Margaret was born about 1750 based on the
number of children she had and estimate of their ages based on her
husband's will. Her birth name is unknown. However, I
suggest with evidence below that her last name was
Murphy.
If that is true then her parents were
John Murphy and maybe
Margaret
LNU
Our
Margaret married
Robert McMaster about
1769. Their first child was born about 1770.
On Sept 14, 1793
John Murphy wrote a will. It was
proved Sept 12, 1794, and presented by his wife
Margaret
Murphy.
Cecil County Will Abstracts by John McCory,
Will number 206 on page 347. I have not
seen the will only the Abstract, so can't interpret beyond info
Mr. McCory recorded. In the will he mentions
wife, unnamed there, wife's son
Aaron Wark, but she is
named as presenting the will. Thus I assume that
Margaret
Murphy had been previously married to a
Mr.
Wark. the will goes on to name
John Brown,
(no kinship given),
Margaret McMaster - wife of
Robert McMaster, other"eldest daughters" not
named.....etc
Robert McMaster was one of his
executors and a witness was
Samuel McMaster.
To me, it seems clear that
Margaret McMaster was the
daughter of
John Murphy and very possibly his wife
Margaret.
The McMaster Family of Cecil County by Gary Burns list
with a fair amount of detail the children of
Robert and
Margaret McMaster: they are,
1.
Mary McMaster born about 1770 wed
David
Archibald in 1790.
2.
Jane McMaster born about 1773 wed
John
Fisher in 1794.
3.
Sarah "Sally" McMaster born c 1778 never married,
had one child
James Galbraith.
4.
Robert McMaster II born in 1782, wed
Martha
Taggart in 1822
5.
Samuel McMaster don't know when he was born,
but he was a witness to his grandfather, John Murhpy's,
will. I would think he would need be at least 15
or 16, so he was probably born before
Robert
II. However, it makes sense for eldest son to be named
after his father.
Samuel never married.
He died in 1821.
6.
Keziah McMaster born about 1795, wed
Thomas
Fisher about 1820
7.
Andrew McMaster I
believe to have been born about 1888. He wed
Ann Dobbin about 1813. When
Ann
died he married widow
Margaret Watson
about 1826. He died between 1840 - 1850.
8.
Rebecca McMaster born about 1800. She was
mentioned in her father's will, but believed to have died before
1821.
These dates were best guesses by Mr. Burns. Actually he had
put
Andrew born 1781. I have doubts about that
date.
In 1785
Robert McMaster patented property in Susquehanna
Manor. It was just over 210 acres and was named
McMaster's Delight. The family lived there for many
generations. It was near present day Woodlawn, though
at the time it was called Battle Swamp.
Census Cecil County North Susquehanna Hundred 1790 has the
family listed: the names given are my guesses and they truly are
just guesses except for the 2
Roberts.
Robert McMaster
3 males > 16
2 males < 16
8 females
no slaves
The
1810 Cecil County Census page 62, Northern Township (I've
not found them on 1800 Census).
Robert McMaster
1 male < 10
1 male 16-25
2 females
16- 25
3 males 26-45
1 female 26-45
1 male > 45
Robert
1 female >45
Margaret
I cannot put in names, but I believe it very likely that in
both census grown children were living with
Robert and Margaret
with their families.
In 1793
Robert and
Margaret McMaster signed the
Oath
of Allegiance, becoming Naturalized Citizens on Feb.
1793. It stated
Robert's birthplace was
Ireland,
Margaret was not given.It also stated they lived in
Battleswamp, Maryland.
Robert McMaster died in 1816. His will had been written in
1812 and Margaret was named as his wife.
Cecil County
Clerk of Wills, will book GG 7, page 131. So it is believed
she was still alive in 1816. I believe it very possible that
she continued to live at McMaster's Delight with first
Samuel
and then
Robert Jr.
We do not know when
Margaret Murphy McMaster died,
or where either are buried.
.