Historical 1880s Reenactor

William B. Masterson was born in Henryville, county of Iberville , Provience of Quebec, Canada, on November 26, 1853.  His Christian name actually being William Bartholomiew (French spelling with the ie) Masterson.  The second of  seven children of Thomas and Katherine nee: McGurk.  His siblings were: Ed, the oldest,  James (1855), Nellie (1857),  Thomas Jr.(1858), George Henry(1860) and Emma or Minnie as she was called by family(1862). 

The family left Canada, when Bat was about 2,  and he was raised on a succession of farms in in upper NY state and Illinois. In June 1881, the family finally settled on an eighty-acre tract of land in Grant Township, Sedgwick, KS, 14 miles Northeast of Witchita, KS.

(TO BE CONTINUED)