Individual Details

Census

119
...
John Weber, 24 Male, Germany, parents foreign born
Jacob Weber, 22, Male, Germany, parents foreign born
Peter Weber, 18, Male, Germany, parents foreign born
...

Marriage

In presence of
Mr Peter Weber
Miss Frances Winninghoff

Census (family)

46, 46 Weber, Jno, Head, WM, June 1860, 39, married 14, Germany 3x, Locomotive Engineer
Weber, Josehphine, Wife, WF, May 1866, m-14, 0 children born or living, MN, Germany 2x

Voter Registration

Webber, John, bp Germany
Residence: 409 - 5th St. Sec 21 T20N R3E

Death

Fergus County Argus, Lewistown, MT, 5 April 1905:

Train Wreck Near Boulder. John A. Webber, of Great Falls, Is Instantly Killed

Great Falls, March 30--John A. Webber, a Great Falls resident for the last 16 years, engineer on Montana Central passenger train no. 235 from Havre for Butte, was instantly killed at about 12:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon at a point about half way between Boulder and Basin, about 140 miles south of Great Falls. He gave his life to save passengers on the train, none of whom were injured.

The train drawn by engine no. 927, was about an hour and a half late and pulled out of Great Falls about 7 o'clock in the morning. At the time of the accident it was running at between 15 and 20 miles an hour. Suddenly, without warning, the locomotive and tender left the rails. Engineer Webber, fearing that the entire train was going off, at once applied the air and this act, while it saved the train, caused the death of the engineer. The engine and the tender leaped from the track into the ditch, falling on their sides, and Webber was buried beneath the engine, the life being instantly crushed out of his body.

The cause of the accident can not yet be ascertained. A wrecking train was dispatched to the scene. It was found that the track was torn up for only two rail lengths but the engine was in such a position that it was necessary to jack it up before the body of the engineer could be removed. The body of Mr. Webber will be brought to the city this morning and will be at McAllister's undertaking rooms. The funeral will probably be held tomorrow.

Mr. Webber was a native of Germany, where he was born 45 years ago. He came to the United States when a young man and began railroading in Minnesota. For 19 years he had been in the employ of the Great Northern system. For three years of that he ran out of St. Paul and for the last 16 years his home had been in Great Falls, he having run on the Montana Central for that period as fireman and engineer. He is survived by a widow, but no children, and has no other near relatives in this vicinity.

Little Falls Herald (Little Falls, Minnesota), Fri, May 5, 1905, Page 3
JOHN WEBER DIES A HERO'S DEATH
John Weber, a brother of Anton Weber of Pike Creek, was killed March 30th by the overturning of his engine near Basin, Montana. Weber was a resident of Great Falls. He was a locomotive engineer on the Montana Central. The Great Fall Leader says of the accident:
“His engine left the rails. John Weber could have jumped from the cab and saved his life. But his train would have been ditched and the long line of coaches laden with passengers would have been piled in wreckage and blood. Life was sweet to John Weber as to you or I; the sun shone as brightly and his home was as dear. His duty pointed the way and John Weber closed the throttle, and threw on the air, knowing that it would save the train but wreck his engine – knowing that always his life was forfeit on the chance to save the lives of others. It was only duty to point the way and John Weber went down to death under the big engine with his hand on the lever, but his passengers were saved, and John Weber had given up his life for theirs. What greater can a man do than this? John Weber was the kind of hero who holds the grand structure of humanity in place There are many of him, not alone the engineer in the cab, but in all walks of life, and when the great recording angel calls the last roll the name of the every-day John Weber who have placed their duty to their fellow men above their own lives, will lead all the rest. May the sod rest lightly and the flowers bloom above the breast of John Weber, hero.”
Weber left a wife and four children. Anton Weber had not seen his brother for some years and was much shocked by the news.

Burial

John A. Webber