DAVID MASON
Corporal, Co. F
1840-1935

David and Ellen Mason with Daughter Cora Dell, 
Hot Springs, Arkansas, 1932

Photo Courtesy of Debbi Mullins

From The Sentinel-Record, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Sunday Morning January 10, 1932 Page Three

Article Courtesy of Debbi Mullins

"PEACE AT THE END OF THE ROAD" TO COUPLE ON 65TH ANNIVERSARY"

A golden wedding anniversary is something most couples look forward to, and count themselves extremely fortunate to celebrate together: but their golden wedding is simply a pleasant event fifteen years in the past to Mr. and Mrs. David Mason, 224 Pecan street. On Thursday, January 14, Mr. And Mrs. Mason will quietly celebrate their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary. Few, indeed are the married couples living to celebrate this happy event together. He is 92; she is 82. And that is not all. They have five living children, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. On Thursday, many of these descendants will gather at the Pecan street home, "for a little dinner; just a homey affair." Mr. And Mrs. Mason have lived a life worth while. Long life; their offspring are good, sturdy citizens; loyalty to country; peace at the end of the road; what more could a couple ask? How could they contribute more to the welfare of these United States?

Civil War Veteran
Mr. Masons proudest boasts is that he fought with the northern forces during the Civil was; next to that, he is proud that he was a farmer until he was 80 years old. On these subjects, Mr. Mason said: "Yes, there were some great battles. But war is gone forever, now, and I am glad of it." "I was a farmer until I was 80 years old. And if I could work, I'd be on the farm now." Mr. Mason was with Company F, 42nd Indiana Regiment. As far as he knows, he said, he is one of two yet living out of the company of 130. Lookout Mountain, Battle of Chickamauga; Stone River; Missionary Ridge, and with Sherman from Atlanta to the Sea-all these and more, can Mr. Mason re-live in memory. "It was at Stone River," he said, "that a bullet tore through my brothers right foot, and that same bullet took a nick out of my right ear. We were lying on the scrimmage line, just before going into battle. That bullet put my brother out of the war and crippled him for life, but I went through unscathed, except for that nick in the ear." My brother is now dead. In fact, Mr. Mason is the only one of a family of eleven yet living, and Mrs. Mason, formerly Ellen Deter, is the only one yet living of a family of ten. They were born and reared in adjoining counties in Indiana. They met after the war was over, and were married at Spurgeon, Indiana, January 14, 1867. 

Rode Horseback to Wed
"We rode horseback through the snow to the home of Squire Eldridge Hopkins," Mrs. Mason recalled. "He was also a United Baptist preacher." They came to Arkansas twenty years ago. They farmed eight years in Drew County, and since then have been retired, living in Hot Springs. The oldest child is Charles Mason, living in Hot Springs. He is 64. He has two children, both married. Perry who lives in Little Rock, and Mabel who lives in Booneville, Indiana. Perry has two children, and Mabel has one. Next is Floyd Mason, age 61. He lives in Oaklawn. He has one son, Freeland Mason who lives at home. Mrs. Cora Wickham, age 58, of Norcatur, Kansas, is now on a visit to her aged parents. Ordinarily, the couple live alone. Mrs. Wickham has two sons, Floyd and Carl Shepard. Carl being in Oklahoma City, and Floyd at home. Tillman H. Mason, age 55, the fourth child, lives on St. Louis Avenue. He has three children, Mildred, married and living in Dallas, and Madge and Morman, living at home. Mildred has one child. The fifth child is Mrs. Nora Beatty, 53, Oakland City, Indiana, who has two children, on in Evansville, Indiana and one at home.

A Big Surprise
Not satisfied with rearing five children of their own Mr. And Mrs. Mason took another infant to rear when his mother died when the child was born. And that lad turned out to be the biggest surprise of their lives. At 30, he weighed 514 pounds. He was about 26 when he joined a show. He has not been heard from in years. He was known as Evert Mason, though never legally adopted. Mr. And Mrs. Mason have no special rule for health. They "eat, anything" and enjoy it. Mr. Masons eyesight and hearing are failing, but he is still spry. He takes a walk every day. Mrs. Mason said she has her "second eyesight" and does not use spectacles any more.

From the Arkansas Democrat, Sunday, January 10, 1932

Fought With the “Yankees,”
Married 65 Years Ago, He
And Wife Still Enjoy Life

By Leo D. Martin.
Hot Springs, Jan. 9 –(Special)—

On Thursday, January 14, Mr. And Mrs. David Mason, 225 Pecan street, will celebrate an event which not many couples live to observe – their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary.  Mr. Mason is 92 years old, his wife Ellen, is 82 and there are five living children.  There are 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  On Thursday, many of these descendants will gather at the home of the aged couple “for a little dinner, just a homey, family affair.”  Mr. Mason is a mighty spry and pert old gentleman for his age.  “Why the girls still run after me,” he chuckled, and his pal for 65 long years smiled indulgently, as if at a child.  “But I’ll be an old man soon, if I don’t watch out.”  The Masons have lived a typical, fine American life, contributing not only to the population of the United States, but to its basic welfare as well.  Their descendants are all healthy, respected, hard-working, good, average American citizens.  Loyalty, courage and patriotism have descended down the line from this patriarch whose proudest boast is that he fought with the Northern forces during the Civil War - after that was a farmer - and loved it.  “I worked my farm until I was 80 years old,” said this country gentleman, “and if I could work now, I’d be right there, instead of here.  I loved to farm.”  “I was with Company F, 42^nd Indiana regiment," said the old soldier, with a far away look in his eyes.  “Yes, there were plenty of battles; Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Stones river, Missionary Ridge – and with Sherman from Atlanta to the sea.  “It was at Stone river that a bullet nicked my right ear – and the same bullet tore through my brother’s right foot.  We were lying on the scrimmage line, before going into battle.”  The bullet crippled his brother for life, but David Mason escaped with only a nick in his ear.  He said he is one of two yet living of the company of 130 men.  David Mason is the only one of 11 children living.  His wife, who was Ellen Deter, is the only one of 10 children living.  They were born and reared in adjoining counties in Indiana, met after the war and were married at Spurgeon, Ind., on January 14, 1867.  “We rode horseback through the snow two and one-half miles to the residence of Squire Eldridge Hopkins, who was also a United Baptist preacher,” Mrs. Mason recalled.  He was 27 and she was 17.  The Masons farmed about nine years in Drew county, then sold their farm, retired and moved to Hot Springs.  They have been retired 11 years.  They came to Arkansas from Indiana 20 years ago.

Grandson Lives Here

The five children are Charles Mason, aged 64, Floyd Mason, aged 61, Mrs. Cora Wickham, aged 58, Tilman H. Mason, 55, and Mrs. Nora Beatty, 53.  The sons live in Hot Springs.  Mrs. Wickham lives at Narcatur, Kansas, but is now on a visit to here parents.  Mrs. Beatty lives in Oakland City, Ind.  All the children of Mr. And Mrs. David Mason have children of their own.  Perry Mason of Little Rock is a grandson of the aged couple, the son of Mr. And Mrs. Charles Mason.  Mr. And Mrs. Perry Mason have two children, great-grandchildren of the pair mated 65 years.  Not satisfied with rearing five children of their own, Mr. And Mrs. David Mason took another child to rear when the mother died at birth.  He was known as Evert Mason, although never legally adopted, and grew up to quite a man, weighing 514 pounds when 30 years old.  That was the biggest surprise of their lives, Mr. And Mrs. Mason are quite sure.  When he was about 26, Evert Mason joined a show, and has not been heard from for years.  Mr. Mason has no special rules for health.  He “eats anything,” drinks a lot of milk, and enjoys it.  He takes a walk every day.  His hearing is failing, so is his eyesight, but otherwise he is healthy.  Mrs. Mason declared she is enjoying excellent health.  Ordinarily, the couple lives alone.  She said her “second eyesight” has arrived, and she wears spectacles no more, although she used to.  Mr. Mason evinced great interest in the reporter’s camera and photoflash lamp outfit.  When told the lamps were perfected by Edison, he was even more interested, and examined the whole outfit closely.  “We might play with this thing all night, if we get started,” said Mr. Mason, as he and his wife posed for their photograph.

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