My Genealogy Hound

CHRISTOPHER JACKSON MASON, a prominent pioneer of Spencer County, Ind., is a native of Ohio County, Ky., born May 5, 1813, the third of eleven children born to John H. and Elizabeth (Jackson) Mason. The father moved from Virginia, his native State, to Breckenridge County, Ky., when a youth and was there married. He afterward moved to Ohio County, that State, farming many years, and finally died September 22, 1862, in Hancock County, aged eighty years. His widow died in Union County in December, 1865. C. J. Mason received a limited youthful education in subscription schools, but in later years, by desultory study, has acquired a fair knowledge of the lower branches of education. At twenty years of age he began farming for himself in his native county, following that occupation summers and flat-boating on the river winters for twenty years. In March, 1837, he removed to Spencer County, Ind., locating on a farm in Grass Township. He resided there ten years, when he moved to Luce Township, where in addition to farming he dealt largely in produce, pork and tobacco, shipping these products on flat-boat to New Orleans, where he found ready markets for his goods. Having secured a competency in this way he moved to Rockport in 1877, where he has since resided retired from active business pursuits. Besides valuable property in town Mr. Mason owns about 1,200 acres of good farming land in the county. He is a stanch Republican in politics, serving as county commissioner from 1860 to 1863; is a member of the Masonic fraternity and himself and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was married April 16, 1835, to Ellen Morgan, of Daviess County, Ky., and five children have been born to their union, only the following named now living: Lycurgus C., Cordelia J. (widow of John Hougland), William T. and John H. The mother dying in July, 1848, Mr. Mason was again married in February, 1849, to Martha Thomas, of Mercer County, Ky., by whom he was the father of five children—all dying in infancy. He settled in the wilderness, and cleared and improved his land, undergoing all hardships incident to pioneer life, there being only about a dozen wagons in the county, people using sleds and trucks for hauling.