Joseph Stafford Webb, son of David and Belle Holloway Webb, of Danville, Ohio, was born in Casey, Clark County, Illinois, December 11th, 1892. In 1894, with his parents he moved to Covington, Indiana, and in 1902 to Danville, Illinois. He was educated in the public and high school of Covington and Danville, and in business college learned stenography and bookkeeping. He began his chosen profession of railroad work on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad in 1910, with which company he served several years at Danville, Illinois, and Evansville, Indiana, and also with the Santa Fe Railroad at San Marcial, New Mexico, Winslow, Arizona, and Needles, California, with the Northern Pacific, and lastly with the Southern Pacific at Sacremento, California, and Sparks, Nevada.

He enlisted from Sparks in the Medical Department U. S. Army, and was sent to San Francisco, July 29, 1917. He was made Sergeant 1st Class December 31st, 1917, and sent to Camp McClelland near Aniston, Alabama, where he was assigned to the Medical Department of the 6th Division, U. S. A.; thence to Spartansburg, South Carolina, and to Camp Mills, Long Island, from whence he sailed for France, July 9, 1918. Arriving in France he was transferred as Sergeant of Field Hospital, attached to the 51st Infantry, and at once proceeded to Eastern France. He was attacked by pneumonia in the Vosges Mountains, near the German Border, and sent back to Field Hospital at Gerardner, France. He died there September 17th, 1918, aged 26 years. He began his military career early in life, being enlisted in the 1st Illinois Field Artillery (later the 149th Field Artillery Rainbow Division) as bugler in 1904, at the age of 12 years. He served with this Regiment until 1912.

He was a Mason of high degree belonging to the Masonic Lodge, Lodge of Perfection and Rose Croix at Evansville, Indiana, and to the Consistory, 32nd Degree of Indianapolis, Indiana. He took the Royal Arch degrees while in Camp McClelland, at Jacksonville, Alabama. He is survived by his parents and one brother, George H. Webb, who served through the war as Sergeant in Headquarters Company of the 149th Field Artillery, Rainbow Division, who now lives in Danville, Illinois. Thus a true American patriot gave his life for his Country—a warm hearted friend and a loving son and brother made the Supreme Sacrifice. He lies in the Mt. Hope Cemetery, Covington, Fountain County, Indiana, where he was laid to rest with full military and Masonic honors, June 8, 1921.