DANIEL MASON

That one is the owner of an Iowa farm of considerable extent is at once proof of the fact that he is at least in comfortable financial circumstances for in all the United States there is no richer soil than can here be found and none that responds more readily to cultivation. Mr. Mason is numbered among the wide-awake, enterprising and prosperous farmers and stock-raisers of Linn township, owning a tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres on section 16. He was born in Linn township, July 20, 1863, and is a son of John Mason, whose birth occurred in Indiana in 1830. The latter’s father was William Mason, who removed from Indiana to Iowa about 1836 and took up his abode in Cedar county where he opened up a farm now known as the Samuel Rhoads place. Upon the homestead property John Mason was reared, early becoming familiar with the hardships and difficulties incident to pioneer life and at the same time aiding largely in the development of the home place. After arriving at years of maturity he married Miss Sarah Andre, a native of Pennsylvania, and a representative of one of the pioneer families of Cedar county. Turning his attention to farming as a life work, he established his home in Linn township and as he prospered in his undertaking made further investment in property until he was the owner of several hundred acres of land in different farms. He reared his family in Linn township and spent his entire life here, becoming well known in Cedar, Johnson and Linn counties as a representative agriculturist and valued citizen. He died April 10, 1906, and is still survived by his wife who resides in Tipton.

Daniel Mason is the second of a family of four sons and a daughter, the others being: William, who was reared in Iowa and went to California, where his death occurred; Charles, a resident of Tipton; Frank, who makes his home in California; and Eunice, the wife of Gil Stine, a resident farmer of Cass township.

Upon the home farm Daniel Mason spent the days of his boyhood and youth and the common schools afforded him his educational privileges. He worked in the fields when not busy with his text-books and on attaining his majority wisely chose as his life work the occupation to which he had been reared. After his marriage he rented the farm of his father-in-law for two years and then located where he now resides. He has since built to and remodeled the house, has put up two barns and has also added sheds and cribs for the shelter of grain and stock. The raising and feeding of stock also constitutes a feature of his farm and the source of a gratifying income. He labors diligently and persistently and his life record is another proof of the fact that success is the result of unfaltering energy intelligently directed.

In 1896 Mr. Mason was married in Linn township to Miss Abbie Shawver, who was born and reared in this county and is a daughter of Milton Shawver, one of the early settlers that Indiana furnished to this part of the state. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mason have been born five children who are yet living: Venus, Lola, William, Nellie and Mildred. They also lost two children, Ivan, who died at the age of two years and an infant daughter. The parents are members of the Christian church and Mr. Mason in his political faith is a democrat. For forty-seven years he has been a resident of Cedar county and has therefore witnessed much of its growth and the changes which have been wrought. At all times he has stood for progress and improvement in public affairs as well as in private life and his cooperation has therefore been a factor in various measures promulgated for the public good.