My Genealogy Hound

Robert W. Lemastee, the popular postmaster at Halstead, and also a prominent merchant and farmer of that place, was born in Spartanburg, S. C., in 1829, and is a son of Wesley and Orpha Lemastee, of the same county and State, born in 1806 and 1812, respectively. The father resided in Spartanburg County all his life, and is buried there, while the mother passed the remainder of her days in Georgia, where she died in 1856. Her husband was a prominent farmer and a son of Richard Lemastee, of Virginia, who died in South Carolina over one hundred years old. His father was George Lemastee, who emigrated from England to America, and served in the Revolution two years, after which he settled in Virginia and then in South Carolina, where he became a wealthy farmer and an influential citizen of his adopted country. Robert was the second child in a family of six sons and one daughter, and like many of the self-made men of the present day, he received a limited education in his youth. One reason for this was on account of the scarcity of schools, and then the father died when Robert was only eleven years old, thus throwing the main support of the family upon him. In 1853 he moved to the State of Georgia, and was there married to Lucinda, a daughter of Coleman and Nancy Hames, of South Carolina. Mrs. Lemastee’s parents left their native State and settled in Georgia, where the mother died, and the father, who is a prominent farmer, still resides. Mr. Lemastee remained in Georgia until 1866, spending four years of that time in Philipps’ Legion of Georgia troops in the army of Virginia, and fighting under Gen. Longstreet at Chattanooga, Bull Run, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Antietam, Mission Ridge and a great number of other engagements, also serving part of the time as a member of the pioneer corps. In April, 1865, he surrendered with Gen. Lee at Appomattox and returned to his family in Georgia, where he remained until 1866, and then moved to Yell County, Ark., where he settled for four years. In 1870 he moved to Pulaski County, and proceeded to clear up a tract of land in the woods. He now owns 160 acres, and has seventy acres under cultivation. Besides his farming interests he has established a general merchandise store, and carries a fine stock of goods, and since 1886 has been the postmaster of Halstead, his present prosperity coming to him through his own enterprise and industry. In politics Mr. Lemastee is a Democrat, and in secret orders he is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Alexander Lodge No. 353. Himself and wife, who is a devout Christian lady, have attended the Methodist Church for over forty years.