Ebbert Webber
Encyclopedia
Ebbert True "Bert" Webber (22 October 1921 - 25 March 2006) was an American research photojournalist, author
and publisher whose work concentrated on the history of the Pacific Northwest
.
, Maryland
, he lived briefly in St. Louis, Missouri
, but the family migrated to San Francisco, California
, where they settled permanently.
He first entered business as a "San Francisco News Boy" hawking newspapers on street corners. He joined the school Journalism Club, and quickly found that he could "be where the action was" by acting as a reporter. It was not long before he discovered the photographic aspect of journalism. Together with a few carefully chosen words, he discovered the power of self-validating photographs, and stated later in life that:
Webber joined the U.S. Army just before World War II
where he first trained as a fighter pilot, then as a photographer specializing in aerial reconnaissance
.
He married Marjorie Jean Renfroe (born 1923) in Seattle, Washington, on July 9, 1944. The couple had four children. Webber set up "Webber Photo Supply" shop in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. The original scope of the shop was to provide contract professional photography services throughout the region as well as retail of cameras, consumable photography supplies, negative developing and printing. During this period, he was also a stringer
for the Seattle Post Intelligencer
Among many others, contract photography topics included the ongoing Seattle City Light
project to build a series of hydroelectric generating stations on the Skagit River
, which flowed past Sedro-Wooley. He regularly drove up to Newhalem, Washington
, to the Gorge Dam
and Diablo Dam
- the site of one of his more memorable images of the "Skagit River Inclined Railway". From there it was another 4.5 miles upstream to the site of the nearly complete Ross Dam
, where he took the next series of "Construction Progress" photos.
In 1955, "Webber Photo Supply" business closed and Webber went to work selling office equipment for Remington Rand
in Seattle. He was transferred to Lewiston, Idaho
.
Health problems from his time in the Army forced a transfer to Spokane, Washington
, in 1960, where he could get appropriate care at a Veterans' Administration hospital. Never having used his GI bill education benefits, the opportunity to formally study journalism at Whitworth College near Spokane arose and he took full advantage of it. He graduated in June, 1965, with a BS degree in journalism and secondary education., and followed this with a Masters Degree in library science (research) from Portland State University
in Portland, Oregon
which he gained in 1968. While studying for the latter, he was also teaching Pacific Northwest History at Waluga Junior High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon
and started publishing articles about the Pacific Northwest
. He then moved south to become a school librarian in Medford, Oregon
.
However, while teaching, Webber had noticed a lack of publications on Northwestern history. After a while, he therefore switched careers to writing and research about this and related topics, writing or cowriting (often with his wife) a total of 86 books between 1967 and 2003, on topics such as the Oregon Trail
, Japanese attacks on the Northwest during World War II, the Oregon coast and other features of Northwestern history such as the DeAutremont attempted train robbery
and the rise and decline of Bayocean
. He established Webb Research Group - Publishers, and its companion book distribution company Pacific Northwest Books Company.
Webber's papers are in the Hoover Institution
Archive at Stanford University
.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and publisher whose work concentrated on the history of the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
Biography
Webber was the eldest son of Matthew Ebbert Webber and Mary Elizabeth True. Born October 22, 1921, at Edgewood ArsenelAberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, he lived briefly in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, but the family migrated to San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where they settled permanently.
He first entered business as a "San Francisco News Boy" hawking newspapers on street corners. He joined the school Journalism Club, and quickly found that he could "be where the action was" by acting as a reporter. It was not long before he discovered the photographic aspect of journalism. Together with a few carefully chosen words, he discovered the power of self-validating photographs, and stated later in life that:
- "Photo-journalists tell their story with pictures. A good photo-journalist NEVER requires a caption (or cut-line) to describe what's happening in his pictures."
Webber joined the U.S. Army just before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
where he first trained as a fighter pilot, then as a photographer specializing in aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance that is conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles or reconnaissance aircraft. Their roles are to collect imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and measurement and signature intelligence...
.
He married Marjorie Jean Renfroe (born 1923) in Seattle, Washington, on July 9, 1944. The couple had four children. Webber set up "Webber Photo Supply" shop in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. The original scope of the shop was to provide contract professional photography services throughout the region as well as retail of cameras, consumable photography supplies, negative developing and printing. During this period, he was also a stringer
Stringer (journalism)
In journalism, a stringer is a type of freelance journalist or photographer who contributes reports or photos to a news organization on an ongoing basis but is paid individually for each piece of published or broadcast work....
for the Seattle Post Intelligencer
Among many others, contract photography topics included the ongoing Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light is the public utility providing electrical power to Seattle, Washington and parts of its metropolitan area, including all of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and parts of unincorporated King County, Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Renton, and Tukwila...
project to build a series of hydroelectric generating stations on the Skagit River
Skagit River
The Skagit River is a river in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and northwestern Washington in the United States, approximately 150 mi long...
, which flowed past Sedro-Wooley. He regularly drove up to Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem, Washington
Newhalem is a small, unincorporated community in northwestern Washington, USA, located in the western foothills of the North Cascades along the Skagit River. It is located within Whatcom County....
, to the Gorge Dam
Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities...
and Diablo Dam
Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities...
- the site of one of his more memorable images of the "Skagit River Inclined Railway". From there it was another 4.5 miles upstream to the site of the nearly complete Ross Dam
Skagit River Hydroelectric Project
The Skagit River Hydroelectric Project is a series of dams with hydroelectric power-generating stations on the Skagit River in northern Washington State. The project is owned and operated by Seattle City Light to provide electric power for the City of Seattle and surrounding communities...
, where he took the next series of "Construction Progress" photos.
In 1955, "Webber Photo Supply" business closed and Webber went to work selling office equipment for Remington Rand
Remington Rand
Remington Rand was an early American business machines manufacturer, best known originally as a typewriter manufacturer and in a later incarnation as the manufacturer of the UNIVAC line of mainframe computers but with antecedents in Remington Arms in the early nineteenth century. For a time, the...
in Seattle. He was transferred to Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
.
Health problems from his time in the Army forced a transfer to Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, in 1960, where he could get appropriate care at a Veterans' Administration hospital. Never having used his GI bill education benefits, the opportunity to formally study journalism at Whitworth College near Spokane arose and he took full advantage of it. He graduated in June, 1965, with a BS degree in journalism and secondary education., and followed this with a Masters Degree in library science (research) from Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
which he gained in 1968. While studying for the latter, he was also teaching Pacific Northwest History at Waluga Junior High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Lake Oswego is a city located primarily in Clackamas County in the U.S. state of Oregon. Small portions of the city are also located in neighboring Multnomah and Washington counties. Located south of Portland surrounding the Oswego Lake, the town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in...
and started publishing articles about the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. He then moved south to become a school librarian in Medford, Oregon
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
However, while teaching, Webber had noticed a lack of publications on Northwestern history. After a while, he therefore switched careers to writing and research about this and related topics, writing or cowriting (often with his wife) a total of 86 books between 1967 and 2003, on topics such as the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
, Japanese attacks on the Northwest during World War II, the Oregon coast and other features of Northwestern history such as the DeAutremont attempted train robbery
DeAutremont Brothers
The DeAutremont Brothers, Hugh DeAutremont , Roy and Ray DeAutremont , were a criminal gang based in Pacific Northwest during the 1920s...
and the rise and decline of Bayocean
Bayocean, Oregon
Bayocean was a community in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. Sometimes known as "the town that fell into the sea", it was a planned resort community founded in 1906 on Tillamook Spit, a small stretch of land that forms one wall of Tillamook Bay....
. He established Webb Research Group - Publishers, and its companion book distribution company Pacific Northwest Books Company.
Webber's papers are in the Hoover Institution
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
Archive at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.