eight days apart.

 In 1952, two of the grandchildren, Jessie Williams of Gary, Indiana and Annie Smith of Dayton, OH met in Dayton and decided it would be a good idea to bring the Webb family together. The idea was presented to Jessie's brother, J.P. Robinson of Chicago. He agreed with the idea and was very financially supportive.

 The first reunion was held in Gary, Indiana on August 23, 1952, with Jessie and Annie serving as hosts. They registered and had breakfast at Jessie Williams' home. Dinner was served elsewhere. Family and friends provided places for them to stay.

 Many of them had never heard of, let alone seen, any of the Webb family outside of their immediate family. It was one of the greatest days of their lives and thus the beginning of a new day for the Webb family.

 Those present agreed that it should be continued. So, it was held in Dayton, OH the second year, then, the reunion moved on to many other cities.

 The third time the family met in Gary, Indiana there was a cousin present from Buffalo, New York. She was happy to see all of the relatives-some she knew, some she had never met. Her name was Nellie (Thomas) Wilson. She decided immediately that she wanted her family involved.

 Nellie, the granddaughter of Henry Thomas, Sr., married Henry Wilson. They had three sons and one daughter-Sutton, Curley, Omar and Earlie B.

 Omar (Sonny) along with his wife, Rachel Colston Wilson, and his mother, Nellie, came to Danville, Illinois. They have been attending the family reunions ever since. Modell and Mildred Alston and sister Lee Howard came at the same time from Jersey City, New Jersey.

 In recent years, the reunion has changed its name from Webb Reunion to the Webb-Thomas Family Reunion.

 Since the beginning, the family has come from preparing food themselves and staying in homes of family members, to the sophistication and luxury of hotels and motels.

 By communicating with one another in various ways, we are able to carry on family traditions and create new bonds with each other and our children.

 The descendants of George Washington and Fannie (Sturdevant) Webb and Henry Thomas, Sr. and Nellie (Hamilton) Thomas are present together today because of a dream of three relatives who wanted us to know our roots.

 The Webb-Thomas Family Reunion has been hosted (in some cases more than once) by the following cities:

Gary, Indiana	Danville, Illinois
Dayton, Ohio	Milan, Tennessee
Elkhart, Indiana	Cleveland, Ohio
Buffalo, New York	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Memphis, Tennessee	Marin City, California
Chicago, Illinois	Indianapolis, Indiana
Detroit, Michigan	Jersey City, New Jersey
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Denver, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado	Houston, Texas

He shall be like a tree; Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

 Psalms 1:3