Cambria-Blair-Venango County PA Archives Obituaries.....Masterson, James W 1888 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Laura Carrier McQuaid mcquaid@countryilink.net February 20, 2006, 9:15 pm Unidentified original newspaper clipping SUCCESSFUL LIFE CLOSED Mr. James Masterson, of East Conemaugh, Goes to His Dreamless Sleep. The sad intelligence reached this city early yesterday morning that Mr. James Masterson, of East Conemaugh, a trusted employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which he had served as a foreman in the maintenance of way department for the past thirty-seven years, had departed this life at 11 o'clock Monday night, aged nearly 72 years. In February last the deceased had his shoulder blades broken and his breast injured in an accident at Cresson, while at work with the men under his supervision building a stone culvert in that place, and from that time forward his health gradually gave way and kidney trouble, with its attendant sufferings, finally undermined his vigorous constitution and closed his earthly career. The subject of this notice was born in County Cavan, Ireland, where he was married to Miss Margaret Gibbony some forty-six years ago, and after two children had been born to them Mr. Masterson and his wife came to this country in the year 1847. The deceased first found employment on the New York and Erie railroad somewhere in New York State, but in a few years left that road and moved to Greensburg, Pa., from which place he came to Gallitzin, afterwards to Allagrippa, and finally to East Conemaugh, where he continued to reside up to the time of his death, a period of about twenty years. Here, in common with the rest of the people of that vicinity, he and his family had a narrow escape from being swept to death in the fearful flood of the 30th of May last, but fortunately came out unscathed and with a comparatively small loss of property. By his death an aged wife and eight children – one son and seven daughters – are left to mourn the loss of a faithful, loving husband and a kind, indulgent father. Of the children all but one are of have been married and have families of their own, namely, Thomas Masterson, Mrs. William Kelly, Mrs. Bernard Rafferty, widow, and Mrs. Vincent Luckett, all of this city; Mrs. John Hughes, of South Oil City, and Mrs. John Finnegan, Mrs. J. W. Plummer and Miss Mary Masterson, all of whom reside at East Conemaugh. Of the grandchildren there are nearly if not fully sixty in number still surviving. Having known and had business relations with him for a number of years, the writer of this can truly say that Mr. Masterson was an honest, upright man, and an earnest, consistent member of the Catholic Church, true to the tenets of his religious faith, true to his duties as a husband, father and citizen, true to the promptings of an honest heart, which in all times guided him in his dealings with his fellow men, and as faithful to the interests of his employers as he was just and considerate to those about him and under his direction. He was a member of St. John's congregation, Johnstown, and also of the Society of Jesus connected with said church, and was at all times earnest and devoted in the performance of his religious obligations. The remains will be brought to this city on Mall train tomorrow morning and conveyed to the residence of his son-in-law, William Kelly, on Eleventh street, between Seventh and Eighth avenue, from whence they will be taken at 8 o'clock Thursday morning to St. John's church, where a Requiem High Mass will be celebrated for the repose of his soul. Interment in St. John's Cemetery. May he rest in peace. Additional Comments: Determined year of death and obituary from the reference in the obit itself to the occurrence of the Johnstown Flood "of May last." This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb