OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

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church. His union with Miss Elmira Nutter, the mother of our subject, resulted in the birth of the following children: Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Harrison Clement; James, Charles, deceased, Eben, ex-sheriff of Portland, Maine; Henry, a printer in New York city, New York; Olive, the wife of Elijah Buggle, a farmer of Iowa; Arminda, deceased; Fannie, the wife of William Hayes, a clothier of Massachusetts; Ella, deceased, who was the wife of a New England railroad conductor.      James Perry was reared a farmer boy on the old homestead, in Porter, Maine. At the early age of fifteen years he went to Saco, Maine, where for three years he was employed in a dye-house. He then accepted a similar position in a dyeing establishint in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he remained fifteen years.     Early in May, 1863, he removed to Chest Springs, this county, on a farm. For a number of years he was quite extensively engaged in farming and lumbering, and, in connection with the latter enterprise, handled large quantities of shuck. Later he engaged in the mercantile business in Chest Springs. But within the last three years, on account of impaired hearing, he has retired from the business world, and is at present enjoying the fruits of a profitable and well-spent life.      Mr. Perry is a prominent and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which organization he has been class-leader for a number of years.      In politics he supports the principles of the Republican party, but has never sought nor held office. He married Miss Eliza-

beth C. Batchelder, of Saco, Maine, who died June 20, 1896. She was a loving wife, a devoted mother, and for many years had been a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their happy marriage has been blessed in the birth of the following children: Charles, who has recently succeeded his father in the mercantile business; Mary, the wife of Perry McDonald, of Chest Springs; Georgia, the wife of J. R. Wilbur, a clothier of Ebensburg, this county; William and Frank, engaged in the meat market business in Caolport, this county, and Lillie and Elmira, who both died in childhood. SAMUEL MASTERS, assistant superintendent of houses and lands in connection with the Cambria Iron company, is a son of George and Sarah (Custer) Masters, and was born at Davidsville, Somerset county, February 20, 1842.      His grandfather, William Masters, was a native of England, whence he emigrated to America and located in Fayette county, and later removed to Somerset county, where he died. George Masters, son of the above and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Somerset county in 1812. He was a weaver of coverlets by trade. In politics he was a whig, and held a number of important local offices by appointment or election. In 1842 he was appointed justice of the peace, and at the time of his death, in 1850, held the office of county commissioner. He was married to Sarah Custer, and was the father of seven children, five boys and two girls, of whom four are living, viz.: Joseph, Kate, Amanda, wife of J. S. Custer, superintendent of the labor

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