Sylvester Washington McMaster
Sylvester Washington McMaster was born on October 11, 1811, near Watertown, New York. He grew up and attended school in Watertown before starting work as a teacher. He moved to Galena, Illinois, around 1833 and earned a living as a clerk. He moved to Rock Island, Illinois, three years later and established a mercantile business.
He married Janette Brooks on May 7, 1840. They had at least four children: William, born around 1843; Mary, born around 1849; Sherman, born around 1854; and Nettie, born around 1856. They returned to Galena around 1841. He worked as a grocer and pork packer, and by 1860, he owned $23,000 of real estate and $8,000 of personal property.
He joined the Republican Party, and he attended a Republican congressional convention in August 1856. He worked as a conscription agent during the Civil War. In March 1863, he reported with satisfaction that the “leading Copperheads here are becoming very quiet…they dont like the distant rumbling sound that comes up from our brave loyal soldiers down in Dixie.”
He moved back to Rock Island around 1866, and by 1870, he owned $27,000 of real estate and $28,000 of personal property. He died from an “attack of grip” in Rock Island on January 22, 1908.
Image: Sylvester W. McMaster (The Rock Island Argus, 22 January 1908)
DATABASE CONTENT
| (4342) | McMaster, Sylvester Washington | 1811-10-11 | 1908-01-22 |
- Conflict Side: Union
- Role: Civilian
- Rank in:
- Rank out:
- Rank highest:
- Gender: Male
- Race: White
Documents - Records: 1
- (11946) [writer] ~ Sylvester W. McMaster to John C. Smith, 22 March 1863
Places - Records: 2
Groups - Records: 1
- (3) [member/supporter] ~ Republican Party
SOURCES
1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900 United States Federal Censuses, available from Ancestry.com; Illinois Marriage Index, 1860-1920, available from Ancestry.com; Sylvester W. McMaster to John C. Smith, 22 March 1863, DL1749.002, Nau Collection; The Waukegan (IL) Weekly Gazette, 30 August 1856; The Rock Island (IL) Argus, 22 January 1908.
