The Patriarch of this family, Jacob Masters, Senior, and his wife, Elizabeth Shaw Masters, started on a trek from North Carolina, some time as early as 1828.

Children were:

1. Eliza born born about 1802 in NC; married 1) Alexander Shaver, 2) Mr. Cawhon

2. Mary "Polly", born about 1804 NC; married Lemuel Rice.

3. Henry born about 1806; married Louisa.

4. Jacob, Jr., born Oct. 28, 1807 NC; married Eliza Catherine Wagley, born July 14, 1811.  All their children were born in Houston County where Jacob, Jr. lived on his land grant.  Somewhere around 1850 Jacob and Eliza moved their family to McLennan Co., TX

5. Willie, born Aug. 11, 1809 NC; married Joseph Rice, Sr. in 1826.  Their home was also on the old King's Highway and has recently been moved and restored by the Texas Historical Commission.  It is known as the Rice Stagecoach Inn.

6. Francis "Fannie", born about 1818; married Solomon Allbright.

7. Sallie; married John D. V. Gossett.

8. Elizabeth; married Sanford Shaver.

Jacob Masters, born about 1780 in North Carolina, married Elizabeth Shaw, born about 1783, on February 28, 1800.

Between the years 1807 and 1809 the family moved from North Carolina to Kentucky, as evidenced by the birth of a child in that state.  About 1816, another child was born in Alabama.  At least by October 1834, they had made their way into Texas, where Jacob petitioned for land under the colonization laws through the Empresario, David G. Burnett.  The petition was approved.

Jacob Masters, Senior, located his league of land, on the King's Highway, known also as the Old San Antonio Road, about ten miles northeast of Crockett, and there established his home, which was a landmark for years thereafter, and where he entertained the traveling public. An old pecan tree, standing on the highway, more than a hundred years old, now marks the site of this pioneer home.

The exact date when Masters arrived in Houston County is not known, but that he was here as early as 1828, is borne out by an entry in the Diary of Adolphus Sterne, published in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly, which is as follows:

"Wednesday June 2nd (1841) fine weather - left Col. Bean's early in the morning traveled slow to Jacob Masters another old friend of 13 years standing, this day is the 13th anniversary of my marriage with my dear wife."

Previously Sterne had written in his Diary under date of Tuesday, April 23rd, 1839, as follows: "reached Masters at 7 having some 42 miles this day. Masters is a timid old Dutch­man, has built a Block House and makes all the members of the establishment sleep there at night."