My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM FLOYD MASON was born in this county January 21, 1830, and is one of a family of seven children of John and Sarah (Elkins) Mason, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Maine. The father’s birth occurred about the year 1797. When a young man, yet single, he went to Pike County, Indiana, near Petersburg, where he farmed until about 1824, when he came to Perry County, locating on the present site of Cannelton. Here he followed farming, flat-boating, etc., and about the year 1826 or 1827 married Mrs. Sarah (Elkins) Webb, widow of Asa Webb. This lady bore him four children. After marriage John Mason continued farming and boating, and early in the thirties engaged in the coal business at the county seat. He introduced the first railroad system in all this region of country, extending the track from his mines to the river, having secured the plans from the East. He was one of the first to bring coal to the notice of steamboat men as a steam producer, and is said to have been the first man to introduce coal as fuel in New Orleans. He was full of energy, was judicious yet venturesome, possessed great penetration and forethought, was thoroughly moral and honest, was, singularly kind-hearted and benevolent, and in time lost much of the considerable property he accumulated in paying the debts of others for whom he had gone security. He retired from active business about 1850. He died in May, 1875, lamented by all who knew him. His wife had died before him in June, 1864. William F. was reared by his parents. He completed the common school course, and in 1851 attended the State University, Bloomington, and soon afterward entered the Commercial Business College, Cincinnati, Ohio, from which institution he graduated and received a diploma in 1852. In April, 1853, he married, and his wife bore him one child, Sarah E. After his marriage, Mr. Mason entered the mercantile business, also bought wheat, ground and shipped it, and supplied a large home demand. A year later he sold the mill, and then engaged in farming in Kentucky, continuing until about 1858, then engaged in merchandising at Newburgh, Ind. In 1862 he came to this county, locating on his present farm, where he has since remained. He owns a splendid farm and one of the handsomest residences in southern Indiana. Mr. Mason is one of the self-reliant and progressive men of the county. He has passed through the school of experience, and comes out self-made, enterprising, honest and prominent. In politics he is a Democrat, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity. The county has no better citizen. Since the death of his first wife he has been twice married, and has by his second wife two living children, and by his third and present wife five.