Aroostook County
12
(continued from page 11) his family to the southern Aroostook region by following a trail of lumber mills. That trail seems to stop just short of Island Falls, or that is as far as John Webb was first able to trace it. The trail that John Webb of Chatham started with begins with James Webb of the Miramichi. James Webb is a great-great uncle to John. The trail ends in Island Falls with another John Webb. However, for a time, John of New Brunswick wasn’t even sure if the John Webb of Island Falls fell within his collateral line. The reason for this is that John of New Brunswick had a John Webb of Maine working in a lumber mill in Mattawamkeag. And he had a John Webb owning a general store in Island Falls as well as a hotel. His question was were they one in the same? Genealogists and family historians often succumb to a pitfall known to
psychologists as “confirmation bias.” This particular bias is summed up “No matter what we humans think about, we tend to pay more attention to stuff that fits in with our beliefs, than stuff that might challenge them.” To say it in another way, when we arrive at a theory or belief, we are better at noticing evidence that supports it, rather than evidence that runs counter to it. The theory or belief we are talking about in this specific instance is that of John Webb of New Brunswick. This John Webb is convinced he can follow his family line solely by occupations associated with the lumber trade. James Webb of Miramichi, New Brunswick, married Ella Bell in 1856. The couple were married in a Presbyterian church. Following the marriage, the couple moved to Ludlow, where their son John was born in 1858. John Webb of New Brunswick has his collat-
Stardust Motel • Phones • Full Bath • Satellite TV • Air Conditioning • Refrigerator • Smoking Rooms Available • Ionic Breeze Air Purifiers • No Pets Allowed
Clean comfortable rooms
1-800-437-8406 • 532-6538
eral line cousin working as foreman of a mill in New Limerick, and in a similar position at a mill in Mattawamkeag. The next place John Webb shows up at is in Island Falls. There is a problem with this John Webb, though. He has no connection to the lumber trade. The John Webb of Island Falls owned the Exchange Hotel. He also owned an ice business and a taxi cab line. With his nephew, Vinal Webb, he operated a general store. There is no record of his being involved in any way with the lumber trade while in Island Falls. John Webb and his wife, the former Mary Snow of Sangerville, were members of the Baptist church. Even though he found a brief biography attesting to the aforementioned facts, and the fact that John Webb of Island Falls was born in Ludlow and worked for many years for mills in New Limerick and Mattawamkeag, John Webb
Compliments of Forrest W. Barnes
Barnes Law Office ______________________ Kirk D. Bloomer
672 North Street, Houlton, Maine 04730 2 miles north of I-95 on US Route 1 Just off Interconnected Trail System (ITS ) #83. Easy access from the trail to the parking lot.
Bloomer Law Office ~ Lawyers ~ 207-532-6501 30 Market Square, Suite 4 P.O. Box 397, Houlton, ME
Lucky Dog Boarding House
“Home style care for your pet while you’re away”
By the Day, By the Week, By the Month Maine State Cageless, stress free home License F1152 Lots of love and attention Special needs and geriatrics welcome Fully Insured
Vacationing in the County? Horse Accommodations Available!
Kate Pyle ~ 207-538-9637 Conveniently located just 10 minutes off I95 Route 1 in Houlton