"Ancestrees"

John MAST Jr. ^{2 3 4 5}

  General Notes:

His birth date in some sources is given as 1762 in some sources but as 1754 on his gravestone. Since he is listed as having children starting in 1775, the gravestone could be the accurate date. (C-458, p. 1918, C-671, 1431) In 1798, he, brother - David Hoover, Martin Davenport and Benjamin Iddings went on a land hunting expedition from North Carolina to evaluate Miami Valley in Ohio as a new territory for their families to live in. John Jr. remained in Miami Co. while the others returned to NC to bring their families. He was literally the first settler in what became known as West Branch, Miami Co., Ohio. On Sep. 3, 1802 he bought land in SEction 28, Township 8, Range 4 which is what is now known as Newton Twp. His brothers Jacob and David, and all his seven sisters and their husbands proceeded to move to the Stillwater River Valley on adjoining properties in Miami and Montgomery counties in Ohio on their return trip in 1801. By 1801, John had built a flour mill (grist mill) known as Cedar Branch Mill that stood until a 1955 fire occurred in Miami Co., Ohio. The quality of the flour from his mill was listed as "superfine". He also ran a gunsmith shop. (C-2215c, 2537)

John was not a member of the Quaker church, although his wife was. After his wife died in 1813, several of his grandchildren lived with him at his home by his Grist Mill. "He was a little under medium in size, fair skinned and blue eyes, quiet and unobtrusive and loved hunting. He attended religious meetings occasionally but never made an open profession." (Mote, "A Walk in a Country Churchyard.)

This John was taxed in Miami Co., Ohio in 1810 and 1816. He was in the deed records for Union Twp., Miami Co., Ohio in 1813, 1817, 1824, 1826, 1827,1828, 1830, 1831, and 1832. He is listed in the Census of 1827 for Union Twp., Miami Co., Ohio. He had his will probated in Miami Co., Ohio 1832. Henry Hoover, his wife's nephew, was one of his executors. Henry was the gr.gr. uncle of President Hoover. (C-1025, 2172) John's stone is no longer visible in the West Milton Cemetery, but there is at least one picture of it when it was still barely visible taken by a descendant, Lois Mast. ^{1 7}

  Noted events in his life were:

• Will, 8/5/1832, , Miami, OH, USA. ^{8 9}

• Will, 8/5/1832, Union Twp., Miami, OH, USA. ⁴

• death2 (conflicting), 9/2/1832, , Miami, OH, USA. ¹⁰

• Probate, 9/24/1832, , Miami, OH, USA. ^{4 8}

John married Susanna HOOVER, daughter of Andrew HOOVER and Maria Margareta PFAUTZ, about 1775 in , , NC.¹ (Susanna HOOVER was born in 1763 in Mirey Springs, Carroll, MD, died on 11/1/1813 in , Miami, OH, USA ¹ and was buried in West Branch Quaker Burial Grounds, Union Twp., Miami, OH, USA ¹.)