BIOGRAPHY: Samuel MASTERS, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 253-4
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SAMUEL MASTERS, assistant superintendent of houses and lands in connection with 
the Cambria Iron company, is a son of George and Sarah (Custer) Masters, and was 
born at Davidsville, Somerset county, February 20, 1842.
      His grandfather, William Masters, was a native of England, whence he 
emigrated to America and located in Fayette county, and later removed to 
Somerset county, where he died. George Masters, son of the above and father of 
the subject of this sketch, was born in Somerset county in 1812. He was a weaver 
of coverlets by trade. In politics he was a whig, and held a number of important 
local offices by appointment or election. In 1842 he was appointed justice of 
the peace, and at the time of his death, in 1850, held the office of county 
commissioner. He was married to Sarah Custer, and was the father of seven 
children, five boys and two girls, of whom four are living, viz.: Joseph, Kate, 
Amanda, wife of J. S. Custer, superintendent of the labor department of the 
Cambria Iron company, Johnstown, and Samuel.
      Subject of this sketch, Samuel Masters, was reared in Somerset county and 
received his education in Davidsville. He worked at farming until he entered the 
Civil War. He enlisted in the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania regiment, company H, and 
was honorably discharged at Gallipolis, Ohio, on the 20th day of December, 1864. 
He participated in some of the most hotly-contested battles of the war, among 
which were the following: Hedgesville, North Mountain, New Market, New Hope 
Church, Lexington, Buchanan, Salem, Lynchburg, all in Virginia. In the latter 
contest he was wounded in the wrist by being struck with a canister shot. This 
necessitated the amputation of his left arm. After his services in this 
connection he engaged with the Cambria Iron company on the 1st day of September, 
1865, and has been in their employ to the present time. Politically he is a 
republican, and has always taken an active interest in the success of his party. 
Religiously Mr. Masters is a member of the Methodist church of Johnstown. Mr. 
Masters married Miss Lucretia Metz on August 23, 1875, and to their union have 
been born Edward, Nellie J., living, and Ralph and Ray, deceased. Mr. Masters is 
a gentleman with good ideas of business; he fought well the battles in defence 
[sic] of his country's honor and deserves and possesses the entire respect of 
all who know him.