NOTE: John Laumeister was also know as John (Johannes) Lowmaster. His birth date on this memorial was calculated from the information on his grave marker.

John was baptized April 27, 1783 in York, Pa. He did not have sponsors, "child brought to baptism by his parents." Married about 1805 to Ann Amelia Schultz, daughter of Henry and Magdalena (Deeler) Schultz, she was born in 1787 in York Co., Pa. Their first five children were born and baptized in York, Pa. About 1814 the family moved to Beaver Co., Pa., where Alexander was born. In 1816 he moved to Fairfield Co, Ohio where he purchased for $665.00, 93 acres of land in Section 28, Twp. 17, Range 17. Here the last seven children were born. He died in Richland Twp.

On Sept. 13, 1839, the widow sold 33 acres of the homestead for $700.00. By 1845 the entire family had moved to Wyandot Co., where Reuben bought 40 acres in Section 25. Alexander bought 40 acres in section 26 and John Jr. bought 40 acres in Section 22, all in Tymochtee Twp. Reuben traded his 40 acres to William Walton for 80 acres in Eden Twp., Wyandot Co. The mother died June 19, 1871 at the home of her son, Reuben. Her estate was administered July 11, 1874 by John Stoker, her son-in-law. Their children are: Anna, Sarah, Susanna, Eleanor, Joyn, Alexander, Rebecca, Reuben, Henry, Jefferson, William and Jacob.
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John LOWMASTER was born on 2 Apr 1783 in York, York Co., Pennsylvania. He was christened on 27 Apr 1783 in Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, York, York Co., Pennsylvania. He appeared on the census in 1830 in Richland Twp., Fairfield Co., Ohio. He died on 27 Jul 1832 in Richland Twp., Fairfield Co., Ohio. He was a gunsmith in Fairfield Co., Ohio. He was also known as Johannes Laumeister. John Lowmaster left York Co., Pennsylvania around 1814. Some accounts have him moving to Beaver Co., Pennsylvania. However, a deed recorded in York in May 1816 was witnessed by John Lowmaster of Berkley Co., Virginia (now the eastern panhandle of West Virginia). In 1816 he moved to Fairfield Co., Ohio, where he purchased for the sum of $665.00, 93 acres of land (Section 17, Range 17). Here nine of his children were born, and he died in 1832. On September 1839 the widow sold 33 acres of the homestead for the sum of $700.00. The entire family by 1845 had moved to Wyandot Co., Ohio, where three of his sons bought land.

There exist long rifles made by gunsmith, J. LOWMASTER. Apparently, no record exists on these rifles state John LOWMASTER, just J. LOWMASTER. On the other hand, the design of the patch box on the rifles marked them as York rifles leading one to conclude that the designer, most probably, John LOWMASTER, was apprenticed to other York designers, especially Martin FRY. Indeed, John LOWMASTER is listed on the 1830 census (Ohio) as a gunsmith. While one family's legend states that John was sent to Ohio by Gen. George Washington to teach gunsmithing in that state (or territory), he would have turned 16 years of age when President Washington died.

by Barry Sherry

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