Ezekiel Masters - An Early Settler and Father of Many of Fulton/Williams Counties, OH
From an unsourced newspaper article from the West Unity Reporter c 17 August 1899 - the eighth annual reunion of the Master’s Family was held in the home of Mrs SB Masters in Pioneer, OH.
The Master’s home is very pleasantly situated with plenty of shade to make the home cool and inviting to the relatives who commenced to gather about 9 AM. Later after dinner they gathered on the lawn and listened to a very appropriate program that was greatly enjoyed. It was decided that they put in a memorial window in the church at Franklin or what is commonly called Masters Corners. In 1851 Ezekiel Masters gave the land for a church and it is a fitting tribute to him who in his earlier days did so much for the up building of a church at Masters Corners.
At this reunion four generations were represented. There were 5 sons, 3 daughters, 16 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, 60 relatives in all and 10 invited guests.
Ezekiel Masters was born on 3 December 1811 in Martinsburg, Knox Co, OH, the son of Robert Masters and Hannah Boyle. In the fall of 1826 the Masters family moved from Knox Co, OH to Marion Co, OH. On 13 October 1836 Ezekiel married Mary Oliver in Canaan, Marion Co, OH. Mary, the daughter of William Oliver and Sally Summer, was born on 19 February 1819 in Marion Co, OH. Together Mary and Ezekiel had the following children (first 4 born in Marion Co, OH with last four in Fulton Co, OH):
1. Sarah Summer (1 Aug 1837 Marion Co, OH-16 May 1885 West Unity, Brady Twp, Williams Co, OH; mar Lafayette G Ely, 12 Nov 1857; both buried West Franklin Cem, Franklin Twp, Fulton Co, OH)- 4 children all born in Franklin Twp, Fulton Co, OH
A. Charles Summer Ely (7 Mar 1859 - 13 Dec 1939 West Unity, Brady Twp, Williams Co, OH; mar Rosella J Amsbaugh, 29 Nov 1883); bur West Franklin Cem
1. Mabel Ely
B. Alice May Ely (19 Feb 1864 - 8 Jan 1966; mar Julius W Boothman)
1. Florence B Boothman
2. Kenneth F Boothman
C. Luella “Louie” Ely (14 Feb 1871-7 Nov 1932; mar Edward M Clerc)
D. George Masters Ely (2 Aug 1873 - 29 Jan 1967; mar Ada Ellen Ely; mar Minnie Dell Caskey Hepker
1. Dr Gilbert C Ely
2. Kathryn Ely
3. Marjorie Ely
4. Laura Ely
2. Mahala Ann (12 Jan 1839 - 9 Mar 1911; mar Obadiah Ely, c1857
3. Hannah Mary (22 Feb 1840 - 23 Mar 1917; mar Charles L Stevens, 25 Dec 1860)
4. Nelson R (24 Feb 1843 - 15 Mar 1927; mar Hannah Van Buskirk, Sept 1866)
5. Lydia Oliver (Mar 1845 - 27 Nov 1897; mar Charles Gorsuch, 10 Oct 1864)
6. William (21 Jan 1847-22 Sept 1849)
7. Keziah Jane (1849-1926; mar John Hanes, 28 Nov 1867)
8. Oliver Ezekiel (22 Dec 1850-16 Apr 1925; mar Addie Hull, c1875)
Using the children’s birth information, one can determine the Masters family moved between 1843-1845 from Marion Co, to Fulton Co, OH. After birthing eight children, Mary Oliver Masters died on 27 December 1850 in Franklin Twp, Fulton Co, OH and was buried in the local West Franklin Cemetery.
Looking for a helpmate and mother to his children, Ezekiel found Susannah Berniece Perkins, daughter of John Perkins and Abigail Jones, very early settlers in Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH. Susannah was born in 1824, making her 13 years younger than farmer Ezekiel. They married in Williams County, OH on 21 July 1852 and proceeded to have a family of the following seven children with the last two born in Pioneer, Williams Co, OH:
1. Elliot Perkins (10 Oct 1853 - 14 Dec 1931; mar Martha Fulton, c1876
2. William Clayton (Feb 1855 - 20 July 1943)
3. Charles Homer (Mar 1856 - 28 Apr 1917; mar Alice A Joy, 17 Apr 1880)
4. Alpheus E (Oct 1857-1908; mar Lillian Parkhurst)
5. Mary Abigail (4 May 1859-23 Dec 1921; mar Walter Morse, *** Evers)
6. Ida Beatrice (Aug 1860-1937; mar Henry Barkley)
7. Francis Lincoln (27 July 1862-22 Nov 1947; mar Viola Bartoe, Laura Gilbert)
Ezekiel performed many good works in his life and was instrumental in establishing the West Franklin Church and its surrounding cemetery, where he, his two wives, and many children lay to rest. The Honorable Ezekiel Masters passed away on 24 October 1886; later his wife, Susannah, would join him in 1914. His was a life well-lived.
Additional Sources
1840 US Federal Census, Canaan, Marion Co, OH - Masters, Ezekiel 1m20-29, 2f under 5, 1f 10-14, 1f 20-29
1850 US Federal Census, Franklin Twp, Fulton Co, OH- Masters, Ezekiel 33 OH/Mary 31 OH
1860 US Federal Census, Franklin Twp, Fulton Co, OH - Masters, Ezekiel 43 OH/Susannah 35 OH
1870 US Federal Census, Pioneer, Madison Twp, Williams Co, OH - Masters, Ezekiel 53 OH/Susannah B 45 OH
1880 US Federal Census, Madison Twp, Williams Co, OH - Masters, Ezekiel 63 OH/Susannah 56 OH
1900 US Federal Census, Madison Twp, Williams Co, OH - Masters, Susannah 75 OH widow 7/7 ch
1910 US Federal Census, Madison Twp, Williams Co, OH - Masters, Susannah 85 OH widow 7/6 ch
Bryan Press (Bryan, OH), 28 October 1886 - obit of Ezekiel Masters
Bryan Democrat (Bryan, OH), 28 October 1886 p4 c3/11 November 1886 p4 c3 - obit and tributes to Ezekiel Masters
Defiance Daily Crescent (Defiance, OH), 26 June 1908, p4c2
Find-A-Grave, Ezekiel, Mary, Susannah Masters, West Franklin Cem, Fulton Co, OH
Historical Narrative of the Ely, revel, and Stacey Families, p222/327/386-387
Western Christian Advocate (Cincinnati, OH), 12 January 1887, p15c2
Williams County, OH Deaths, V2 p37 - Ezekiel Masters
