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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Robert I. Masterson (deceased) was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., June 25, 1836, being a son of Samuel Masterson, who was a farmer by occupation. Robert I. served a short time in the late war, and in 1866 removed to Clay County, Ark., locating where his widow and children are now living. At that time there was only a small portion of the farm under cultivation, and but few improvements made, but previous to his death, which occurred May 19, 1873, he did much to better the condition of his farm. He was married, about 1857, in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., to Miss Mary Collins, by whom he became the father of eight children, four of whom are living: Sarah I., Mary L., Robert F. and John H. After his death his widow, in 1878, married Elias Cunningham, who was shot December 2, 1878, by outlaws, while sitting by a window in his home, and died on the 8th of that month. The widow and family now live on the old homestead, which consists of 160 acres, about eighty of which are under cultivation. Robert F. and John manage the farm, and are experienced and intelligent young men. They give the most of their attention to raising corn and cotton, their annual yield being very large. It is one of the best farms in the northern part of Clay County, and the house, which is on a high elevation, is surrounded by natural shade trees.

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This family biography is one of 124 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Clay County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clay County, Arkansas family biographies here: Clay County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Clay County, Arkansas here: Clay County, Arkansas Map

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