Rev. Philip Lemasters
Rev. Philip Lemasters, one of Spencerville's most venerated citizens, whose ministerial life covered a most interesting period of the history of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ohio, is as well and widely known as any clergyman of that religious body. He is a native of Ohio, born June 10, 1836, in Shelby County, near Fort Jefferson, and is a son of Luman W. and Nancy (Young) Lemasters.
The Lemasters family is of French extraction. The father of our subject died in 1888. The mother was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, and at her death, in 1904, was in her 92nd year. Their nine children all survive and are as follows: Philip, of Spencerville; Mrs. Rachel Cunningham, of Salamonia, Indiana; Mrs. Catherine Wehrley, of Portland, Indiana; L. W., of Salamonia, Indiana; Jacob, of Nebraska; Mrs. Phoebe Wilson of Fort Recovery, Ohio; Mrs Mary Petrie, of Salamonia Indiana; Mrs. Martha Loofborrow, of Ord, Nebraska; and John of St. Paul, Nebraska.
Philip Lemasters attended the public schools of Shelby County and later enjoyed academic and collegiate training at Liber College, in Indiana. He taught school in Butler and other counties in Ohio, in the meantime preparing himself, by special study, for entrance into the Methodist Episcopal Conference of Central Ohio. This had been his ambition almost from the age of 16 years, when he joined the church, and the desire to devote the energies of his body and the powers of his mind to spreading the Gospel grew with his growth and increased with unfolding opportunity. In 1870 he was ordained a deacon by Bishop Clark, and in 1872, an elder, by Bishop Harris.
The first charge to which the young minister was sent was that of Columbus Grove, and his subsequent charges, in order of incumbency, were: Spencerville, Salina, St. Johns, West Cairo Mount Victory, Quincy, Ansonia, Huntsville, Bettsvlle, Weston, Mendon and the back to Spencerville among old friends and esteemed members of his former congregation. He located at this point in 1891, and after a service of three years preached one year at Allentown. In 1895 he was placed on the supernumerary list, after almost a quarter of a century of faithful and consistent work in the ministry. In the early days his charge, included a number of preaching appointments, miles apart, sometimes as many as eight, and every day of the week would be filled, with three services every Sunday. This entailed much riding, often over rough country and the acceptance of hospitality in many different homes. He preached his last sermon at Spencerville on November 12, 1905, in the absence of the regular pastor, with much of his old-time fire and conviction.
At the close of his second year in the ministry, on September 1, 1870, Mr. Lemasters was married by Presiding Elder Roberts to Elizabeth Hover, who was born at Lima, Ohio, in 1846. At the age of 17 she joined the church of which she has been a faithful member ever since. Her parents were Cyrus and Martha (Post) Hover, the former of whom is deceased, his death taking place March 8, 1896, at the age of 74 years and three days. He was the second of four brothers who located in the vicinity of Lima, coming in 1833 from Trumbull County, Ohio. On August 4, 1847, Cyrus Hover married Martha Post, who still survives and lives with her daughter, Mrs. Hitchcock, at Lima. Her parents were C. C. and Elizabeth (Bryant) Post, a well-known family of this section. Mrs. Hover is the oldest surviving member of this branch of the Post family. She was born in Knox County, Ohio, August 7, 1827. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hover were: Elizabeth, wife of our subject; Mary, wife of R. H. Gamble, of Lima; C. A., who is in the loan and real estate business at Lima; Kate, wife of D. H. Crites, of Elida; B. G., of Lima; Minnie, wife of James Cochrun; Florence, wife of F. W. Newell, of Hammond, Indiana; and Martha (Mrs. Hitchcock), of Lima. Mr. and Mrs. James Cochrun reside in the old Hover home in Spencerville.
Mr. and Mrs. Lemasters have but one child, a daughter, Bessie, who in 1903 was married to A. E. Henry. They have one daughter, Nellie Elizabeth, born January 4, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Henry reside in the pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. Lemasters of Spencerville.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Edited by Charles C. Miller. Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906