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Daniel Webster was born January 18, 1782 to Ebenezer and Abigail Webster (née Eastman) in Salisbury, New Hampshire where he and his other nine siblings were raised on his parents' farm, a small parcel of land granted to his father in recognition of his service in The French and Indian Wars. He was a leading American statesman who first rose to regional prominence through his defence of New England shipping interests. Webster's efforts on behalf of New England Federalism, shipping interests and war opposition resulted in his election to The House of Representatives in 1812 where he served two terms, until March 1817. His growing prominence as a constitutional lawyer led to his election as a delegate to The 1820 Massachusetts Constitutional Convention - Webster's record in 'The House' and his celebrity as an orator led to his to The Senate from Massachusetts in the June 1827 election - The Senate met in December and Webster's first wife, Grace, died the next month, Webster then marrying Caroline LeRoy in December 1829. Daniel Webster, who was Secretary of State to three American presidents, first visited Marshfield on a hunting and fishing holiday in 1828 and, in 1832, bought his home on Webster Street from John Thomas. Having established an 1,800 acre working farm, Daniel Webster began organizing cattle shows there and, following his lead, the first agricultural fair was then held in 1862 by The South Marshfield Farmers' Club. Over time this group developed into The Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society which organized The Marshfield Fair, one of the oldest agricultural fairs in America. Daniel Webster died on October 24, 1852, at his home in Marshfield after falling from his horse and suffering a crushing blow to the head, his condition complicated by cirrhosis of the liver, which resulted in a brain hemorrhage. Marshfield The earliest industries in Marshfield were farming, fishing and salt marsh haying. The sea, in the blood of her sons, drew Marshfield men to it and the shipbuilding industry had a profound effect on the town. From 1645-1871 over 1,000 ships were built on the North River. Supporting industries developed to serve the yards - saw mills, cotton mills, grist mills, tanneries and ship chandleries. There were fulling mills, iron furnaces, factory boarding houses, company stores and even an organ factory. In 1893, under Captain Benjamin Banter, The Life Saving Service opened its station at Brant Rock, which later became a United States Coast Guard Lifeboat Station. Though few farms remain today, as the land has been developed with housing, the shelter of Green Harbor at Brant Rock is sought by yachtsmen and fisherman and the harbour not only boasts the third largest commercial landings of lobster in Massachusetts but is also a major harbour for tuna catches. The first attempt to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon in 1977 was made by the "Double Eagle" which rose from the sand pit on Forest Street but only made it to Iceland. The crew tried a year later, from Maine and made it to France claiming the information gleaned from the Marshfield flight made it possible. The People, History and Memories Website 
Daniel Webster School - Marshfield, Massachusetts The pupils at The Daniel Webster School in Marshfield, recently exchanging greetings with their contemporaries at Drumlemble School, near Machrihanish and Campbeltown, have been studying the achiements of their 'local hero' Reginald Aubrey Fessenden. | 
Friday, October 6, 2006 was Reginald Fessenden's 140th Birthday (born 1866)