William R. 'Sawney' Webb
Person County, Person County, North Carolina
Marker Inscription
William R. Webb (Sawney). Founder, 1870, of Webb School, since 1886 in Bell Buckle, Tenn. Confederate soldier, U.S. Senator, 1913. Born 1842, one mile S.
Erected by North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The Story
Born near here in 1842, William R. 'Sawney' Webb served as a Confederate soldier before founding a school in 1870 that, relocated to Bell Buckle, Tennessee, became the celebrated Webb School. Late in life he served briefly as a United States Senator in 1913.
Why it matters
Webb's career links the vanquished Confederacy to the New South's investment in education, and his school shaped generations of Southern leaders.
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Related people
- · William R. Webb
Themes & tags
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