Weld County, History of Colorado, BIOS: MASON, Charles F. (published 1918)
***********************************************************************
USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons.
Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain
the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof
of this consent.  The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb 
Archives to store the file permanently for free access.
***********************************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003643
August 30, 1999
***********************************************************************

"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. 
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918)  Vol. II

p. 95-96



CHARLES F. MASON.

	Charles F. Mason is the president of the Mason Produce Company of 
Greeley, in which connection he has built up an extensive business. He 
deserves great credit for what he has achieved. He started out in the 
business world empty-handed but early realized the eternal principle 
that industry wins. His energetic effort, his keen business discernment 
and his honorable purpose have been the salient features which have won 
him substantial success. Mr. Mason was born on the 11th of December, 
1855, in Waltham, Massachusetts, a son of Luther and Angeline S. 
(Kidder) Mason. The father was engaged in farming in Iowa and in early 
life had been connected with the mills of Waltham, Massachusetts, but 
with his removal to the middle west turned his attention to general 
agricultural pursuits.

	Charles F. Mason was a young lad when the family removed from New 
England to Iowa and in the public schools of the latter state began his 
education. After his studies were completed in the public schools he 
spent a part of three years as a student in a seminary, which he 
attended through the winter months. In 1878 he arrived in Greeley, 
Colorado, then a young man of twenty-two years, and took up the 
occupation of farming, purchasing eighty acres of land in Weld county. 
He had come from Iowa without any money and had many difficulties and 
hardships to face in those early days. Leadville was then just opening 
up as a mining center and constituted an excellent market for the 
produce which Mr. Mason raised. Denver had been the only market up to 
that time and through the Intervening years Mr. Mason has watched with 
Interest as Denver has grown by leaps and bounds, being transformed 
from a rough mining camp Into a great metropolitan city with all of the 
advantages, improvements and opportunities known to the older east. In 
those early days the wheat crop was largely the money crop and wheat 
often took the place of coin in the exchange of commodities. Mr. Mason 
found that the soil was very adaptable to potato raising and won a 
substantial measure of success in the production of potatoes, which he 
sold at Leadville. As the years have passed on he has gradually 
developed an extensive produce business and for the past three years 
has been the president of the Mason Produce Company, which enjoys a 
very extensive patronage. His business methods have been of a most 
progressive character and his close attention to his interests, his 
unfaltering enterprise and his determination have made the business a 
very successful and paying proposition.

	On the 30th of June, 1892, Mr. Mason was married in Greeley to 
Miss Mary E. Darling, a daughter of Willard and Abbie S. Darling, who 
were among the early colonists of Colorado. Her father was employed in 
connection with the agricultural development of Greeley and in time 
became one of the representative and successful farmers of Weld county. 
His wife was a very energetic woman, assisting him greatly, and in 
church affairs she took a very active and helpful part, being a 
consistent and earnest member of the Methodist church. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Darling were born two sons and two daughters and the sons became 
engaged in farming and won a substantial measure of prosperity. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Mason have been born four daughters, Alice, Laura, Luthera and 
Harriet. Alice graduated from the Colorado College, at Colorado 
Springs; Laura graduated from the Agricultural College In 1918; and the 
two younger sisters are high school pupils. Mr. Mason and his family 
are active and consistent members of the Baptist church. His political 
allegiance is given to the democratic party but he has never sought or 
desired office as a reward for party fealty. He is a member of the 
Farmers Club and is interested in everything that has to do with the 
agricultural development and the general progress and prosperity of his 
community. He has served as president of the school board and president 
of the board of trustees of the Baptist church of Greeley, the cause of 
education finding in him a stalwart champion, for he believes that 
education is the bulwark of the nation. He has therefore given his 
children excellent advantages in that direction. His daughter Alice was 
a particularly earnest student and is now a successful teacher of 
languages, having been engaged in that connection in different parts of 
the state. Mr. Mason and his family are noted for their generosity in 
charitable and benevolent work and they are people of genuine worth, 
occupying an enviable position in those social circles where 
intelligence and true worth are received as the passports into good 
society.