Gilbert S. D. Mason

MASON, COMLEY, CROUSDALE, TOMLINSON

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 5/13/2009 at 14:47:11

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

page 768

GILBERT S. D. MASON, a successful cattle-feeder of Viola Township, was born in the State of Pennsylvania, in the city of Philadelphia, October 7, 1840. He is a son of William R. and Margaret (Comley) Mason, natives of Delaware and
Pennsylvania respectively. Both parents died
in the city of Philadelphia. Gilbert S. D. Mason was educated in the schools of his native city. Although his father was one of the principal wholesale merchants of Philadelphia, he made up his mind to be a farmer, and accordingly began this occupation in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, at the age of seventeen years. In 1873 he removed from Bucks County to Carroll County, Iowa, settling upon a farm five miles south of Arcadia. This place contained 200 acres, which Mr. Mason improved and used as a cattle farm until he removed to Audubon County, Iowa, in 1883. He located on his present farm in Viola Township, which was known for many years as the Hawer farm, and which at that time contained 160 acres. Mr. Mason has made additional purchases of land until his farm now covers 320 acres of choice land in a high state of cultivation, beautifully situated on the waters of the Nishnabotna River. While it is well suited to small grains, it is admirably adapted to stock-farming. In 1862 Mr. Mason was married to Miss Martha, the eldest daughter of Josiah and Mary (Crousdale) Tomlinson, descendants from families of Quakers who came to Pennsylvania with William Penn, and settled in Byberry, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Land tracts of the old Penn purchase are still in the family name. The old Penn chestnut-tree still stands upon the homestead, twenty-four miles north of Philadelphia. By this union ten children were born, all of whom survive --
John H., Lewis L., Gilbert. S., Jr., Philip S.,
William R., Josiah T., George W., Paul B.,
Emma M. and Benjamin F. In politics Mr. Mason is rather conservative. In Carroll County he served on the school board for seven years, and held other township offices. The Masons descended from an old English family, and were early settlers of Connecticut, removing from that State to Delaware.
The Grandfather Comley was an officer of marines in the war of 1812, and died in the service at the Philadelphia navy yard.