William Angus Alexander McMaster

(1885.02.01 – 1957.11.22)
CE, DLS, ALS, SLS
Commission #045
(1912.04.15)

“William Angus Alexander McMaster was born on 1 February 1880 in Wellington, Ontario to Malcolm McMaster (1831-1917) and Margaret Shaw (b.1843). His siblings were Archibald (b. 1865), Mary (b. 1866), James (b.1868), John (b.1870), Thomas Charles (b.1872), Catherine (Kate) (b.1875), Flora (b.1878), Jennie (b. 1884), and Annie (b. 1886). He was raised in Minto, Ontario.”[1]

“”Who saw in every man a brother: and found in each a friend.”

Harriston High School did no small thing when she contributed to the Class of ’08 the subject of this sketch. After leaving high school, he taught for four years in his home school near Palmerston, but tiring of a pedagogue’s life he entered the University of Toronto in ’05 to take a course in Civil Engineering. So far his efforts have been productive of success, he being an Honor Graduate of the first rank. “Mack” has a disposition and a character all his own, and such that those who know him best will well remember him as being intellectual, tactful and honorable young man, blessed with a good deal of personal magnetism which has won for him many friends, and if this be taken as a gauge for the future “Mack” will always find himself in a whirl of true admirers.”[2]

I am speculating but it appears that McMaster headed west after graduating in 1908. He obtained his DLS Commission in 1910. He was in Alberta 1910 to 1912. I am not sure if he was working but he obtained his ALS Commission in 1911. In 1912 he obtained his SLS Commission.

Sometime in 1913 McMaster ended up in Prince Albert. With William Christie (SLS, DLS) they formed a partnership McMaster & Christie.

Interior, that Messrs. McMaster & Christie were evidently good conservatives and as such needed a particular job in Prince Albert.

Between 1913 and 1916, McMaster performed some Township Surveys in Saskatchewan.

In 1917 & 1918 McMaster left the partnership and worked with Murphy & Underwood in Saskatoon. He went back to Prince Albert and started his own firm in 1919.

Mr. McMaster surveyed five mineral claims in the Lac La Ronge area Group 469, in 1927. They were named the Britannia, Canadian, War Loan, War Bond and Victory mineral claims. The prospector who staked these claims must have been a war veteran from World War 1.

He also surveyed mineral claims in Group 469, in the 1930’s. I assume that he traveled from his office in Prince Albert to complete these surveys in the North.

It appears that McMaster stayed in Prince Albert surveying out of his office until around 1940.

I could find no information about McMaster between 1940 and the time of his death (died November 22, 1957 in Guelph, Ontario).

Jack Webb In "Muskeg, Outcrops And 40 Below"

[1] Copied from ‘Bridging the Years – Blaine Lake & District’
[2] Copied from ‘Torontonensis ’08 – University of Toronto’

Updated by M.L. Waschuk, SLS – 2026
Other information obtained from Prince Albert Daily Herald; Ancestry; crcq.co.uk; Henderson Directories; and Newspapers.com