|
1938 - 1982 (44 years)
Generation: 1
Generation: 2
Generation: 3
Generation: 4
14. | William Benjamin Mater was born in 1847 in Ontario (son of George F. Mater and Mary Arabella Wintemute); died in 1918 in Myrtle Point, Coos County, Oregon. Notes:
When Clara was a baby they moved to McGregor, Michigan. William was a gunsmith by trade and opened a gunshop there in McGregor. Later they moved to Beatrice and then on to Lincoln Nebraska, continuing in the guntrade business.
In Lincoln, his gunshop was burglerized several times so he became discouraged and moved to a homestead in Perkins County, Nebraska.
Among the guns that he repaired were ones belonging to Jesse James. This was in 1888. Their residence on the homestead was a sod house. They had a drilled well with a windmill which was the only water within 20 miles. While living
there, Bell met and married Jacob Nelson and their first son was born in this house in 1894.
Sometime after 1918, the family moved to Coos County, Oregon. Jacob and Bell established a home in Myrtle Point, as did William, Ann Jane, Annie, Clara and Samuel Jacob. They were all burried in the Norway cemetery in Myrtle Point.
After several years of this dry farming they all decided to move west and traveled by covered wagon, taking theur cows, horses, chickens and other belongings with them. Both families settled on the Stroud ranch just east of Casper, Wyoming
where they lived until after the death of William and Ann's son Willie. They bought a ranch by the Platte river just east of Casper and lived in tents the first winter. In the spring they began to build their home, but before it was completed
William's leg was broken from being kicked by a horse, and they were unable to continue with the housebuilding. They moved into Casper and William's brother, Samuel Jacob, came to build them a home- and continued to live with them from then
on.
William married Ann Jane Padden (Pedan, Padan) in 1870 in Chippawa, Canada. Ann was born in 1844 in Ireland; died in 1926 in Oregon. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
|
|
|