Thomas Mason 1741

Thomas Mason died August 16, 1805, in Bullskin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, at about age 64. Probably buried in Greenlick Cemetery, Fayette Co., PA.

The 1850 U.S. Census taken on 1850, shows Thomas Mason (age 30) born in Illinois, is a Farmer, and is living in Edwards Co., IL. Living with him are: Shadrick Mason (age 9) born in Illinois; Elijah Mason (age 8) born in Illinois; Sarah Mason (age 5) born in Illinois; and Mahala Mason (age 2) born in Illinois.

The 1860 U.S. Census taken on June 19, 1860, shows Simon S. Blake (age 30) born in Pennsylvania with real estate of $1,000 and personal estate of $140 is a Farmer living in Richmond Twp., Richland Co., WI. Living with him is Mary M. Blake (age 24) born in Pennsylvania. Also there are two children, both born in Wisconsin: Sylvester F. Blake (age 4); and Ida Blake (age 2).

The 1860 U. S. Census taken on August 17, 1860, shows Thomas Mason (age 40) born in Illinois, is a Methodist Episcopal Minister, and is living in Farmington Twp., La Crosse Co., WI. Living with him are: Almira Mason (age 31) born in Illinois; Shadwick Mason (age 17) born in Illinois, a Laborer; Elijah Mason (age 15) born in Illinois; Sarah Mason (age 13) born in Illinois; Gilena Mason (age 11) born in Illinois; and Margaret Mason (age 2) born in Wisconsin.

James Edward "Eddy" Mason was born March 1, 1861, near Galesville, Trempealeau Co., WI.

Viola Genoa Blake was born April 14, 1861, in Orion Twp., Richland Co., WI. Thomas Mason died 1864, in Bullskin Twp., Fayette Co., PA, at about age 73. Buried in Franklin Cemetery, Dunbar, Fayette Co., PA.

The 1870 U. S. Census taken on August 2, 1870 shows H. T. Walser (age 48) born in North Carolina is a Miller with Real Estate worth $5,300 and Personal Estate worth $450 and is living in Henrietta, Richland Co., WI. Living with him is his wife Elmira Walser (age 41) born in Illinois who is Keeping House. At home are his children, both born in Illinois: Lora Walser (age 16); and Hiram Walser (age 9). Also living there: James E. Mason (age 9) born in Wisconsin; and Wayne Bradshaw (age 22) born in Illinois with Real Estate worth $150 and Personal Estate worth $600 who is a Dry Goods Dealer.

The 1870 U. S. Census taken on August 3, 1870 shows Simon Blake (age 41) born in Pennsylvania with real estate valued at $2,000 and personal estate valued at $556 is a Farmer living in Orion Twp., Richland Co., WI. Living with him is Mary Blake (age 34) born in Pennsylvania, who is Keeping House. Also there are five children, all born in Wisconsin: Sylvester Blake (age 14); Ida Blake (age 11); Viola Blake (age 9); Estella Blake (age 7); and Salme Blake (age 5).

The 1875 Wisconsin census for Richland County shows Simon S. Blake is Living in Orion Twp.,, Richland Co., WI with a total of 2 Males, 6 Females.

The 1880 U. S. Census taken on June 8, 1880 shows Henry T. Halser (age 58) born in North Carolina to North Carolina-born parents is a Miller living in Henrietta, Richland Co., WI. Living with him is his wife Almira Walser (age 51) born in Illinois to Kentucky-born parents. Also living at home is his son Hiram Walser (age 19) born in Illinois to Illinois and North Carolina-born parents, who is a Laborer; and his step-son Eddie Mason (age 19) born in Wisconsin to Illinois-born parents who is a Laborer. Another laborer lives in the house. Soloman Walser and family live nearby.

The 1880 U. S. Census taken on June 4, 1880 shows Dave Storms (age 50) born in Vermont to Vermont-born parents is a Blacksmith living in the City of Richland Center, Richland Co., WI. Living with him is his wife Charlotte Storms (age 46) born in New York to New York-born parents who is Keeping House. Also there are their two sons, both born in Wisconsin to Vermont and New York-born parents: Fred Storms (age 15); and Eddie Storms (age 12). Also in the household is an unmarried female, Olie Blake (age 18) born in Wisconsin to Wisconsin-born parents, a Servant.

Thomas Mason JR served in the Civil War - Union - Company D, 14th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, along with his sons Shadrach (ID #120268462) and Elijah (ID #41609247).

Trempealeau Co. WIGenWeb Project: Deceased Civil War Soldiers of Trempealeau County
-Transcribed from the Galesville Transcript, July 31, 1863, Page 4 ~ Donated by Joan Benner
Respectfully Submitted by Contributor Lynn Elizabeth #48687893

Reverend Thomas Mason was born in 1820 in Shawneetown, Gallatin County, Illinois. His early advantages for an education were very poor, but being a man of considerable talent, he finally became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He came to Wisconsin in 1856, and among other places, was on the circuit at Lewis Valley, in La Crosse County. He was a man of energy, and knowing his educational deficiency, he became an industrious student at Galesville University a part of the years 1861 and 1862.

In August 1862 he enlisted in Company C, now in the 30th regiment, and at his own request was transferred from that company to Captain Polley’s company in the 14th regiment, where he then had two sons. He was killed in the battle near Corinth on the 3rd of October, 1862, by a rifle ball and was buried at Corinth.

Rev. Thomas Mason

Source: History of Crawford and Richland Counties, Wisconsin, Illustrated (1881)

Rev. Thomas Mason, (deceased) one of the pioneer preachers of Richland county, was born in Pennsylvania in 1818. He commenced preaching in Richland Co., Ill., and was married there in 1847 to Almira Bradshaw, a native of Wayne Co., Ill. He continued preaching in Illinois until 1855, when he came to Richland Co., Wis., and settled on section 30, of town 12, range 1 east, in the present town of Henrietta. He immediately joined the Northwestern Conference, and was appointed to the West Branch circuit. In 1857 he went to Salem, La Crosse county, and preached one year, then to Mendota, where he remained two years, then to Augusta, in Eau Clair county remaining there two years, next to Galesville in Trempeleau county. He then enlisted as private in the 14th Wisconsin, company D, and went to the front. He was killed at the battle of Corinth. He had been appointed chaplain of his regiment, but had not taken the position at the time of his death. He left a wife and six children to mourn his loss. The children are—Shadrach, Elijah, Sarah, Mahala, Maggie and James E. The two eldest sons, Shadrach and Elijah, were in the same regiment and company with their father. Shadrach was severely wounded in the same battle in which his father was killed. He was discharged on account of disability, and returned home. He soon re-enlisted and died in the service. Elijah served till the close of the war, and is now living in Illinois. Mrs. Mason is now the wife of Henry T. Walser, a resident of Woodstock.

James Edward Mason

Source: History of Crawford and Richland Counties, Wisconsin, Illustrated (1881)

James Edward, son of Thomas and Almira (Bradshaw) Mason, was born in the town of Henrietta, Feb. 28, 1861. He attended the district school, and later, the seminary at Elroy, and the high school at Sextonville. At the age of twelve he entered the employ of William Bradshaw as clerk. He continued in the same employment, excepting the time spent in school. until 1881, when he purchased the stock and good will of William Bradshaw and has since been engaged in trade. He keeps a good stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, glass ware and crockery, notions, etc. He was married in 1881 to Viola, daughter of Simon S. and Mary (Ambrose) Blake, who was born in the town of Orion. They have three children—Ray and Roy, twins, and Chester.

Florence Maude Lavigne was born August 18, 1881, in Crown Point, Essex Co., NY.

James Edward "Eddy" Mason (age 19), a bachelor, and Viola Genoa "Ola" Blake (age 19), a maiden, were married February 20, 1881, in Woodstock, Richland Co., WI.

“When we were both twenty years old, I was married to Viola G. Blake in 1881. She is the mother of our four boys and two girls who are all married and have families of their own now.”

“My wife and I for a time ran a general merchandise store in which we had a fourth class post office. Although my wife was six weeks younger than I, she was of legal age, since she was a married woman. So she was postmistress until I was twenty-one, when I could be post-master. We were doing pretty good with our store and post office, but there was very little cash involved in the trading. The farmers brought in their butter and eggs which they traded for goods, and it was not long before I had all my little capital sunk in ‘accounts due’; thereby running my business on borrowed money. In about four years I traded the business for a little eighty-acre diversified farm. Neither did this farming venture turn out so well, and, anyway, I had got the ‘Far West’ fever.” (During this period their first children arrived. They were twins, Roy E. and Ray W. born 29 Dec. 1881 and Chester Arthur born 11 April, 1883.)

“My friend, Edgar Simmons had two brothers and a sister all in Wyoming. They had a horse ranch twenty miles from Trabine on the south fork of Crazy Woman Creek. I decided to leave my family on the farm and go out there with him to look things over. We bought our tickets to the Golden Gate, California, for twenty-eight dollars, while the fare to Cheyenne was $31.00, being cut rates to California. Had we gone on to California we would have gotten a rebate of $13.00. However, we got off at Cheyenne arriving there in April. There we outfitted ourselves to make the three hundred mile trip north to his brother’s ranch which was located north of the Hard Winter Davis Ranch on the Powder River. The nearest post office was at Trabine, twenty miles away.”

“After a few days in Cheyenne we started for the ranch. We had two cow ponies for a team and riding, and a light covered wagon with tarps to cover our bed rolls, guns, etc. The second day out one of the ponies balked, near an old freighter, fortunately, who had an extra mule which he sold to us for seventeen dollars. We worked the mule with the good cow pony which left the other for scouting around and chasing antelopes. I really wanted to take the balkiness out of that cow pony but my partner thought I might only make him worse, so I didn’t insist since I wanted to avoid disagreement.”

“The third day out was stormy and it began to snow. We made early camp that night, spreading the tarp out, making the bed rolls on one end of it, and then pulling the other half up over our heads. In the morning I reached for my boots and found them half full of snow, which taught me to double my boots over, laying the boots flat with the tops under so that rain or snow couldn’t get in. We were very evidently ‘tender-feet’.”

“Reaching our destination the afternoon of the tenth day, we met the Simmons. Charlie Simmons was mounted on a cow pony. He said to me, ‘I was just going over the hill there to pack in an antelope I killed, I’ll saddle another pony if you want to go along.’ I said ‘0.K.’ So we brought it in, stopping at a little log stable. He opened the door and there were two other antelope hung up. I learned to eat antelope three times a day and like it.’’

“Well, I stayed at the Simmons’ about a week, getting pointers on how to be a cowboy, and roping a few fence posts and horses. Wyoming at that time was wide open western land; no fences. Stage stations were about thirty miles apart and were the only settlements aside from the big cow and horse ranches.”

“One day Charlie and I rode over to a wide place in the road to meet a superintendent of the Powder River Cattle Company. This man was gathering an outfit to work on the round-up which was to collect three herds of three thousand each. I went with the third herd on the trail to the Northwest Territory of Canada. This was in April, 1886. I was twenty-five years old, about as tall as I am now, five feet eleven and a half inches, and my weight was only about a hundred and thirty, due to my finicky eating, although I was a bear on pies and cakes. But it wasn’t long before I could take my tin plate up to the cook wagon and load up with any mulligan they dished out. And, of course, we were all sleeping in the open.”

The 1895 Kansas State Census taken on March 1, 1895 shows J. E. Mason (age 34) born in Wisconsin and having moved from Wisconsin is a Farmer living in Walton Twp., Rooks Co., KS. Living with him is Viola G. Mason (age 33) born in Wisconsin. Also living there are four Mason children, all born in Wisconsin: Roy Mason (age 13); Ray Mason (age 13); Chester Mason (age 11); and Thomas Mason (age 7).

William Alger Bishop (age 19), a bachelor, and Florence Maud Lavigne (age 18), a maiden, were married February 12, 1898, in Barre, Washington Co., VT.

Archibald F. L. Bishop was born January 31, 1899, in Montpelier, Washington Co., VT.

Archibald F. L. Bishop died from Pneumonia, February 3, 1900, in Portland, Cumberland Co., ME, at age 1 Year and 3 Days.

The 1900 U. S. Census taken on June 16, 1900, shows James E. Mason (age 39) born March 1861 in Wisconsin to Pennsylvania and Illinois-born parents is a Farmer renting his farm in Fairfield Precinct, Spokane Co., WA. Living with him is his wife of 19 years, Viola G. Mason (age 39) born April 1861 in Wisconsin to Pennsylvania-born parents with

The following commentary from Jack Mason of Milwaukee, WI, helps to unravel the Mason ancestors:

However, I believe that the documentary and autosomal DNA evidence shows that Thomas Mason of Richland County, IL was actually the son of Thomas Mason (1741-1805) of Albany. However, I believe that the documentary and autosomal DNA evidence shows that Thomas Mason of Richland County, IL was actually the son of Thomas Mason (1741-1805) of Albany township, Berks County, PA rather than the English Meason family of Westmoreland County, PA. For instance, some pretty well-sourced pedigrees make the claim that Thomas, the son of John Meason of Westmoreland was born significantly later than Thomas of Richland, and died in Pennsylvania in 1864.

http://www.cbarbe.com/ma_genealogy/Napolillo_Web_Project/ps01/ps01_017.html?fbclid=IwAR14mZ6DFzYkO8LPE4WwWT47sOL9l4E8MhNVUCo75JWFvbEEEfl7pzeY0hw

It's understandable how these two younger Thomases might have been conflated - two branches of the Berks County family lived very near Bullskin township after 1805. But I think I have enough autosomal DNA and documentary evidence to clarify the situation.

Notes for Thomas Meason:

Thomas appears in the 1820 and 1830 Census in Bullskin, Twp. Pa. and in 1840 and 1850 in Dunbar Twp. The age is exactly the same and the children seem to match, also the wife. He inherited 100 acres on Greenlick Run in Bullskin, according to the will of his father, Major John Meason. According to the "Ellis" book a Thomas Meason sold land to the Pershing family around 1840. Why did he end up a miner in Dunbar in 1840? We have been told our Mason Relatives lost land to alcoholism????? Tony Keefer told me that the men who worked at the iron furnace at Mount Vernon, (which is near Greenlick Run, and which was built by Thomas' Uncle Col. Isaac Meason) received part of their pay in whiskey. Thomas probably worked at this Furnace, since he is listed as a laborer in the Census, and maybe this is where he started drinking. The 1860 Census shows Thomas and his wife, Mary A. Living back in Bullskin with a John and Catherine Smith and Family. Their granddaughter, Mahala, age 9, is with them. She also appears in the Dunbar Census with her father, George, taken a couple of weeks earlier. She must have been visiting her Grandparents. Interestingly, they are living near the Pershings in Bullskin. I believe this is the family Thomas sold his land to.

Tony Keefer found death papers for Thomas and Mary A. at the Fayette County Courthouse. He died in 1864 and his estate was worth $300. His wife petitioned and got $125. She died in Aug. 1865 and the rest of the money was used to bury her, buy two tombstones, and pay off bills. The bills went to James A. Miller, my great grandfather and to George Mason, My Gr.Gr. Grandfather. Donna Buzzelli remembers her Dad, Uncle Jim, talking about Bullskin, but she did not know where that was. Bullskin was the main clue in figuring out if this Thomas was the correct Thomas. She also remembers hearing that someone drank alot and didn't pay his bills. I think this is that someone. The Torrance book named one child: Thomas but I have found no evidence of this.

We do not know Mary Anne's last name. Aunt Margaret said that Thomas' wife was named Hannah Brindle, but the Census and Courthouse papers show that this is not true. Thomas' mother's name was Hannah. As for the Brindle, I have not found that name anywhere as of yet, but I have found the name Grindle in Fayette County. I hope to pursue this.
Mary Anne must have led a rough life. Her husband lost his land and they moved to Dunbar somewhere between 1830-1840. There is a grave in Franklin Cem. near all of the rest of the Masons and Millers; the stone says Charles Mason, 1832, age 14 ????? (hard to read). I wonder if this is one of her other children? I am trying to figure out who her other children were.
There is a John Mason, age 23, living with Jacob Lowry and his wife Francis,age 27, in Dunbar, in 1850. In 1860, John shows up living with his young family, in Dunbar. Thomas and Mary Anne are back in Bullskin, living with a Smith Family. Their Granddaughter, Mahala, age 9, is with them. I think John and Francis may be Mary Anne's and Thomas' children. I think Thomas either gave or sold his house in Dunbar to John. I need to pursue this. I also know there was at least one other daughter.