Daniel Laumaster

1858 Death notice of Daniel Laumeister

Rev. Daniel Laumaster departed this life January the 19th, 1858, aged 36 years and 7 days.

We know little about Rev. Laumaster/Lowmaster. Born in 1822, he was not listed on the census of 1830 and 1840 since only the head of household was listed. This researcher has not been able to find him on the 1850 census. He was not living in the household of George and Magdalena Lowmaster.

The records of the children born early to this family are well documented in the York, Pa. church records. The later children were documented through family histories and newspaper articles. But Daniel had no such benefit. No news article of the day has been found and he left no family or descendants to carry on his story.

For years, I have been reluctant to list Daniel with this family. But the evidence of the days calls for it.

Census records in 1830 and 1840 lists three boys in the 5-10 then 15-20 age range. We know of George, Jr., and Jacob. There must be a third and Daniel would be it.

Rev. Vane Lowmaster, historian, lists Daniel in this family. Despite the fact that Vane did not list his source for this information, it stands to reason that he was right.

Daniel Lowmaster died at the age of 34 years. He is buried in the family plot at Fairview Church Cemetery and the grave is marked by a tall slim sandstone marker that was cut from native sandstone, probably by a local stonemason.

Vane most certainly relied on family records, probably contained in the family Bible. If one visits Fairview Cemetery, Canoe Twp., Indiana Co., Pa. one will find the marker Vane referenced. But the name Daniel is not on it. It is simply inscribed D. L. Lowmaster. Thus it is clear that Vane didn't simply go to the cemetery and decide who belonged in which family. He relied on other records.

Brother L embraced religion when quite young and joined the church of the United Brethren in Christ. In January, 1857, he joined the Allegheny Conference, and was appointed to the Stone Valley Circuit. He was re-appointed to the Stone Valley Circuit; but wishing to see his friends, he went home from conference. He arrived there on Tuesday, felt unwell, and on Thursday following he took his bed, and on the next Tuesday his spirit took its flight for higher climes. Disease was small-pox.

Our last clue was that "Brother L. was a single man and owned property near his father's residence, in Indiana county, Pa., where he died."

George Lowmaster, Sr., was the only Lowmaster/Laumaster living in Indiana Co., in 1858 old enough to have a son Daniel's age.

Still, there is one question that remains unresolved. Jacob Lowmaster, Daniel's brother, moved to Missouri where he lived his adult life. His gravestone is marked 1822-1878.

While there was time for Daniel to be born in January, 1822, and have a sibling born in November or December, that is doubtful. Could have they been twins? There were another set of twins in the family. Or it is possible that in all this a date could be off by one year.