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Andrew McMaster was born about 1788 in Cecil county Maryland to Robert McMaster and Margaret, last name unknown. She may have been the widow of Mr. Murphy. Andrew was the seventh of eight children thought born to this couple. It is believed they were all born in Cecil county. In 1785 Robert McMaster patented property in Susquehanna Manor. It was just over 210 acres and was named McMaster's Delight. A brick home was built on the land between 1785 and 1802. It is said to still be standing. From The Nottingham Lots: A Tercentenary Celebration 2001 by the East Nottingham Trustees. However, there is a document created for the McMaster Nesbitt House on the Maryland Historical Trust Inventory for State Historic Sites. This says the house was built about 1830-1840, It is on Waibel Road west of Battle Swamp. Battle Swamp is now called Woodlawn. The house which sits on the bank of Basin Run Creek just next to a bridge that was out of service for a while.. The original structure is brick now painted yellow with a large wood 2-story addition behind. This area of Cecil county is near the Pennsylvania border, with Chester County just next door.

Andrew McMaster grew up at McMaster's Delight, but then moved into Chester County. He married Ann Dobbin there. It would have been about 1813. They lived on and farmed the land given to her by her grandfather, James Perry of Chester County, PA. They had 3 children:
1. Robert James McMaster born 1814 wed Elizabeth
2. Mary K. McMaster born 1817 wed William Ewing
3. Joseph A. McMaster born 1820 wed Mary

Ann Dobbin McMaster died sometime after the birth of Joseph. In 1829 the Chester County Archives has a record (probably from orphan's Court) that states Andrew McMaster became the guardian for a 5-year-old boy names Jesse Watson and that Jesse had lived with him since 1826. I believe that in 1826 Andrew married the widow Margaret Watson, widow of John Watson. Jesse Watson died in Delaware in 1890. His death certificate lists his parents to be John and Margaret Watson. I believe the new family, continued on the farm, though it eventually became the property of Ann's three children. I believe Margaret and John Watson had 2 sons, John and Jesse.

Margaret and Andrew also had three children. They were

The 1830 Census for East Nottingham, Chester County PA, M19, row 148, Page 261 has the Andrew McMasters family as:

1 male < 5 (I believe this to be Jesse Watson and Jackson was born after the census was taken. What I could find, did not provide the date taken.)
2 males 5-10 - John Watson born 1821, and Joseph McMasters born 1820
1 male 15-20 - Robert McMasters born 1816
1 male 40-50 - Andrew McMasters
1 female <5 - Margaret Jane McMasters born 1828
1 female 15-20 Mary Kay McMasters born 1817
1 female 30-40 Margaret Watson McMasters born 1800

Andrew McMaster died sometime between 1840 and 1850. The 1850 East Nottingham Chester County PA Census we find a family grouping in dwelling #83 is Joseph McMaster, wife Mary and 5 children. In #84 is Margaret McMaster, age 50 with 2 children Eliza and Jackson McMaster, #85 is William Ewing, wife Mary their 6 children and Sarah Perry age 70. Robert McMaster and his family are a few pages away.

From this I would certainly assume that Margaret McMaster is the mother of Margaret, Eliza and Jackson. Margaret Jane was with the John Watson family in 1850 in London Grove (next township to East). They had 3 young children.. The data certainly connects the McMaster and Perry family.

And they all seem to be cordial. We have Margaret Jane McMaster living with John Watson, who may have been her half brother. and then in later life many of Ann Dobbin's children moved to Manayunk, just north of Philadelphia - when Margaret Jane McMaster Pennock became a widow, she moved to Manayunk.

The 1860 Chester County PA Census film 805091, roll 653_1091, page 269 has those 3 children and their large families all living next to each other. (possible on their Perry Land? They are said to be in Elk township, Joseph and Robert are farmers, William Ewing a Cooper. Interestingly, Margaret McMaster now said to be 68, and her daughter Elizabeth McMaster, age 28 are living in London Britian township with the young Watson's that daughter Margaret Jane had lived with 10 years earlier.