My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Clark County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  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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Asa S. Mason was born in Washington County, Penn., March 22, 1844. He is the son of John and Susan (Stephenson) Mason, natives of Pennsylvania. The father came to Missouri in 1863, and located first in Clark County, and afterward in Scotland County, where he now resides on a farm near Memphis. Our subject was reared in his native State, and was educated at Bridgeport, Penn. In 1850 he went on the Ohio River as a cabin boy, and gradually rose until he became captain of a vessel, at the age of about twenty-four. He followed steamboating on the Ohio and Mississippi until 1871, when he came to Alexandria, and engaged in merchandising and pork packing with P. Cunningham. The reverses of 1874 caused by the noted decline in pork compelled them to suspend business. Since that time our subject has been successfully engaged in the grain business. In January, 1886, he also took charge of the mercantile house of J. H. Million, with whom he has been associated for some years. This is the leading dry goods and merchandise house in Alexandria. Mr. Mason was married, January 1, 1868, to Emma A. Fitzpatrick, a native of Fort Madison, Iowa. Their children are John H., Mary M., Bertha L., Susan C., Grace E. and Grover Cleveland. Mr. Mason is a Democrat of the younger school, and has served as mayor of Alexandria for several terms. He is prominent in local affairs, and has declined nomination to various offices.

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This family biography is one of 232 biographies included in the Clark County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Clark County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clark County, Missouri family biographies here: Clark County, Missouri Biographies

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