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Below is a family biography included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published by Mills & Company in 1883.  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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JOSEPH CLARK MASON was born in the town of Marlborough, county of Cheshire, State of New Hampshire, March 13, 1837. His parents were Clark and Almira Mason, the maiden name of the latter being Almira Towns. Both parents were born in the above-named state. Joseph C. received a liberal education in the public schools and higher educational institutions of New England and New York. After eighteen years of age it became necessary for him to spend a portion of each year in teaching in order to obtain means to prosecute his studies. Although this somewhat retarded his progress in point of time, yet it enabled him to render practical all that was learned. He taught common schools in the towns of Langdon, Westmorland, and Peterborough, in New Hampshire, and Northfield and Winchendon, Mass., and the public high schools in Montague, Mass., and Wilton and Mason, N. H., and select high schools in Readsborough and Vernon, Vt., and near Hackensack. N. J. In 1861, in the early part of September, he commenced the study of law under the instruction of W. H. Follett, at Readsborough, Vt. In 1802 he became a student at the Law University of Albany, N. Y. At that time Hon. Ira Harris, U. S. Senator from New York, was connected with the university, and gave regular lectures on law before the students. After leaving this institution Mr. Mason entered the office of Dearborn & Scott, prominent attorneys of Peterborough. N. H., as a student at law. He remained with this firm, having the experience that usually falls to New England law students, until Sept. 8, 1864, when, after three years’ study, the time then required in that state, and after an examination, he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Judicial Court of New Hampshire, which was then sitting at Nashua, N. H., Judge William H. Bartlett presiding. Immediately afterward he opened a law office at Mason Village (now Greenville), Hillsborough county, N. H. Here he practiced his profession for three years, until September, 1867, attending court regularly at Nashua, Manchester, and Amherst, the three shire towns of Hillsborough county. While residing in Mason Village he was elected to the office of tax collector and superintending school committee, and was also honored by an appointment by his Excellency, Governor Frederick Smith, to the office of school commissioner for Hillsborough county, and ex officio member of the State Board of Education. The law requires the commissioner to visit once a year each of the thirty towns and cities (including Nashua and Manchester) of Hillsborough county, confer with teachers and school officers, and make an annual report to the legislature, as well as to attend the stated meetings of the State Board of Education, of which he was a member, at the capital. In addition to this he must deliver in each town or city visited an address upon the subject of education. These addresses took place in the evening, and during the winter months, and were occasions of great local interest, the best element of New England’s cultured circles being represented in the large audiences that nightly met in consultation to promote the interest dearer than any other to the New England heart. Mr. Mason remembers, after the lapse of many years, these gatherings with pleasure, and to the inspiration then and there begotten attributes much of the success that has waited on his subsequent efforts to disseminate education in this western country. He held these three positions until September, 1807, when he resigned them and came to Missouri. After arriving in this state, instead of entering at once into the active practice of law, he was induced by the unusual demand for such educational service as he was eminently fitted to render, coupled with the exceptional inducement held out in the way of salaries, to take a hand in organizing public schools in this state, There was much need for such work, and but few who could do it well. The war had just closed, leaving society with the liberated slaves thrown helpless and ignorant upon it, and public education in a disordered condition. To bring order out of chaos, to create where nothing existed, was the work on hand, Mr. Mason first accepted the superintendency of public schools at Booneville, Mo., where, after three years’ service, he left the schools so well organized, and with fine, new buildings, that to this day he is referred to as the “model instructor.” He closed his labors then at a salary of $2,050 per year. No other man ever received more than $1,500 in Booneville. His three published reports to the board of education of that city discussed educational topics in such a way as to gain for them a wide reading in this and other states. His second position in Missouri was that of principal of the Washington public school in St. Louis; also holding the principalship of the Madison night public school at the same time; salary, $2,200 per year. W. T. Harris, late superintendent of the St. Louis public schools, in recommending Mr. Mason as the proper person to organize the public schools of Vicksburg, Miss., speaks of him as one of the ablest educators of the Mississippi Valley. He obtained the position, went down to Mississippi, and spent about two years in putting the schools of Vicksburg and Columbus on a firm basis. In September, 1874, Mr. Mason was appointed to the superintendence of the public schools of Carthage, Mo., at a salary of $2,000 per year, this being $500 more than has been received by any other before or since. He remained at the head of these schools for nearly three years, during which they enjoyed great prosperity. His report to the Carthage board of education, issued in the Centennial year, is well worth a perusal. In April, 1877, he resigned in Carthage and accepted the first superintendency at Joplin at a salary of $1,500 per year, the same being $600 more than that paid to any other. After serving here between two and three years he resigned to engage in other business, but was re-appointed after one year, and again resigned in March, 1881, and immediately re-entered the active practice of law in Joplin, Mo., in which business he is still engaged. In October, 1881, he was elected a member of the council of the city of Joplin from the fourth ward to fill out an unexpired term of one year. In October, 1882, he was re-elected to the city council for the full term of two years, and is still in office. In April, 1882, he was elected to the office of school director of West Joplin for a term of three years, and shortly after appointed by the school board as district clerk, which two last positions he still holds. In September, 1882, he was nominated by the Republicans of the western district of Jasper county for the office of judge of the county court, but though coming within a few votes of election, he shared the fortune of his party and was defeated. During the war Mr. Mason did his utmost to promote the cause of the Union. His voice was heard in the public hall of many a New England town for the purpose of raising men and means for the support of the government of the United States, and it may be added that these appeals were not in vain. For several years after coming to this state he contributed considerable literature to the press and has often been heard on educational subjects in national and state educational associations. He has resigned quite a number of lucrative positions voluntarily rather than hold them for mere profit, when duty seemed to indicate the course pursued. Mr. Mason is a member of the order known as the Knights of Honor, and holds an honorable position in the same. In 1866, Dec. 2, he was married in Mason Village, N. H., to Miss Mattie J. Kingsbury, who was born in Boston, June 29, 1848, Rev. George F. Marion officiating at the wedding ceremony. From this union there have been born three children, who are now living, named Hortense Mary, born July 31, 1868; Ernest Clifton, born Oct. 20, 1871, and Paul Joseph, born June 3, 1881. Mr. Mason is a member of the Congregational Church.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published in 1883.  For the complete description, click here: Jasper County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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