Thomas Masters (mayor)

Thomas Masters
Thomas Masters
Position held	Mayor of Philadelphia

Thomas Masters (d. 1723) was the mayor of colonial Philadelphia from 7 October 1707 to October 4, 1709, before Richard Hill, and after Nathan Stanbury.

Life

Belonging to the Masters Quaker merchant family, going back to William Penn's time, Thomas Masters arrived in Pennsylvania around 1700, or slightly earlier. He came with his family from Bermuda, having married sometime between 1693 and 1696.^[1] He was married to Sybilla Masters, a noted inventor and possibly the first woman inventor in colonial America. Letters patent were granted under the Privy Seal to Thomas Masters for her wife's invention (women could not have their own patents at the time) in 1715, specifically a device for "cleaning and curing Indian corn growing in the several colonies in America". They had four children, and three or four died in infancy.^[2]

Masters served on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1701 to 1703.^[3] He became a city Assembly member in 1704 and 1712, and from the county in 1710 and 1716. He was Alderman of the city in 1702, provincial councilor (1707-8 and 1720-23), as well as Mayor.^[4]

Masters St in Philadelphia was named after him.

References

^ Radcliffe College, 1971. Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary. Harvard University Press. p. 508. ISBN 978-0-674-62734-5.
^ Carol Krismann, 2005. Encyclopedia of American Women in Business: M-Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 368–369. ISBN 978-0-313-33384-2.
^ "Justice Thomas Masters" (PDF). The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.
^ Thompson Westcott, 1877. The Historic Mansions and Buildings of Philadelphia: With Some Notice of Their Owners and Occupants. Porter & Coates. pp. 250–251.

[1] Radcliffe College, 1971. Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary. Harvard University Press. p. 508. ISBN 978-0-674-62734-5.

[2] Carol Krismann, 2005. Encyclopedia of American Women in Business: M-Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 368–369. ISBN 978-0-313-33384-2.

[3] "Justice Thomas Masters" (PDF). The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.

[4] Thompson Westcott, 1877. The Historic Mansions and Buildings of Philadelphia: With Some Notice of Their Owners and Occupants. Porter & Coates. pp. 250–251.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Mayors of Philadelphia (chronologically)
Colonial era (1691–1776)	Morrey Shippen (I) Morris (I) G. Jones Willcox Stanbury Masters Hill Carter Preston Dickinson Roch Hill Dickinson Fishbourn Logan C. Plumsted Norris Hudson Charles Read T. Lawrence (I) Griffitts Hasell Griffitts T. Lawrence (I) Allen C. Plumsted Griffitts Morris (II) Roberts Hasell C. Plumsted Till B. Shoemaker Shippen (II) Hamilton Attwood C. Willing T. Lawrence (I) W. Plumsted Strettell B. Shoemaker T. Lawrence (I) C. Willing W. Plumsted Shute T. Lawrence (II) Stamper B. Shoemaker Duché Harrison T. Willing T. Lawrence (II) J. Lawrence I. Jones S. Shoemaker Gibson Fisher Rhoads Powel
Pre-Act of Consolidation (1789–1854)	Powel Miles Barclay Clarkson Baker Wharton Inskeep Lawler Inskeep Wharton J. Barker Wharton Keppele J. Barker Geyer Wharton J. N. Barker Wharton Watson Dallas Richards Milnor Richards Swift Roach Swift Scott McCall Swift J. Jones Gilpin
Post-Consolidation (since 1854)	Conrad Vaux Henry McMichael Fox Stokley King W. Smith Fitler Stuart Warwick Ashbridge Weaver Reyburn Blankenburg T. Smith Moore Kendrick Mackey Moore Wilson Connell Lamberton Samuel Clark Dilworth Tate Rizzo Green Goode Rendell Street Nutter Kenney Parker