William Masters (abt. 1751 - bef. 1800)

Born about 1751 in Prince George's, Maryland

Husband of Barsheba (Bonifield) Masters — married about 1774 in Frederick, Maryland

Died before 1800 before about age 49 in Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

William Masters was a Maryland colonist.

William was the son of Thomas Windom and his common-law wife, Margaret Masters. Margaret's original surname is not known: she used the name of her first husband, William Masters, Jr. They were married in 1742 and and their marriage ended by 1744 when Margaret petitioned the County Court, unsuccessfully, for assistance.^[1]

Margaret's and Windom's son William Masters married Barsheba Bonnifield in about 1774, and the couple had at least one child, John, in the 1776 Maryland census; William's mother Margaret was also living with them.^[2] In a deed transaction in 1777, he's called William Masters son of Margaret; his wife is named as Barsheba.^[3]

They moved to North Carolina, where Barsheba was widowed by the 1800 census.^[4]

Notes

In the 1777 deed, it is noted that he is called William Windom by some. Margaret's second relationship was with Thomas Windom, who left his entire estate to her and William. William Masters was the biological child of Thomas Windom. In his willMargaret's first husband William left small sums - one shilling each- for her three children, including the younger William, ^[5] as a way of ensuring they could make no claim on his estate. .^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Prince George’s County Court Proceedings, CC:269-270.
2. ↑ Brumbaugh, Gaius Marcus, "Maryland Records, Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Volume I", Internet Archive (Online: archive.org, 2008), [Original source: Brumbaugh, Gaius Marcus. Maryland Records, Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, Volume I. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Company, 1915, pgs. 184, 190. https://archive.org/stream/marylandrecordsc01brumuoft#page/66/mode/2up
3. ↑ Marshall, Mike. "William Masters (1751-1800)." Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I048336&tree=Tree1
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRW-F1K : accessed 4 August 2019), Barsheba Masters, Morgan, Wilkes, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 54, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 33; FHL microfilm 337,909.
5. ↑ Will of William’ Masters, Jr. (11 September 1775; probated 7 November 1777: Prince George’s County Original Wills, box 12, folder 57, Maryland Hall of Records, Annapolis.
6. ↑ Marshall, Mike. "William Masters (1723-1777)." Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I010143&tree=Tree1