OBIT: Abraham A. MAUST, 1931, native of Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library.
Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer.

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ABRAHAM A. MAUST

Lived Long and Beautiful Life
Abraham Maust Died Serenely as He Lived for Nearly a Hundred Years

  Few Men, regardless of age, have led so blameless and beautiful a life as the 
late Abraham A. Maust, whose span of life was only a little less than ten months 
short of a full century.
  This near-centenarian was a son of the late Abraham and Magdalen Longenecker 
Maust, and was born on the original homestead of his pioneer ancestor in Elk 
Lick Township, Somerset County, Pa., about two miles north of Salisbury, the 
same farm which now is owned and occupied by Morris S. Maust, a great-great-
grandson of the pioneer from whom the numerous Mausts or Masts of Somerset 
County are descended.
  He was born Nov. 9, 1831.  He died Jan. 11, 1931, hence had a span of life 
amounting to 99 years, 2 months and 2 days, and since the death of the venerable 
Jonas J. Beachy, who preceded him to the grave by only nine days, at the age of 
99 years, 10 months and 27 days, Mr. Maust was the oldest man in this part of 
the country.
  He grew to manhood on the farm where he was born and reared, and on April 10, 
1854, he married Mary Newman, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Newman, of 
Garrett County, Md.  For about three years following his marriage, he worked for 
his father on the farm where he was born and reared, and then purchased the farm 
in Garrett County, Md., on which all the remainder of his long life was spent, 
the farm now owned and operated by his son, Fearson, and which is located about 
3 1/2 miles south of Salisbury, Pa.

Possessed Every Good Trait

  Abraham A. Maust was not lacking in any good trait which a man should possess.  
He was a devoted husband and father, a good neighbor, kind and generous, honest 
and unassuming, temperate in all things.  His long life may be likened to a 
large book containing a good lesson upon every page for the proper guidance and 
inspiration of his fellow mortals.  
  Mr. and Mrs. Maust were the parents of the following named children: 
Elizabeth, Ada, Norman, Harvey H., Frank, Fearson and Aaron.  The two daughters, 
Frank and Aaron, and their mother preceded the husband and father to the grave.  
Mrs. Maust died in 1911.  Ada, who was the wife of Gilead Broadwater, of 
Grantsville, Md., also died many years ago, while Frank and Aaron died within 
the last few years.  Norman resides in Roanoke, Va., Harvey H. in Salisbury, and 
Fearson on the old home farm where his father died.
  He is also survived by 23 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 5 great-
great-grandchildren.

A Long-Lived Family

  The numerous brothers and sisters of the deceased were Peter, Jacob, Joseph, 
John, Jonas, Samuel, William, Elias, Elizabeth, Anna, Barbara, Sara and Maggie.  
The only surviving one of these brothers and sisters is Sara, of Nebraska, widow 
of the late George Peck.  Most of the deceased brothers and sisters lived to a 
ripe old age, some upwards of 90 years.
  His father also lived more than 90 years, and all of his fourteen children 
were yet living when he passed away.
  Although not the most physically robust of the children of his parents, and 
for a time during his earlier life afflicted with dyspepsia, he soon learned to 
know the laws of nature, and profit by gaining complete control of his desires; 
avoiding all excesses, never allowing himself to become excited, or to worry 
about things which could not be helped.  In short he let his good common sense 
rule him at all times, and build up health and a frame of mind which enabled him 
to live longer than any of the twelve brothers and sisters who preceded him to 
the grave.  For many years he seemed to grow healthier as he grew older, 
maintaining an erect figure and a mental and physical vigor that was remarkable 
until well past his ninetieth year.  In fact he showed little sign of failing 
strength until two or three years ago, when he was stricken by a severe attack 
of influenza, from the effects of which he never fully recovered, and from that 
time his strength and bodily vigor gradually failed, causing him to become 
weaker and weaker until the end of his life's journey was reached.  Then he 
passed peacefully away on Jan. 11, 1931, at 2:30 a.m.  Up to the time he was 
stricken by influenza, he bid fair to reach the age of a hundred years.
 
German Swiss Ancestry

  The Mausts are of Swiss ancestry, and the pioneer ancestor of Abraham A. Maust 
came into Somerset County about the year 1772, from Berks County, Pa.  Most of 
the pioneer families of the Maust relationship were of the Mennonite faith, but 
some of the families of later generations became united with other religious 
denominations, many of them uniting with the Church of the Brethren, of which 
Abraham A. Maust became a member by baptism on June 16, 1855.  He was a 
consistent and most exemplary member of his church during all the remainder of 
his long life, for more than four score years.

Impressive Obsequies
  
  The obsequies were held in the Salisbury Church of the Brethren, Tuesday 
forenoon, conducted by the pastor, Guy E. Wampler, assisted by Rev. George L. 
Detweiler, pastor of the Meyersdale Church of the Brethren, and Rev. E. D. 
Bright, pastor of the St. John's Reformed Church of Salisbury.  The services 
were very beautiful and impressive, and consisted of fervent prayers, beautiful 
hymns by members of Salisbury and Springs chorus, comforting extracts of 
scripture read by Rev. Detweiler, and commented upon by a most comforting and 
philosophical way by Rev. Wampler and Bright.
  At the close of the services the friends and relatives were given the 
opportunity to view the familiar face of the grand old patriarch for the last 
time.  The casket was opened in the vestibule of the first floor of the church, 
where all could see the remains as they passed out of the edifice.  A more 
serene and beautiful countenance of an aged person could not be imagined than 
that of this saintly old man.  There was no trace of suffering or the ravishes 
of time visible.  
  The burial arrangements were in charge of Funeral Director W. C. Price, of 
Meyersdale.  Interment was made in the Salisbury I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Meyersdale Republican, January 22, 1931