von Mechow Family of Sellersville, PA:Information about John McMaster
John McMaster (b. June 14, 1837, d. April 12, 1923)
Notes for John McMaster:
John McMaster born in York County PA aged 27 and occupation mason volunteered on eight day of September 1864 to serve as a soldier in the Army of the United States of America for a period of one year.Company M, 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry.Mustered out May 28, 1865 at Richmond VA.
According to family tradition while working as a mason, in Washington DC, he met president Lincoln who opened a bottle of whiskey to share with the workers upon completion of the work.
John McMaster and wife Catharine Strasbaugh, purchased land from Mary Strasbaugh the following is the text of one of the installment payments in family papers:
"Received April the 1st 1865 of Catharine McMaster [For the use of John McMaster her husband] the sum of fifteen Dollars being the fourth Installment And in part pay of the purchase money of 9 acres and 71 perch of land Situated in Jackson township York County Pa conveyed to him [John McMaster] by deed dated the 2nd day of May A, D. 1863, and payable as per said deed to agreement both even date.
Witness Present Henry Strasbaugh }XXX Mary[her X mark] Strasbaugh
Note: This is the same land as originally purchased by the Widow Strasbaugh.
The deed which is in the hands of the descendants living on the land in 1975 the following was extracted.In addition to the payments of cash the following was required of John McMaster.
He is to see that her wood is chopped, She is to have two rooms
in the house, some fruit off the trees and that her portion of the
garden is "dunged".It also mentions how she is to be buried,
Ten dollars for her tombstone, fifty dollars to Benjamine
Strasbaugh, Fourty dollars to Catherine McMaster. And any
money to be divided among the children of Benjamine Strasbaugh
Catherine, Mary Ann, Sarah, Henry and Peter.
In the records of Peter N .Strasbaugh we found a record of John McMaster labor in 1874 as follows:
Aug 8to 1/2 day Lathing
Aug 10 to 3/4 day Lathing
Aug 11 to 3/4 day Lathing
Aug 12 to 1 day Lathing
Aug 13 to 1 day Lathing
Aug 14 to 1 day Lathing
Aug 17 to 1 day Lathing
Aug 18 to 1 day Plastering
Aug 19 to 1 day Lathing & Plastering
Aug 20 to 1 day Lathing & Plastering
Aug 22 to 1 day Plastering
Aug 27 to 3/4 day Plastering
Aug 28 to 1/2 day Plastering
Sept 2 to 1 day Plastering
Sept 3 to 1/2 day Plastering
Sept 7 to 1/2 day Plastering
Oct 12 to 1/4 day thrashing oat
Oct 14 to 1 day thrashing wheat
1875 Mar 30 Settlement made in fullof all demends and paid$30.54
On the ninth day of September 1884 John McMaster went with his older brother Joseph to the court House in York to sign the bond for the Administratation of the Estate of their sister Lucinda McMaster [who never married]. Joseph became the administrator of her estate which was estimated to be worth $800.The oldest brother William McMaster who was 65 at the time declined to be the administrator and the papers of renunciation were filed on this day also.
In 1885 after the death of of his father in law Benjamin Strasbaugh, John McMaster became the guardian of John Knecht, the minor child of Mary Anne Strasbaugh and John Knecht, who was grand son of Benjamine Strasbaugh.
When the child became 21 in 1892 a settlement account was filed with the orphans court of York county.
See No. 238 June 24 1892
Filed and confirmed by Orphans Court August 1, 1892
The Guardian account received$57.77
Interest earned at 6%23.10
Total estate$80.87
The expenses charged to the estate.
Compensation of Guardian John McMaster $12.00
Cash paid for clothing for John Knecht5.59
Travel expenses for John Knecht1.75
Filing fees - attorney etc.24.00
Total expenses$43.34
Balance due to John Knecht$37.53
It amased me that the various attorneys, Justice of the Peace and Orphan Court Clerks in total received twice the amount of money
the John McMaster received, yet he had to feed, nurture, and board his nephew for eight years from 1883 at the time af Benjamin death until 1893, that works out to 1.50 per year and the lawyers who appointed him received $11.50 for a few days work.
More About John McMaster:
Burial: Unknown, Hanover, York Co. Pa. Burried St. Joseph Catholic cemetery.
More About John McMaster and Catherine Strasbaugh:
Marriage: Abt. 1860, York Co. PA.
Children of John McMaster and Catherine Strasbaugh are:
- +Mary Ann McMaster, b. January 08, 1879, Hanover York Co. PA Baptised St. Josephs Catholic Church, d. November 05, 1941, Sellersville, Buck Co. PA St. Agnes Catholic Church Cem..
- +Kathleen McMaster, b. August 1884, d. date unknown.
- +John J McMaster, b. January 1879, d. date unknown.
- +Augustus McMaster, d. date unknown.
- William McMaster, b. February 02, 1871, Nephew - Raised by John & Catherine -Listed as Unsound mind., d. June 05, 1907.