My Genealogy Hound

SILAS W. MASON, a member of the Chautauqua county bar, and a prominent prohibitionist of New York, is a son of Fitler M. and Ann (Haskins) Mason, and was born in the town of Ellery, Chautauqua county, New York, November 21, 1840. His paternal grandfather, Thaddeus Mason, who was of Scotch-Irish descent, was born either in Massachusetts or Connecticut, and served in the war of 1812. His maternal grandfather, Ira Haskins, was of English descent, and was a native of Clinton county, New York. His father, Fitler Mason, was born in Clinton county in 1802, and died in this county in 1886. He was a millwright by trade, and was engaged extensively for several years in Clinton county in the lumber business, besides building several mills. About 1832 he removed to the town of Ellery where he followed farming. He also worked at his trade and built a number of flouring-mills in different sections of the county.

Silas W. Mason was reared on the homestead and attended the public schools until he was fourteen years of age, when he became an insurance solicitor, which position he resigned after one year’s service, to enter Westfield academy. After attending one year he taught one term in the public schools, and then returned to Westfield academy, from which he was graduated in 1859, at the age of nineteen years. After being variously employed for two years, he entered Bryant & Stratton’s business college of Cleveland, Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1861. During the next year he went to Venango county, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged for about six years in the real estate and oil business. He owned a one-fourth interest in the celebrated Foster oil farm, besides having an interest in several other good oil farms. In 1870 he returned to this county, where he read law at thirty years of age with Austin Smith, and two years later entered the Albany Law school, from which he was graduated in 1872. He was afterwards admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New York, where he has practiced his profession successfully. In avocations of life other than professional, Mr. Mason has been actively engaged at different times. While giving close attention to his large law practice, he did not neglect his agricultural interests, and has greatly improved the tract of land which he owns.

In 1862 he united in marriage with Amanda F. Parsons, a native of Westfield, and a daughter of Paul Parsons, a business man, and formerly a resident of Westfield.

Silas W. Mason is one of the leading prohibitionists of western New York. In 1887 he was the prohibition candidate for Assembly in Chautauqua county, where the Prohibition party casts about one thousand votes. In 1889 he was the prohibition nominee for judge of the Supreme Court of New York, and the next year was nominated for judge of the Court of Appeals. He has always polled the full vote of his party and at each election has received an increased vote, although the prohibitionists have been so far in the minority.