WILLIAMS, Masten died 1878

WILLIAMS, TARTT, SMITH

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 12/10/2024 at 13:56:11

DIED - at Dorchester, on the 13th inst., Mr. Mastin Williams, grandfather of Mrs. J.H. Smith, of this city, in the 84th year of his age.

~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, February 20, 1878; pg 4

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DIED - at Dorchester, Allamakee County, Iowa, Wednesday, Feb. 18th, 1878 [sic], Masten Williams, aged 78 years, 1 month and 28 days.

Masten Williams was born in Franklin County, Virginia, Dec. 16th, 1799. At the age of about nineteen he made a trip on horseback from Virginia to Missouri, remaining a few months, when he returned to Virginia, but soon afterward emigrated to Ray County, Missouri, where he resided for a few years, and then took up his residence in Cincinnati, Ohio, and not long afterwards in Madison County, Illinois.

He emigrated a few years after to Northern Illinois, and settled in Oglo county, near Lightsville. In 1842 he went to Elizabeth, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and engaged in lead mining, putting in use, in company with his partners, the first steam engine in mining operations in the Galena lead mining region. He remained in that locality about eighteen years, engaged principally in mining operations.

In 1859 he emigrated to Dorchester, Allamakee county, Iowa, where he engaged at his trade, millwright and carpenter. As a millwright he built the fine new mill at Dorchester.

He died of ulcer of the stomach.

Mr. Williams was always a very active, energet[ic] man, and was universally respected in every community where he resided. The Rev. Mr. Ambler, of New Albin, who preached his funeral sermon at Dorchester, very truthfully said that "Mr. Williams had not an enemy in the world."

He leaves a widow 76 years of age, who, in the order of nature, must soon follow him to the Unknown Shore. He left a number of children and grand children. He was buried at Lansing, Iowa, February 16th, 1878.

~North Iowa Journal, Wednesday, February 27, 1878; pg 4

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Notes:
-His gravestone in Oak Hill cemetery clearly gives DOD as Feb. 16, 1876, which is in conflict with the publication year of both obits.
-Unless the obits were published 2 years after his death, the date on his gravestone is in error. His wife Pheobe nee Tartt died in September 1878.
-The DOD given in the 2/27 obit is a typo - Feb. 18th, 1878 was a Monday.