Kentucky, and inherited from his mother, who was the daughter of Gen. John Tannehill, a fondness for out-door life. In 1838 he went to Texas, then struggling for independence, and was for several years connected with the famous Texas rangers, with whom he saw much wild and adventurous life. He then returned to Kentucky and studied medicine; but this, he soon relinquished, and in 1843 entered Princeton theological seminary with a view to the Presbyterian ministry. This he soon abandoned, and settled in New York city, where he devoted himself to a literary career and became connected with the “New World,” the “Democratic Review,” and the “Sunday Despatch.” Subsequently he was joint proprietor and associate editor of the “Whig Review” for two years. In 1849 he organized an expedition to the region of Colorado and Gila rivers; but, for various reasons, the principal of which was the seizure of the horses by Comanche Indians, it failed. The difficulty in crossing the western deserts led to his efforts to form a camel company, for which he obtained a charter from the New York legislature in 1854. In the winter of 1855-'6 he left New York to join William Walker, who was then endeavoring to maintain himself in Central America. He took part with Walker's forces in the battle of Rivas, and fell in some chance, rencontre or ambuscade in that engagement. In addition to many stories that he contributed to periodicals, he published “Old Hicks, the Guide, or Adventures in the Comanche Country in Search of a Gold-Mine” (New York, 1848); “Gold-Mines of the Gila” (1849); “The Hunter Naturalist, a Romance of Sporting” (Philadelphia, 1851); “Texan Virago, or the Tailor of Gotham” (1852); “Wild Girl of Nebraska” (1852); “Tales of the Southern Border” (part i., 1852; complete, 1853); “Spiritual Vampirism: the History of Ethered Softdown and her Friends of the New Light” (1853); “Shot in the Eye” (which was his most successful story) and “Adventures with Texas Rifle Rangers” (London, 1853); “Wild Scenes and Song Birds” (New York, 1854); and “History of Mystery” (Philadelphia, 1855).
WEBBER, Samuel, educator, b. in Byfield,
Mass., in 1759; d. in Cambridge, Mass., 17 July,
1810. He was graduated at Harvard in 1784, taking
high rank in mathematics, entered the ministry,
and in 1787 was made tutor. In 1789 he was
appointed to the chair of mathematics and natural
philosophy, which he held till he was raised in 1804
to the presidency of the college. Dr. Webber was
one of the commissioners that were appointed to
settle the boundary-line between the United States
and the British provinces. He was vice-president
of the American academy, and Harvard gave him
the degree of D. D. in 1806. He was the author of
a “System of Mathematics.” which was intended
for use in Harvard, and for a long time was almost
the only text-book on that subject in New England
colleges (2 vols., Boston, 1801), and a “Eulogy on
President Willard” (1804). He also revised the
introduction to Jedidiah Morse's “American
Universal Geography” (1796). See a “Eulogy” by
Henry Ware, D. D. (Cambridge, 1810). — His son,
Samuel, physician, b. in Cambridge, Mass., 15
Sept., 1797; d. in Charlestown, N. H., 5 Dec., 1880,
was graduated at Harvard in 1815, taught four
years, at the same time studying medicine, and
received his medical degree in 1822, after serving as
assistant to the professor of chemistry at Harvard
for eighteen months. During the rest of his life
he resided at Charlestown, N. H., on Connecticut
river, where he gave much attention to study,
and was elected a fellow of the Royal society of
northern antiquarians of Copenhagen, Denmark. He published several poems, including “Logan, an Indian Tale” (1821), and “War” (1824).
WEBER, Gustav C. E., physician, b. in Bonn,
Prussia, 26 May, 1828. His father, Dr. M. I.
Weber, became professor of anatomy in the
University of Bonn on its foundation in 1818, and
is the author of many professional works. The
son studied at the university till the revolutionary
movement of 1848 caused him to emigrate
to the United States, where he settled near St.
Louis, Mo., and engaged in farming. He afterward
completed his studies in Vienna, Amsterdam,
and Paris, and in 1853 began to practise medicine
in New York city. In 1856-'63 he was professor
of surgery in Cleveland medical college, and in
1861, as surgeon-general of the state, he organized
a system for the better medical care of the troops
in the field. In 1864 he organized Charity
hospital medical college, where he became professor
of clinical surgery and dean of the faculty, and he
was also consulting surgeon to the Charity hospital,
which had been founded chiefly through his
efforts. The school subsequently became the
medical department of the University of Wooster,
Dr. Weber retaining his chair. He is the originator
of a new method of closing large arteries in
surgical operations without a ligature, and of a
method for removing stone from the bladder. In
1859 Dr. Weber established the Cleveland “Medical
Gazette,” which he conducted for several years.
WEBER, Max, soldier, b. in Achern, Baden,
27 Aug., 1824. He was graduated at the military
school of Carlsruhe, in 1843, as a lieutenant of
infantry, and held a commission in the army of
Baden until 1849, when he served with the
revolutionists under Gen. Franz Sigel. He came to
this country in the same year, settled in New York
city, and on 16 May, 1861, became colonel of the
20th New York regiment. He was stationed at
Fort Monroe and took part in the capture of Fort
Hatteras, and from September, 1861, till May, 1862,
commanded Camp Hamilton, near the former post,
being commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers,
28 April, 1862. He was at Newport News
during the fight between the “Monitor” and
“Merrimac,” in anticipation of a Confederate attack
by land, took part in the capture of Norfolk in
May, and then commanded at Suffolk till
September, when he was ordered to the Army of the
Potomac. He led a brigade at South Mountain
and Antietam, where he received a wound that
crippled his right arm for life. He served under
Gen. David Hunter and Gen. Franz Sigel in the
Shenandoah valley in 1864, and, while commanding
at Harper's Ferry, repelled Gen. Jubal A.
Early's attack of 4-7 July. Gen. Weber resigned
his commission on 13 May, 1865. He was assessor
of internal revenue in New York in 1870-'2, and
then collector till April, 1883, when he resigned.
WEBER, Paul, German artist, b. about 1823.
He studied art in Frankfort, and in 1848 came
to the United States, settling in Philadelphia.
In 1858 he went to Darmstadt, where he was
appointed court painter. Among those of his works
that are owned in the United States are “A Scene
in the Catskills,” in the Corcoran gallery,
Washington (1858); “Morning,” in the Pennsylvania
academy of fine arts; and “Lake Chiemsee, in the
Bavarian Highlands.”
WEBSTER, Albert Falvey, author, b. in Boston, Mass., in 1848; d. at sea, 27 Dec., 1876. His father was a confectioner in Boston. After engaging for a short time in various kinds of business, he became a writer for the magazines, and
