Neighborhood
The two following road orders are taken from page 8, 3 June 1755, Spotsylvania County Virginia Minute Book 1755-1765. John Hawkins appointed overseer from Bell’s Ordinary … the old Germanna Road to the Pamunkey rolling road, his gang viz his own; Jno Sutton; Nathan Hawkins; Benj Mastin; Benj Davis; Jno Chew; Jas. Pritchett tithes. In another road order John Mastin was appointed the overseer from Corbin’s Bridge over Po to the fork of the road by the folly (?) & thence along the new road to the county line by Anthony Strother (?) his gang viz his own; Robt. Gains; John Faulconer (John Johnson?), Taliaferro Cragg; Wm Cook; Jos. Collins; Richard Ray; John Sandford (?); Wm. Collins; Jas Collins; Benj Glaze; John Collins; Mr. Gardner, Mr. Garnet’s quarter; Col. Corbin’s quarter (?), Thos. Perry; the Thos Corbin’s hickory neck quarter; Jno. Mastin Jun; Richd. Long; Obediah Howerton, John Howerton; and Jas. Rennold’s tithes.
It’s presumed each group of men are neighbors and Spotsylvania deeds show an association of some of them. In looking at older and modern maps, it is thought that the “new road” referenced above is the Catharpin Road. Corbin Bridge can still be located on a modern topo map over the Po River. While conducting this research, it was discovered that there is a place named “Mastins Corner” located in this area of Spotsylvania County. The origin of this place is unknown.
A circle with a radius of 5 miles with Mastins Corner at the center [see below] encircles areas mentioned in the two above road orders. The former Bell’s Ordinary may or may not be at the same location as the modern location of Bells Crossroad. Post Oak is located East of the circle. Benjamin Lee Mastin (1817-1911) lived here. He was the son of Shadrach Mastin and his given name along with that of his brother George Benjamin Mastin suggests a likely close relationship to the older Benjamin Mastin (first road order). A descendant of Shadrach Mastin is a Y-DNA match for this writer [Barry Marston].
There’s no reason to think John Mastin (Marston), Jr. of Berkeley Parish whose wife was Elizabeth is a different man than John Mastin, Jr. in the above road order. Some names that help support this are John Collins, Benjamin Craig, and William Cook. John Collins appeared in the same road order and also sold in 1761, 275 acres to John Mastin. John Mastin, Jr. and Elizabeth sold this land in 1770 to John Mitchell. William Cook also appears in the same road order. One William Cook sold 50 acres in Orange Co. to John Mastin, which he and Elizabeth sold to Mayfield in 1761. Benjamin Craig’s father was Taliaferro Craig (road order). Benjamin along with John Mastin, Thomas Mastin, and William Mastin witnessed a deed in 1771 from Nicholas Darnall to George Tureman of Orange Co. Another son of Taliaferro Craig was Lewis Craig (of Traveling Church fame). He could have been the namesake for Lewis Marston son of John Mastin/Marston [subject of this paper]. On the 1789 Fayette Co. Kentucky tax list are John and Lewis Marstin and Toliver and Benjamin Craig [same district]. One descendant of John Mastin/Marston through his son Thomas Marston [Baptist preacher] is another Y-DNA match to this writer.
A link between John Mastin [2nd road order] and Benjamin Mastin [1st road order] is supported by some Spotsylvania County Virginia deeds [Crozier]. This is most likely the Benjamin Mastin that was a Revolutionary soldier. Benjamin Mastin bought in 1769 from Hugh Sanders 101 acres. A witness was Lewis Craig. In 1780 Benjamin Mastin is a witness to the deed of John and Elizabeth Mastin to Anthony Arnold. In 1760 Benjamin, John, and William Mastin witnessed a deed from Isaac Darnell to Nicholas Darnell. Another “possible” descendant of Benjamin is Elijah Mastin [died Robertson Co. Ky]. One of his descendants is also a Y-DNA match to this writer.
Jumping forward in time to 1815, it’s found that Eleanor Mastin was located nine miles west of the court house. Eleanor was the daughter-in-law of John Mastin, subject of this paper. She was the widow of his son, another John Mastin/Marston. Also a Benjamin Mastin was located 8 miles west of the court house. These locations are consistent with the referenced circle.
The circle below is located in Southwest Spotsylvania County near Orange County. In 1769 Berkeley Parish was formed from St. George Parish and it was located south of the Po River [The Po and Ni rivers join in Caroline County to form the Poni River. The Mat and Ta rivers join in Spotsylvania County to form the Matta River. The Matta and Poni rivers join in Caroline County to form the Mattaponi River]. Benjamin Lee Mastin [1817-1911] [Post Oak], Benjamin Mastin [Ca. 1739-?] [near Bell's Ordinary and Pamunkey Rolling Road], and John Mastin [Marston] [1730-1811] [Corbin's Bridge to Orange Co. line area] probably all lived in Berkeley Parish in the vicinity of Mastins Corner .
