Isaac Mason's biography, Calhoun and Kalamazoo County, Michigan Copyright © 2000 by Bryan Taylor. This copy contributed for use in the MIGenWeb Archives. MIGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any 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 MIGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the MIGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/michigan/biography/m52006.txt Michigan Historical Society Records, Vol. 10 Deacon Isaac Mason was born in Cheshire, Berkshire county, Mass., Nov. 23, 1798; came to the Genesee valley, N. Y. in 1802; lived three years at Farmington, then removed to Pennfield, Monroe county, where he lived many years. He afterwards lived in Orleans and Cattaraugus counties. He came to Michigan in 1827 on a land hunting tour, and spent a large part of the year prospecting in Washtenaw and adjoining counties, and without locating any lands, returned to his home in New York. Reminiscences of this visit to Michigan will be found in the fifth volume, of the Michigan Pioneer Collections. Deacon Mason removed with his family to this state in May, 1839, settled on the Dr. John Beach farm in South Battle Creek, where he remained a number of years. In February, 1843,he took charge of the Hiram Moore farm on Climax prairie, living there[p.188] five years, and afterwards spent three years on his farm in Charleston. While living on Climax, his home was a station on the underground railroad to aid escaped slaves on their way to Canada. In 1858 he was appointed superintendent of the Kalamazoo county farm, which position he held until 1870, when he removed to Galesburg, where he lived till his death, which occurred on the 29th of December, 1885. Deacon Mason had been married four times. His last wife, Mrs. Charlotte Thiers, died some four years ago. He leaves five children: Henry, who lives in Cattaraugus, N. Y.; Lee A., at Comstock, this county; Russell B., at Holton, Mich., and Mrs. Abel Hoag and Miss Mary Ann Mason, of Galesburg. Deacon Mason united with the Baptist church in Pennfield, N. Y., in 1826. was made deacon in 1834. Was justice of the peace five years in Orleans county, N. Y. Was supervisor three years in the same county. Was supervisor one year in Charleston, this county, and one year in Comstock. In his recollections of life in western New York, that he has given me I recall this item: "My old school teacher was hoeing in his garden one Saturday when a carriage drove up to his gate containing the "Morgan abductors" he dropped his hoe, went into the house, changed his coat, and getting into the carriage, rode off with them." Deacon Mason was one of the memorable "nine" who voted for Jabez S. Fitz for governor, on the "free soil ticket," in Battle Creek, in 1841. He was originally a democrat, but early joined the abolitionists, and went with them into the republican party. The military record of his sons is excellent. His eldest, James B., was colonel of the 11th Michigan cavalry and was killed at the battle of Clinch Mountain, Va., on the 4th of October, 1864. Edwin D., after serving through the Mexican war, died on his return at Jefferson barracks, just below St. Louis, July 7, 1848. Henry C., now a minister of the M. E. church at Dayton, Cattaraugus county, N. Y., served in the 44th N. Y. infantry during the war for the Union. Lee A. served in the Michigan 2nd infantry through the war for the Union. George P., captain of Company A, Michigan 11th cavalry, was killed at Marion, Va., December 18, 1864. Russell B., served through the war in the 7th Michigan infantry, and lives now at Holton, Mich. How many men have caught the ear of public fame whose lives unworthy of the honorable record that Deacon Isaac Mason leaves.[p.189] His life, lengthened beyond three score years and ten, has been full of usefulness and good deeds to his fellow men. He has been a prominent and valuable member of the Baptist church for more than fifty years. And now, at the close of such an extended period of life, he has been gathered to his rest, like a full shock of corn. Few men have been so long and so well known in Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties as this worthy old pioneer. And, like many of those who have gone before him, he leaves the rich heritage of a good name to his family and friends, the best legacy to the history of those early days in Michigan in which he has taken so active a part.