The Mason Families of Ray County, Missouri

The subject of this sketch was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, November 27, 1814. He received a classical education and remained in his native state attending to the management of his father's estate until the year 1836, when he immigrated to Missouri, where he engaged in business at various places successfully. First, at Middletown, Montgomery county, then at Louisville, Lincoln county. From Louisville he went to Clarksville, Pike county, and from there came to Ray county, where he only stopped a short time, and then returned to Kentucky, and remained there one year longer. He then returned to Ray county, and setting at the town of Albany, engaged extensively in merchandising, and also dealing in live stock. He was appointed notary public March 20, 1873, and has ever since held that office. Mr. Mason was admitted to the bar as an attorney at law, August 26, 1865, and has been very successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in the courts of this and other counties, and also in the supreme court of the state. He was married July 24, 1845, to Miss Mary H. Davis, daughter of William D., and Mary A. Davis, natives of Mississippi. She was born May 1, 1828. Her mother was a cousin of Jefferson Davis, president of the Southern Confederacy. Mr. and Mrs. Mason became the parents of eight children, five of whom are now living: Laura, born December 5, 1846, was twice married, first to William Nelson, who was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun, in 1867; second, to Frank Rhodes, in 1870. She died in 1874. John W., born January 23, 1848; Thomas, born March 24,1850; Oscar, born October 13, 1852; George born May 16, 1855; died December 4, 1874; Belle, born February 4, 1858, died March 26, 1875; Mattie L., born October 15, 1864; Frank, born January 25, 1868. Mr. Mason was again married December 17, 1877, to Mrs. Letitia S. Williams, daughter of Doctor R., and Catharine Coffey, natives of Lincoln county, Kentucky. Mr. Mason is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Oscar Mason was born in Ray county, Missouri, October 13, 1852. He is the son of John and Mary H. Mason. His father was born in Kentucky, and his mother in Mississippi. His opportunities for education were very limited, on account of the war, but he made the best use he could of such time as he spent at school, and has a fair common school education. He began farming for himself at the age of seventeen years and continued in that business in this county for about three years, and then went to Texas, where he engaged in harding cattle for two years and then returned to this county. He then engaged as clerk for one year in the dry goods store of Dorton & Pigg, since which time he has been engaged at Orrick, in business for himself.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

S. O. MASON.

Samuel O. Mason was born on the 31st day of May, 1835, in Mason county, Kentucky. His parents immigrated to Missouri when he was very young, and settled for a time in Lafavette county. Here he received his education, and, after leaving school, devoted himself to farming. He enlisted from Lafavette county, with General Jo Shelby, and served for some time in the Confederate army. He was discharged at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He returned to Missouri, and began farming in Ray county. Mr. Mason was married on the 23d day of September, 1856, to Miss Georgia Ann Delanev, a resident of Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri, but born in Kentuckv. Of this union eight children were born, six of whom, Robert, Ida, Flora, A., Byron, and Georgia, still live. Two, who were younger, died in infancy. Mr. Mason was called upon to suffer the loss of his excellent wife, and the children to mourn the absence of a loving, tender mother's care. Mrs. Mason died August 9, 1878, and the sunshine went out of that once happy home. Mr. Mason has traveled considerably over different states of the Union, but has seen no section of the country he likes better than old Ray. He has a fine large farm, in excellent condition, a handsome residence, and a commodious and conviently arranged barn. He deals extensively in live-stock, and is constantly grazing or feeding stock for market. He is to-day the possessor of a handsome competency, and has the pleasant reflection as he enjoys it, that it is all the result of his own industry.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ROBERT W. MASON.

This gentleman is a Missourian. He was born in Lafayette county, on the 12th day of June, 185T, and was educated there and in Ray county. His parents removed with him to the latter county in 1865, where he has ever since been engaged in his favorite occupation, farming. He was married on the 18th day of November, 1879, to Miss Lillie J. Slusher, daughter of a prominent farmer of Lafayette county, Missouri. R. W. Mason is the eldest son of Mr. Samuel O. Mason, a native of Kentucky. Mr. Mason owns an excellent farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres in Richmond township, in an unsurpassed condition in point of productiveness, a fine, commodious residence, and other improvements and conveniences of modern kind. He is an industrious, progressive, and successful young farmer, and is universally liked for his good-natured hospitality, so freely dispensed to friend or stranger. He county his friends by the score. With the advantages he now possesses, and his well-established habits of industry and economy, Mr. Mason cannot fail of attaining great wealth long before he is an old man.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.