The Enumerator (Census Taker) of the 1830 US Census of the Madawaska Settlement, St.John River

The Enumerator for the Madawaska Settlement, at that time within Penobscot County, was John Webber. As were all enumerators, Webber was an Assistant US Marshal, in his case in the District of Maine.

According to a British document, which refers to him as General Webber, he was accompanied during his enumeration of Madawaska by John Baker, an American from Kennebec who lived upriver from the Fish River along the St.John:

"In June, 1830, the Marshal for the District of Maine sent a Deputy (General Webber, who was accompanied by John Baker,) into the disputed Territory, with Instructions to take a Census of the Population of the Madawaska Setttlement, and of all the Settlements upon the Aroostook River; but upon his being ordered by one of the Magistrates of the Province of New Brunswick to desist, he readily commplied, and withdrew from the Territory." Source: "Doc. 33: American North-Eastern Boundary. Memorandum, shewing what has passed between the Goverments of Great Britain and the United States, upon the Question of the Occupation, Sovereignty, and Jurisdiction, of the disputed Territory on the North-Eastern Boundary of the United States," April 1839, in British Documents, pp.56-57

What is unclear from this is whether the 1830 census actually includes all inhabitants of Madawaska; did Webber stop his enumeration after having finished Madawaska, but while surveying the inhabitants along the Aroostook? Or is the survey of Madawaska incomplete?

John Webber was also one of the Commissioners appointed in 1843 by the State of Massachussetts to undertake a report on the land held by settlers in Madawaska as part of the Treaty of 1842 settling the border dispute. He and the other Commissioners undertook the survey in August 1844 (See my page on the Joint Report on Lands Held by Settlers for the details).

To date I have found no other information on Webber. If you know anything about this person, or about the 1830 census of Madawaska, I'd appreciate hearing from you! Thanks.

Last revised 6 Sep 2004
©2004 C. Gagnon