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HON. ISAAC HILL WEBB. After holding a foremost place among the practitioners at the Hamilton county bar the Hon. Isaac Hill Webb is making a record as judge of the county court that holds out a stimulus and example to all men who are called upon to bear the high responsibilities of a place upon the bench. The sound judgment, the well-balanced
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judicial mind, the intellectual honesty and freedom from bias which are required in a judge-these attributes have been his and have enabled him to maintain the best traditions of the judicial office. Judge Webb was born July 15, 1856, in Hamilton county, Illinois, and is a son of John and Sarah (Mitchell) Webb.
John Webb was born in Ireland, about 1825, and came to the United States when but a lad with a family named Wallace, his own parents both having died when he was only a few years old. About 1837 he came to Hamilton county, and until the outbreak of the Mexican war was engaged in working by the month on various farms, but when volunteers were asked for during that struggle he enlisted in the army of his adopted country, and for his brave and faithful services was given a patent for one hundred and sixty acres of land in Hamilton county, about three miles east of McLeansboro. There he spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits, and died September 20, 1883. He married Sarah Mitchell, who was born in Hamilton county in 1829, daughter of Ichabod and Mary (Lane) Mitchell, and she still resides on the old Hamilton county homestead. They had a family of children as follows: Robert T., who married Sarah Laughmiller and resides in Hamilton county; Mary, who married Dr. Asbury, of McLeansboro; Aletha, who is living on the old homestead with her mother; Isaac Hill; Laura, who married George W. Donnely and lives near McLeansboro; John, who married Sarah Anderson, and is engaged in farming in Hamilton county; James M., who died single; Charles W., who married Telia Lassater; Cora, who married John M. Flannigan, a well-known banker of Walpole; and Teresa, who married Arthur T. Dow. During the war of the rebellion, John Webb enlisted for service in the Union army, but after about a year was discharged on account of disability and left the service with the rank of sergeant. He served as county commissioner for a number of years, being a well known worker of the Democratic party in this section. His religious affiliation was with the Methodist church, while fraternally he was connected with the Masons.
Isaac Hill Webb received his education in the common schools and subsequently graduated from Hamilton College, at McLeansboro, and until twenty-one years of age followed the life of a farmer. At that time he began to teach school, and continued to engage in that profession for four years, in the meantime spending his summer vacations in assiduous study for the legal profession. He entered the law department of Illinois University in 1881, and after his graduation returned to MeLeanshoro and formed a law partnership with Judge John C. Edwards. In 1888 he was elected to the office of state's attorney, and after serving in that office for two terms resumed his law practice with Judge Edwards and J. H. Lane, the firm eventually becoming Webb & Lane. Since 1905, however, Judge Webb has practiced alone. For two terms he served as master in chancery, and in 1910 he was elected county judge, being the present incumbent of that office. As a lawyer Judge Webb held a position of high credit and distinction, his gifts as a speaker and his capacity for close, logical reasoning making him a peculiarly forceful and effective advocate. He has been a conspicuous and influential force not only as a prominent member of the bench and bar, but as a leading citizen interested in the important public movements of the day, and he is held throughout the county in the highest respect and esteem. Politically Judge Webb is a Democrat, and fraternally he is connected, with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen.
On February 14, 1904, Judge Webb was married in MeLeanshoro,
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Illinois, to Estelle Baker, who was born at Golconda, Illinois, January 15, 1872, daughter of John C. and Mary (Boicourt) Baker. Two children have been born to this union, one of whom survives: John Robert, who was born July 16, 1909. Judge and Mrs. Webb are faithful members of the Methodist church, and have been widely known in religious and charitable work.