Benjamin Joseph Webb
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Joseph Webb was a Catholic
editor
, state senator
for Kentucky
, and historian
.
Webb was born in Bardstown, Kentucky
, to a father who was a 1774 pioneer to that state. He was educated at St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, but left at an early age to learn the printer's trade. He took a position as foreman of the office of the Journal, a newspaper
in Louisville, Kentucky
. It was while he was a foreman in 1836 that the Rev. Dr. Reynolds (his former teacher and later Bishop
of Charleston, South Carolina
) persuaded him to head the Bardstown publication the Catholic Advocate. Webb accepted the assignment and worked along with Bishops Spalding, David, and Benedict Joseph Flaget
. Webb moved the office of the Catholic Advocate to Louisville in 1841, and in 1847 he retired from its management. He continued to defend Catholic
interests, notably in connection with George D. Prentice
, editor of the Louisville Journal in 1855. In a series of letters he attacked the intolerance and disgrace of the Know-Nothing movement; these letters were subsequently printed in book form with the title "Letters of a Kentucky Catholic". On May 1, 1858, with further assistance from Bishop Spalding and in connection with other members of the Particular Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Louisville, he issued the Catholic Guardian, a production ended in July, 1862 by the ongoing American Civil War
. On the revival of the paper in 1869, he again contributed to it. He served as a member of the Kentucky State Senate from 1867 to 1875, and in 1868 wrote the memoirs of Governors Lazarus W. Powell
and John L. Helm
. His association with Catholic interests in Kentucky led him to compile The Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky in 1884, a volume cataloguing the persons and times of Kentucky's pioneering era. Webb died in Louisville on August 2, 1897.
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, state senator
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
for Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Webb was born in Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, to a father who was a 1774 pioneer to that state. He was educated at St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, but left at an early age to learn the printer's trade. He took a position as foreman of the office of the Journal, a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. It was while he was a foreman in 1836 that the Rev. Dr. Reynolds (his former teacher and later Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
) persuaded him to head the Bardstown publication the Catholic Advocate. Webb accepted the assignment and worked along with Bishops Spalding, David, and Benedict Joseph Flaget
Benedict Joseph Flaget
Benedict Joseph Flaget was a U.S. bishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown between 1808 and 1839, then as bishop of the Diocese of Louisville between 1839 and 1850 when the See was transferred to Louisville in 1839.-Education and Call to Ministry:At...
. Webb moved the office of the Catholic Advocate to Louisville in 1841, and in 1847 he retired from its management. He continued to defend Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
interests, notably in connection with George D. Prentice
George D. Prentice
George Dennison Prentice was the editor of the Louisville Journal, which he built into a major newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky. He attracted readers by satire as well as exaggerated reporting and support of the Know-Nothing Party in the 1850s. His writing was said to contribute to rabid...
, editor of the Louisville Journal in 1855. In a series of letters he attacked the intolerance and disgrace of the Know-Nothing movement; these letters were subsequently printed in book form with the title "Letters of a Kentucky Catholic". On May 1, 1858, with further assistance from Bishop Spalding and in connection with other members of the Particular Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Louisville, he issued the Catholic Guardian, a production ended in July, 1862 by the ongoing American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. On the revival of the paper in 1869, he again contributed to it. He served as a member of the Kentucky State Senate from 1867 to 1875, and in 1868 wrote the memoirs of Governors Lazarus W. Powell
Lazarus W. Powell
Lazarus Whitehead Powell was the 19th Governor of Kentucky, serving from 1851 to 1855. He was later elected to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate from 1859 to 1865....
and John L. Helm
John L. Helm
John LaRue Helm was the 18th and 24th governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky, although his service in that office totaled less than fourteen months. He also represented Hardin County in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly and was chosen to be the Speaker of the Kentucky House of...
. His association with Catholic interests in Kentucky led him to compile The Centenary of Catholicity in Kentucky in 1884, a volume cataloguing the persons and times of Kentucky's pioneering era. Webb died in Louisville on August 2, 1897.