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Note: [George & Jane McMaster.FTW] The following information written about my 2nd great grandmother, JANE MCMASTER and her family comes from a family history titled "The Wheeler and McMaster Family History as told by May McMaster Timmel, 1960". It was sent to me by Geraldine Fickel of Glenwood, Iowa before her death in the 1990's. "WILLIAM MCMASTER, Jane's first child was born in Edinborough, Scotland although his home was Dramora, County Sligo, Ireland. A child of wealthy parents, he was never taught to work. Jane, his mother belonged to the Stuart line and was a lady in-waiting to one of the Queens. Her name was McMaster before her marriage to a McMaster. She was Scotch & he was Irish. Her husband (George) died when William was about 6 yrs. old and a few months before his sister Anna was born. Not wishing inter-marriage in her family as was the custom in Scotland, William's mother Jane started to America with her family leaving six year old William with her brother in Edinborough. Anna was born at sea. The other children were Sue and James. She with her young family stopped in Canada for a short time and then came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where her sister Margaret lived. After a few years she married again, a man by the name of Thompson. He died some years later and she continued to live in Wisconsin. She was very dainty and aristocratic and we all waited on her for she knew nothing of work. Sister Carrie looked very much like her and was our father's favorite. "Grandmother" Jane went back to Milwaukee with her sister Margaret who came for her & was much like her. Later she went to Oakland, California to live with her husband's half brother E. A. Thompson and passed away there. She was extremely religious and often took the place of the circuit rider in (Wisconsin) in the winter when the snow was deep and the circuit rider could not make his rounds. She also lived with her son 'Mac' & daughter-in-law Laura in their hotel in Western, Nebraska for about a year. Jane & "Grandmother" Wheeler were exact opposites. They were given rooms as far as possible away from each other. Grandmother Wheeler firmly believed every one should work and wasn't slow in speaking her mind. "MAC" was born in Ireland in 1843 and had been left in Ireland with an Uncle after his father died (1845) & was later brought to America. Mac said he lived with his grandmother in New York state probably around Buffalo. He learned the harness making trade and later worked on the Erie Canal where he met Jules Wheeler and through him met his sister (and future wife) Laura Wheeler, who lived with her family C. V. & Emily Wheeler in Erie Co. Penn. MAC' (he disliked being called William) & his wife LAURA came to Wisconsin soon after their marriage on the 10th of June 1865. First settling in Mineral Point and then in Darlington, Wisconsin. Mac became a harness maker for a man named Schriter. Mac had been "bound out" by his uncle for 7 years in Buffalo, NY and taught the harness & shoe maker trades. He was a master workman and made the fine harnesses for Ringling Brothers beautiful circus horses. He had a fair education and loved to read, the Bible being one of his favorites. However, he knew nothing of the value of money. In later years 'Mac' was tired of farming & wanted to come farther West. Laura was homesick for Penn. as she never liked the prairie country and longed for the trees and Lake Erie. However, 'Mac' sold the land & property and moved the family to Bedford, Iowa. MAC & LAURA were given 80 acres of land near Bedford, Taylor County, Iowa by Laura's father. MAC hated farming as well as living on a farm. He loved people and wanting to be where they were, got a job in a harness shop in Bedford. LAURA with the help of their oldest son GEORGE, ran the farm. GEORGE was only six years old but he was kept out of school and did work much beyond his years and strength such as hauling wood and straw. MAC and Laura's other three children were born in Iowa. Then driving two horses he started for Nebraska in July, returning in December. He & GEORGE (who was now 16) returned to Lincoln, Nebraska on New Years Day, 1884. A short time later LAURA and the other children came to Nebraska. The railroad was being built thru Dewitt & 'Mac' stopped at a settlement near what is now Western. Here he bought a house from the railroad for the family & a smaller building for a harness shop. Originally this had been a barber shop. He built a room onto the front for a show room. He had also purchased 40 acres of land. The railroad workers prevailed on 'Mac' to enlarge his home for a hotel which he did. It was called the "Commercial Hotel". George farmed part of the 40 acres for 2 years, then. as he had had no opportunity to attend school, he went to work in the harness shop. In 1900 'Mac" & Laura (who had a slight stroke) sold the hotel & and moved to a new home where they lived until their deaths. Whether the above account of Jane McMaster and family is fact leaves room for doubt. The following account is from the Civil War files of Jane's youngest son, George A. McMaster, obtained from the National Archives, October 2000: Jane McMaster Thompson filed for a 'Dependent Mother's Pension' on or about 15 December 1890 for a pension of $12.00 per month from the Milwaukee Agency (certificate #308018) based on the death of her son George. She stated at that time that she had no means of support and recorded below is the affidavit from her sister Catherine Frazier McMaster Bennett: GENERAL AFFIDAVIT State of Wisconsin County of Milwaukee In the matter of the claim for pension of JANE THOMPSON, mother of GEORGE MCMASTERS late a Private, Co. "B", 8th NY Heavy Artillery personally came before me a Notary Public in and for the County and State aforesaid, CATHARINE BENNETT residing at 250 First Avenue, Milwaukee, his cousin, person of lawful age, who being duly sworn, declares in relation to the aforesaid claim as follows: That claimant and deponent are sisters and lived in County of Sligo, Ireland under the same roof, until the claimant above named was married. Deponent says though she was not present at claimants marriage with GEORGE MCMASTERS , yet they came back to my father's house a day or two after as man and wife and that they lived in the neighborhood as man and wife until he died. That they were married by a minister named Scott. That the date of claimant's marriage was August 25th, 1839. That deponent was present when George McMaster late of Co. B, 8th NY Heavy Artillery was born on the 22 day of May 1847 in York County, Province of Canada and parents were then both living and living together. The name of his mother was Jane McMaster and his father's name George McMaster. That the soldier George McMaster was never married. That deponent knew him well all the years of his life until he went to the war. That George McMasters, father of soldier, died September 22, 1847 in Canada. Deponent was present at his death bed. That deponent was not present at marriage of claimant with Thompson but knows by hearsay and knew that they lived as husband and wife. That her marriage with WILLIAM THOMPSON was May 11th, 1851 in Canada as she is informed and believes. Deponent knows that claimant has no means of support, and no one person legally liable to support her and has no property. I further declare that I have no interest in said claim and am not concerned in its prosecution. Signed: CATHERINE BENNETT
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