Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/304

 MASON

MASON

but declined, and was appointed by the legisla- ture of Iowa commissioner to control a state war fund of $800,000. He was nominated for gover- nor a second time in 1867, and was defeated. He was a delegate from Iowa to the Democratic national conventions of 1864, 1868, and 1872, and was chairman of the Democratic national central committee during those years. He was president of the Burlington & Missouri River railroad, Iowa, and of the Peoria & Quawka railroad, Illinois, 1853-53. He published several pamphlets on financial subjects. He died near Burlington, Iowa, Feb. 3."), lf«2.

MASON, David Hastings, political economist, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 8, 1829; son of David H. and Elizabeth A. (Johnston) Mason. He attended private schools in Philadelphia; the academy in Dahlonega, Ga., and was a student at Yale, 1847-49. He was married, June 10, 1851, to Margaretta E., daughter of Thomas G. Wood- ward, founder and for many years editor of the Journal and Courier at New Haven, Conn. He engaged in journalism and was editor of various papers in Georgia and Tennessee, 1852-67. He settled in Cliicago, III., in 1867, as an editorial writer on the Tribune and the Republican, 1867- 69; was editor-in-chief of the Republican^ 1869-70; editor of the Bureau, a protectionist monthly magazine, 1871-72; tariff editor of the Inter-Ocean, 1873-80; tariff editor of the Herald in Chicago, 1880-83, and editor of the Industrial World, a weekly trade paper in Chicago, 1889-94, when he retired from editorial work. He contributed the article on Protection to Lalor's Cyclopsedia of Political Science and is the author of a pamphlet entitled Hoio Western Farmers are Benefited by Protection (1875), and of A Short Tariff History of the United States (1884).

MASON, Edward Qay, historian, was born in Bridgeport. Conn., Aug. 23, 1839; son of Roswell B. and Harriet L. Mason. Roswell B. Mason re- moved from Connecticut to Chicago, 111., when that place was a village; was a civil engineer, mayor of the city, and was influential in encour- aging business enterprises. Edward Gay Mason was prepared for college in Chicago and was graduated at Yale in 1860. He was admitted to the bar in 1863 and in March, 1865, formed a law partnership under the firm name of Mattocks & Mason. He subsequently practised in partner- ship with his brothers Alfred and Hf»nry, under the firm name of Miison Brothers. He was mar- ried, Dec. 25, 1867, to Julia M. Starkweather of Chicago, 111. He was president of the Chicago Bar association, the Chicago Literary club, the University Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Historical society, 1887-98, and was a member of various historical societies; a fellow of Yale, 1891-98, and was named as a probable successor

to President Timothy Dwight of Yale in 1898. He contributed historical articles to magazines and is the author of numerous papers on the early history of Illinois collected and published as Chapters from Illinois Histoi-y ( 1901 ). He died in Chicago, 111., Dec. 18, 1898.

MASON, Edwin Cooley, soldier, was born in Springfield, Ohio, May 31, 1831; son of Gen. Samson (q.v.) and Minerva (Needham) Mason. He matriculated at Wittenberg college, but was not graduated. He engaged in civil engineering and several years before the civil war he or- ganized the Springfield Zouaves and became its captain. On April 17, 1861, he offered the serv- ices of the company to the governor for three months and it was enrolled as Company F, 2d Ohio volunteers, it being the first military com- pany in the state to offer its services. He was appointed captain in the 17th U.S. infantry, June 18, 1861, and commissioned colonel of the 7th Maine volunteers, November, 1861, serving with that regiment in the Army of the Potomac until its term of service expired. He was then commissioned colonel of the 176th Ohio volun- teers and served with that regiment in the Army of the Cumberland. He was tlirice wounded, once severely, at Spottsylvania Court House, May 13, 1864; and was brevetted brigadier- general of volunteers June 3, 1865. At the close of the war he returned to his regiment in the regular army. He was married, May 2, 1867, to Frances M., daughter of Lansing Kingsbury of Marshall, Mich. He was assigned to the 20th U.S. infantry in 1869 and was promoted major in the 21st U.S.I, in 1871; lieutenant-colonel, 4th U.S.I., May 18, 1881; colonel, 3d U.S.I., April 34, 1888. and Was retired May 31, 1895. He served with distinguished gallantry in the Indian campaigns and was brevetted briga- dier-general, U.S.A., for his services in the Modoc, Bannock-Piute and Nez Perces campaigns. After his retirement he made his home in St. Paul, Minn. He became well known as a lecturer on military subjects which included: Tlirough the Wilderness icith Orant; The Mine Run Cam- paign; How We Won the San Juan Archipelago; Tlie Development of Military Systems; 71 le Modern Army; The Battle of New Orleans; The Lights and Shades of Army Life. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and in 1893 served as commander of the Minnesota commandeiy; was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died in St. Paul, Minn., April 30, 1898.

MASON, Erskine, clergyman, was born in New York city, April 16, 1805; son of the Rev. John Mitchell (q.v.) and Anna (LefTerts) Mason. He removed to Schenectady, N.Y., in 1817, and