WEBB, THOMAS: Methodist pioneer, layman; b. In England about 1724; d. at Portland, England, Dec. 20, 1796. He was a man of wealth and position, and an officer in the British army; he was present at the storming of the French fort of Louisburg, Nova Scotia, in 1758, was one of the survivors of Braddock's defeat in 1755, and was present at the scaling of the Heights of Abraham at Quebec in 1759. He was converted under the preaching of John Wesley at Bristol in 1765, united with the Methodists, and soon after became a local preacher; about 1766 he was in charge of the barracks at Albany, when an attempt was being made to found Methodism in New York; he visited the city, became exceedingly active and acceptable as a preacher, and aided financially and in other ways in securing the site for the John Street Church; visited Philadelphia and organized there a Methodist church, in 1769 contributing to the purchase of St. George's Church in that city. In the interest of religion and Methodism he visited Long Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. In 1772 he went to England in order to secure ministers for the denomination, returning the next year with three men for work in America. On his return to England he settled at Portland, but continued active as an openair preacher, and was also known for his philanthropic efforts in behalf of French prisoners of war and for the soldiers and sailors stationed at Portsmouth. His activities were commended by John Wesley, though Charles had a less favorable opinion of his work.

Bibliography: C. Atmore, Methodist Memorial, Bristol, 1801-02; A. Stevens, Hist. of the Religious Movement .

Called Methodism, i. 427, iii. 99, New York, 1855-61; idem, Hist. of the Methodist Episcopal Church, vol. iv., passim, ib. 1864; W. B. Sprague, Annals of the American Pulpit, vii. 5-7, ib. 1861; J. Porter, Comprehensive Hist. of Methodism, pp. 247-250, 261, Cincinnati, 1876; J. M. Buckley, in American Church History Series, v. 103-107 et passim, New York, 1896.

WEBB, WILLIAM WALTER: Protestant Episcopal bishop of Milwaukee; b. at Germantown, Pa., Nov. 20, 1857. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania (1877-79), Trinity College, Hartford, Conn. (A.B., 1882), and Berkeley Divinity School, Middletown, Conn. (graduated, 1885). After being curate of Trinity Church, Middletown (1885-86), and of the Church of the Evangelists, Philadelphia (1886-89), he was rector of St. Eliza-

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beth's, Philadelphia (1889-92); professor of dogmatic and moral theology in Nashotah House, Nashotah, Wis. (1892-97), and president (1897-1906); was consecrated bishop coadjutor of Milwaukee (1906), succeeding to the full administration of the diocese within the year. He was also canon of All Saints' Cathedral, Milwaukee (1892-1906), and president of the Standing Committee of the diocese of Milwaukee (1896-1906). In theology he is a High-churchman of the Anglo-Catholic school, and has written Guide to Seminarians (New York, 1889), and The Cure of Souls (Milwaukee, 1892, 2d ed., 1910).