BIOS: George Benjamin MASTERS, M.D., Rockwood, Somerset County, PA

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History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, PA; v.3; Bedford County by E. Howard 
Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; Lewis Pub. Co., NY/Chicago 
1906; ppg. 167-170.

George Benjamin Masters, M.D., a practicing physician of Rockwood, born at 
Berlin, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1856, traces his ancestry to 
George Masters, who came to this country from England when a young man, settled 
in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where his death occurred at the advanced age 
of about eighty-eight years.  His time and attention was especially devoted to 
educational work, and for many years he followed the vocation of school teacher. 
He was a member of the Lutheran church.  He was twice married, one of his wives 
having been a Miss Hull.
Benjamin Masters, son of George Masters, the immigrant ancestor, followed the 
occupation of farming throughout the active years of his life.  He was also a 
noted deer hunter, having shot over one hundred.  He was a very pious man, of 
great industry and good judgment, a member of the Lutheran church, and served in 
the capacity of poor house director and county commissioner.  His wife, Mary 
Masters, who was loved by everybody with whom she came in contact, and who 
faithfully and conscientiously performed the duties of wife and mother, was a 
constant reader of the Scriptures whenever at leisure, reading the same in the 
German language.  Benjamin Masters died June 23, 1877, aged seventy-three years, 
and his wife, Mary Masters, died December 17, 1871, aged sixty-seven years. 
Their children are as follows: 1. Cyrus, born February 25, 1825, died in some 
western state.  2. Emanuel, born November 9, 1827, of whom later.  3. Elizabeth, 
born August 31, 1830, became the wife of Hugh Auman, by whom she had a large 
family.  4. George Benjamin, born November 29, 1834.  5. Peter, born December 
17, 1838, was engaged in the retail shoe business at Toledo, Ohio, where his 
death occurred; he left a wife and two sons.  6. Mary Jane, born July 2, 1846, 
became the wife of Harry Stutzman, to whom she bore a large family; they reside 
in Somerset county, Pennsylvania.  7. Angeline, born April 12, 1849, became the 
wife of Jackson Saylor, to whom she bore a large family; they reside in 
Somerset, Pennsylvania.
Emanuel Masters, second son of Benjamin and Mary Masters, was born in Somerset 
county, Pennsylvania, November 9, 1827.  He received a common school education, 
after which he learned the trade of harness and saddle maker, and for many years 
was a manufacturer of those articles in the town of Berlin, Pennsylvania.  He 
was elected to fill the offices of postmaster and justice of the peace, in which 
capacities he served with credit and distinction.  He is a consistent member of 
the Lutheran church, and his political allegiance is given to the Republican 
party.  He was united in marriage to Mary Jane Lane, born in Berlin, Somerset 
county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Peter and Mary Lane, American born, who came 
to Somerset county from Adams county, Pennsylvania.  Peter Lane was a harness 
and saddle manufacturer, and was a soldier and captain in the war of 1812.  The
children of this union were as follows: 1. Elverna, born March 19, 1852, died 
from diphtheria in childhood.  2. Martha Jane, born May 8, 1854, became the wife 
of Theodore Flato, of Berlin, Pennsylvania, where she now resides, in good 
health, and they are the parents of a number of children.  3. George Benjamin, 
born March 5, 1856, of whom later.  4. Mary Adaline, born March 14, 1858.  5. 
Lizzie Cordelia, born October 16, 1860, unmarried, resides with her aged father 
in Berlin, Pennsylvania, where for many years she has conducted a millinery 
store; she is a member of the Lutheran church, as is also her sister,
Martha Jane.  6. Ellen Amanda, born March 5, 1863, widow of Dr. Frank B. Walker, 
who died at Ligonier, Pennsylvania, in early manhood, with the promise of a 
brilliant future.  He left one son, John, who has been appointed to West Point, 
and who, with his mother, resides in Berlin, Pennsylvania.  Mrs. Walker is 
associated in the millinery business with her sister, Lizzie C. Masters.  The 
mother of these children, who was a consistent member of the Lutheran church, 
and a faithful wife and mother, died December 17, 1871, aged sixty-seven years.
George Benjamin Masters, only son of Emanuel and Mary Jane (Lane) Masters, 
received his early education in the public and normal schools of Berlin, 
Pennsylvania, and this was supplemented by a course at Mount Union College, 
Ohio.  After teaching school at Pine Hill, Pennsylvania, one term, and in 
Bedford county, he began the study of medicine under the direction of William A. 
Garman, M.D., of Berlin, Pennsylvania, and received his medical degree in 1879 
from the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, Ohio.  He entered upon the 
practice of his profession at Somerset, Pennsylvania, in 1880, where he remained 
but one year.  He then removed to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and after a 
residence of about one and one-half years there, he, with his family, moved to 
Illinois, in which state he practiced until 1885, when he returned to 
Pennsylvania, locating at Rockwood, where he has since resided and engaged in 
the active practice of his profession.  Dr. Masters keeps in touch with the 
advanced ideas along the line of his profession by membership in the County, 
State and American Medical Associations.  He has held various borough offices, 
serving in town council and as school director.  Dr. Masters is a Lutheran in 
religion, a Republican in politics, and a member of the royal Arcanum, and 
Modern Woodmen of America.  For a number of years he has served as local surgeon 
for the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
Dr. Masters married, in 1880, Amanda J. Garman, daughter of Dr. William A. and 
Mary Ann (Burnett) Garman, the former named having been his preceptor in 
medicine, and the latter a daughter of Dr. Burnett, who was a soldier and 
surgeon in the Mexican war, and who died at an advanced age on his farm close to 
Ligonier, Pennsylvania.  Dr. Garman is still in practice at Berlin, 
Pennsylvania, at the advanced age of seventy-six years; he has been in 
continuous practice for half a century, and is still hale and active.  He is 
president of the National Bank of Berlin, and has served as school director for 
many years, also burgess and pension examiner.  He is a Lutheran in religion, 
and a Democrat in politics.  One child was born to Dr. and Mrs. Masters: 
Frederick Garman Masters, who is at present (1905) teaching school.  He received 
his education in the public schools of Rockwood, Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania 
College, at Gettysburg, from which institution he was graduated in the classical 
course in 1904.