Clinton Staples Mason

MASON

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/8/2010 at 17:19:07

A merchant may do much to promote the growth of his community and may serve it in many ways if he be energetic enough to make use of the opportunities that present themselves. Such a merchant was Clinton Staples Mason, who with his brother Charles T Mason, for years conducted general dry goods store at Boone under the name of Mason Brothers. No firm in this section of the state enjoyed a higher reputation than the Mason Brothers, as their stock of goods was always up to date and varied. It was also, first of all, of excellent quality, for the brothers made it the basic principle of business that full value should be given for the value received. Our subject was born in Tamworth, New Hampshire, on October 28, 1843, a son of Larkin D and Catherine (Staples) Mason. The father was prominent in public affairs in his section of the state, being active in politics, a merchant and a judge. He was also a landowner and gave his personal attention to the operation of his farm. He was twice married, two children being born to the first union and ten to the second. Of the children born to the last marriage, two, our subject and his brother Charles T, came to Boone, county.
Clinton S Mason, received the advantages of a high school education in his native state and there secured his first business experience. He was for two years a clerk for William H Bailey, a merchant of Littleton, New Hampshire, and subsequently employed for a similar length of time by C H Dearborn at Center Harbor, New Hampshire. He had heard much concerning the advantages of the West and made his way to Chicago, where he started a grocery store, conducting he same for one year. He then disposed o this property and with his brother, Charles T Mason, went to Moingona, Iowa then a thriving mining tow. The brothers engaged In a mercantile enterprise a t that place for five years. They kept a general stock of merchandise, meeting the varied needs of the community. At the end of that time, as the mines were being abandoned out subject and his brother saw that Moingona no longer offered the same opportunities for commercial success. They recognized that Boone was a town with a future and opened a retail dry goods store in this city. With their usual foresight they secured the best location In the city at the beginning and for thirty-five yeas carried on a flourishing retail business at that point. Their name was known throughout this section of the state, and their trade came form a wide extent of territory. It was not alone the excellence of their goods that attracted custom but also the willingness to serve that was the actuating spirit of the house. They built upon the principle of absolute honest in all their dealings and the wisdom of their policy was shown by the fact that for thirty-five years they held a place of supremacy in this line. Both Mr Mason and his brother Charles T invested in land, thus becoming still further identified with the interests of Boone county, Both are now living practically retired, enjoying a rest which we well deserved, as for many years they contributed much to the prosperity of their city and county.
Mr Mason married Mrs Annette Curry Noyes, widow of Captain Samuel B Noyes, and they became the parents of four children. Arthur Larking was born in 1873 and died in 1874. Howard Curry Mason, was born September 3, 1875,m and passed away on September 7, 1912. He left a widow, Mrs Lillian T Mason and three children all of whom reside in Winchester, Massachusetts. The children are: Annette E, Clinton Staples, Jr and Frances Bell, II. Frances Bell Mason whose birth occurred on June 26, 1877, is an alumna of Wellesley College and of the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn. She is now a teacher of art in St Louis. Catherine Staples was born on November 6, 1879, and has been twice married, her first husband being Harold J Copeland who met death in an accident. His widow later married Professor Robert H Fernald, of the mechanical engineering department of the university of Pennsylvania. Two children have been born to this marriage, Merritt Caldwell and Frances Mason.
Mr Mason of this review is a republican in politics, believing that the polices of that part are for the good of the country. He is one of the most gifted orators of this section of the state and has delivered some memorable addresses both on political issues and on other topics. He attends the Presbyterian church and contributes to its support. His life ahs been one of the unusual openness and candor and none has ever questioned his integrity. He is today enjoying the ease which his former years of strenuous activity made possible and is secure in the esteem and good will of his fellow citizens.

1914 Boone County History Book