Robert Webb m. Sophia Ann Ray (Elizabeth Ray’s sister) July 19, 1834 Bourg Louis Church, Quebec.

Robert and Sophia Webb were witnesses at Robert Bowles and Elizabeth Ray’s wedding in 1841 and at their son Walter Ray Bowles’s baptism in 1843.

Robert was a blacksmith in Quebec City.  They lived in a 2 story brick house at Wolfe’s Cove at the base of the Citadel’s cliffs where they raised seven children.  At 4:00am on July 14, 1852 after several days of continual rainfall a section of the cliff collapsed on their house killing Robert and Sophia Webb and two of their daughters.   Their 5 sons were sleeping upstairs and were protected by the rafters of the house when it was swept away by the mud and slate.  A funeral was held for them on July 15.  On the same day a Coroner’s Inquisition brought in a verdict of accidental death although there had been quite a lot of coverage in the newspapers including considerable criticism about the lack of preventative measures taken by the city authorities to prevent such an accident.  On July 20^th, Walter Ray (Elizabeth Bowles’ brother) was appointed tutor (guardian) of the surviving children.

Robert and Sophia Webb's Children:

1.                   William b. April 21, bp. May 19, 1836 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

2.                  John Ray bp. Mar. 29, 1838 Bourg Louis Ch., Quebec

m. Jane Baxter

2.1  Robert William bp. Mar. 8, 1866 W. Meth. Ch., Quebec City

2.2  Mary Sophia bp.Sept. 3, 1867 W. Meth. Ch., Quebec City

                                    d. Mar. 14, 1872 W. Meth. Ch., Quebec City

2.3  John Taylor bp. Apr. 27, 1869 W. Meth. Ch., Quebec City

2.4  Walter bp. Dec. 22, 1870 W. Meth. Ch., Quebec City

3.                  Robert bp. Feb. 23, 1840 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

4.                  James Dean b. Apr. 14, bp. June 9, 1842 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

5.                  Isabella Gilley b. May 4, bp. Aug. 14, 1844 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

d. July 14, bur. 15, 1852 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

6.                  Walter Ray b. Aug. 31, bp. Nov. 18, 1846 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

m. Hannah May Oct. 21, 1874 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

        7.       Mary b. May 9, bp. July 25, 1849 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

                                 d. July 14, bur. 15, 1852 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

        8.       Anna b. Nov. 8, bp. Dec. 15, 1851 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

                                 d. Dec. 22, 1851 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

Robert and Sophia Ann d. July 14, bur. 15, 1852 Wesleyan Methodist Church, Quebec City

 Entry from the Wesleyan Methodist Church 1852 Registry, thirty first leaf

Robert Webb, blacksmith, Sophia Ann Ray his wife and Isabella and Mary children of the above residing at Wolfe’s Cove were, by a slide off the Cape by which their house was thrown down, killed on the fourteenth of July one thousand eight hundred and fifty two and were buried the fifteenth day of the same month and year in the presence of the subscribing witnesses by me

John Borland, Minister

Benjamin Campbell

Thos. Morkile

The Morning Chronicle  and Commercial and Shipping Gazette  July 14, 1852  page 2

Awful Accident

Land Slide at Cap Blanc – 8 Persons Killed

Thunderstorms have been this summer of frequent occurrence, and particularly so of late.  Early yesterday afternoon it began to thunder and lighten, the rain falling heavily, and it might be said that it continued thundering and lightening, and raining, in torrents, the whole night until now, and it yet rains.  The effect of these heavy rains has been most calamitous.  Cape Diamond presents itself to view a series of waterfalls at every crevice from Prescott Gate to Gilmour’s Cove, and the effect of this great rush of water down the rock has been the washing away of the earth which supported detached pieces of slate and lime stone and a couple of land slides destroying property and human life. 

At four o’clock this morning, the two story double brick house at Cap Blanc, belonging to Mr. Robert Webb, Blacksmith, and occupied by himself and his family, and by two brothers, Messrs. John and Robert Elliott, Bateau-men, was overwhelmed by a mass of black slate and earth.  Mr. Webb, his wife, two children, between 5 and 7 years of age and a servant maid, were buried under the ruins and have been taken out dead.  Mr. Webb’s eldest son and several boys who slept in the garret were saved, the rafters of the house having shielded them from injury.  Mr. John Elliott was rescued, though very seriously injured, about the chest and head, and Mrs. Elliott escaped with a few bruises, but their two children were buried under the mass of stones and earth, and one of them was taken out dead, in our presence, at half past 7 o’clock this morning.

<plus two more paragraphs describing the scene>

The Morning Chronicle  and Commercial and Shipping Gazette  July 15, 1852  page 2

The following remarks relative to the Cap Blanc calamity are from last night’s Gazette: -

“The above we believe is substantially correct.  The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Webb, five boys and two girls.  The five boys were saved, all of then unhurt except Walter, the youngest who was slightly bruised.  The two little girls were named Isabella and Mary, the former in her tenth, the latter in her fourth year.  The name of the servant girl was Ellen Orley, an emigrant lately from Limerick: when extricated from the ruins, she was still alive but expired a few minutes afterwards.  The body of the child Mary was not recovered till about eleven o’clock this forenoon, and when we left, about half an hour later, the only remaining victim, Mr. Webb, had not been found.

<plus a further description of Mr. Webb’s exemplary character as a leader of his church>

 To the Honorable the Judges of the Superior Court for Lower Canada

The Petition of Walter G. Ray of the City of Quebec, in the Province of Canada, shipbuilder.

Humbly Shewith: -

            That your Petitioner is the uncle and nearest of kin of William Webb aged fifteen years, John Webb aged thirteen years, Robert Webb aged eleven years, James Webb aged seven years and Walter Webb aged five years, all orphans and of the said City of Quebec, issue of the marriage of the late Robert Webb in his life time of the said City of Quebec, Master Blacksmith with Sophia Ray, both of whom departed this life on the fourteenth day of this present month of July.

            That it is necessary that a Tutor and Subroge Tutor be named to the said minor children.

            Wherefore your petitioner humbly prays that a competent number of friends and relations of the said minors be assembled at such time and place as may be appointed in this behalf to give their advice on the premises; - and there upon that a Tutor and Subroge Tutor be in due form nominated and appointed to the said minor children, and as in duty bound your Petitioner will ever pray –

Quebec 20^th July 1852    W. G. Ray

20^th July 1852

Act of Tutorship to Minors of the late Robert Webb

1960-01-014/275 File no. 22482

A Coroner’s Inquisition into the deaths from the disaster was held on July 15, 1852.  The jurors ruled “That the said Robert Webb on the thirteenth day of July, at the parish of Quebec, in the county of Quebec, aforesaid being in a certain house there situated, it so happened that a certain great quantity of earth and rock accidentally, casually and by misfortune fell from the cape there situated on and against the said house by means whereof the said Robert Webb in the house aforesaid was then and there under the earth and rock aforesaid, as well as under the ruins and materials of the house aforesaid and suffocated  and smothered of which said suffocation and smothering he the said Robert Webb instantly died.”

The same ruling was obtained for Sophia Ray, Ellen Webb (actually their servant Ellen Orley), Isabella Webb and for Mary Webb.