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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jackson County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Fred J. Mason, farmer, Jacksonport, Ark. Of the many residents of foreign birth in Jackson County, none are more honest, industrious or more deserving of success than the German element, of which Mr. Mason is a representative. He was born in Saxony, December 16, 1840, and his parents, Carl and Christina (Gehering) Mason, were natives of the same province. The father followed agricultural pursuits in the old country. In 1852 he sailed to America, taking passage at Bremen on a sailing vessel, and landed at New York City after a forty-two days’ ocean voyage. He came as far as Buffalo by railroad, then took a boat on Lake Erie, went from there to Sandusky, Ohio, thence to Cincinnati, and from there down the Ohio River, stopping in Southern Indiana. They located in Perry County, and there both parents died. They had three children: Fred J., Augusta and Christopher. The eldest child, Fred J., was only eleven years old when he came to America, and he remained in Indiana with his parents until of age. During the stirring period of the war he came to Little Rock, Ark., and was there employed as butcher for the government, remaining in that capacity until cessation of hostilities. He subsequently moved to Batesville, where he followed the butcher’s trade for one year, and in the fall of 1869 he came to Jacksonport, Ark., where he followed his trade for fourteen years. For the past few years he has been engaged in farming, and has one of the finest tracts of land along the river, 700 acres in all, with 200 acres under cultivation. Mr. Mason makes his residence in Jacksonport, and is a progressive and enterprising citizen. He was married, in 1868, to Mrs. Mary Sharp, nee Young, by whom he has five children: Frank, Carrie, Ruth, Fred and Fannie. His wife Mary died January 15, 1883, and Mr. Mason married his present wife, Ella Cameron, September 12, 1886.

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This family biography is one of 144 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Jackson County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Jackson County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Jackson County, Arkansas family biographies here: Jackson County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Jackson County, Arkansas here: Jackson County, Arkansas Map

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