Wesley Randolph Mason

© Kathy Duncan, 2017

Wesley Randolph Mason, son of William and Matilda (Lewis) Mason, was born 12 Mar 1829 in either Alabama or Tennessee or maybe even Mississippi. His connection to William and Matilda (Lewis) Mason is made by a Hopkins County, Texas road order and a letter written by my great-grandmother. These will be presented in the time frame in which the events occurred.

Wesley R. Randolph’s first appearance in the records is in a Hopkins County, Texas road order:

May Term 1849 - County Court of Hopkins Co., TX - William Mason is ordered to work as a hand on Road Precinct #2 under overseer Alfonzo Crowder. Along with William Mason and among others were Bailey Ashmore, Joseph M. Mason, Westley R. Mason, Wiley C. Mason, Melton Wardlow, and John Despain.

[Source: County Court Minutes Vol. I October 1846 - February 1852 by Hopkins County Genealogical Society]

This road order includes William Mason’s son Joseph M. Mason who is living in his own household along with two of William’s sons who are still living in the home: Westley R. Mason and Wiley C. Mason. Westley R. Mason must be Randolph Mason.

1850, Hopkins Co., TX, p. 137:

18-18  

William Mason 46 M  Farmer $500 b. TN

Matilda 43 F b. KY

Randolph 21 M Farmer b. AL

Wiley 19 M Farmer b. AL

Susan 17 F b. TN

Charlotte 14 F b. TN

Caron 7 F b. TN

William W. 2 M b. TX

Wesley R. Mason married his first wife, Ann Kenney on 1 Mar 1854 in Williamson Co., TX.

[Source: Williamson County, Texas Marriage Records 1849 - 1860 by G. McLin]

Ann Kenney was the daughter of San Jacinto veteran Dr. Thomas Kenney, who built Kenny's Fort in 1839. The fort was located sixteen miles north of Austin, Texas near the present site of Round Rock, Texas. Thomas Kenney was killed there by the Caddo Indians in 1844.

In 1850 Ann Kenney was living at the fort with her sister Mary Jane (Kenney) and John C. Lee.

           

Census records for Wesley R. and Ann (Kenney) Mason:

4 July 1860, Williamson Co., TX, P.O.: Georgetown, p. 28:

174-181          

W.R. Mason    31 M    Brickmason b. AL

Ann --- 21 F b.TX

Ema --- 5 F b. TX

Catherine --- 2 F b. TX

           

Ann Kenney died in 1865 and is buried in the Old Georgetown Cemetery in Williamson Co., TX

W.R. Mason married Mrs. Martha J. Harrison on 23 Sept 1866 [license #197] in Bell Co., TX.

[Source: Bell County, Texas Marriage Records 1850 - 1882 by Linda B. Allie and Weldon I. Hudson]

Martha was the widow of John Sobiesky Harrison, who died in 1864. Her maiden name was McCullough, and she was the daughter of William Garrison and Margery Lee Harrison.

13 July 1870, Beat No. 3, Bell Co., TX, P.O. Belton:

148 - 148

Mason, W.R. 39 M W Farmer b. TN

--- Martha 37 F W Keeps house $600 - $3,000 b. AL

--- Emma 15 F W b. TX

--- Jenny 6 F W b. TX

Groves, Mary  20 F W b. TX

Harrison, A.E.  14 F W b. TX

---Martha 9 F W b. TX

Mason, Georgia 2 F W b. TX

--- Nancy 1 F W b. TX

Harrison, T. 23 F B Servant b. TX

--- Hettie 3 F B b. TX

--- Liddie 1 F  B b. TX

Emma and Jenny Mason were the daughters of W.R. and Ann (Kenney) Mason. Their other daughter Catherine Mason is either deceased or elsewhere. Emma was with W.R. and Ann (Kenney) Mason on the 1850 census; she may be the same Matilda E. Mason who will be discussed in another post. Mary Groves may be a daughter of Martha’s, possibly to a man named Groves, or Mary may be a widow. A.E. and Martha Harrison seem to be daughters of Martha’s by her previous husband. Georgia and Nancy Mason would be daughters of W.R. and Martha’s.

A “Matilda E. Mason” of Bell Co., TX may be Emma Mason, daughter of Wesley R. and Ann (Kenney) Mason. Matilda E. Mason married G.S. Roberts on 7 Apr 1877 in Bell Co., TX

[Source: Bell County, Texas Marriage Records 1850- 1882 by Linda B. Allie and Weldon I. Hudson]

Wesley R. Mason and wife Martha divorced between 1870 and 1880. All of the children by their marriage seem to be living with Martha in Lampasas County, Texas.

9 & 10 June 1880, Pct 6, Lampasas County, Texas:

104-111

Mason, Martha W R 52 D Keeping house b. AL fb. SC mb. SC

-----, Margery W F 11 Dau b. TX fb. MS mb. AL

-----, Nannie W F 10 dau b. TX fb. MS mb. AL

-----, Ran W M 9 son b. TX fb. MS mb. AL

-----, John W M 8 son b. TX fb. MS mb. AL

-----, Maud W F 5 dau b. TX fb. MS mb. AL

-115

Harrison, Tennessee B F 30 servant b. TX fb. TN mb. AL

Roberts, Harriett B F 13 dau servant b. TX fb. MS mb. TX

Moore, Punch Mu M 6 son b. TX fb.  Mb. TX

Wesley Randolph Mason of Bosque Co., TX filed for a Confederate pension which was approved on 25 Nov 1899. He reported his age as 70 on his last birthday--12 Mar 1899. He gave his full name as Wesley Randolph Mason. He stated that he had resided in Morgan, Bosque Co., TX for 6 months. His further stated that his profession was farming, formerly a brick mason. He enlisted in Co. A 6 Texas Partisan Rangers, Col. L.M. Martin. He served for 3 years from 12 Mar 1862 to May 1865. He received no donation land certificate. He owned two ponies valued at about $45 and one wagon valued at $15. He owned no land. His application was signed on 31 Aug. 1899. J.R. Vaughan and H.M. Vaughan of Bosque Co. swore they knew W.R. Mason and that he was a soldier in the war. Their deposition was dated 21 Sept 1899.

W.K. Makemson, 63 years old of Georgetown, Williamson Co., TX swore that he had known W.R. Mason since about 1854 when Mason was living in  Williamson Co., TX. Mason lived there for several years after the war. He enlisted in Co. A, 5^th Texas Partisan Rangers--Capt. Archy Hart of Georgetown. Mason enlisted in Williamson Co., Tx and was stationed at Fort McCullough, Indian Territory. Makemson became sheriff of Williamson Co., TX in 1863. Makemson served in the Indian Dept. of a sub-division of the Trans-Mississippi commanded by Gen. Albert G. Pike who succeeded Gen. D.H. Cooper. Makemson’s deposition is dated 4 Sept 1899.

J.M. Page, age 66 yrs became acquainted with Mason in 1858 when Mason was living in Georgetown.

[Source: Wesley Randolph Mason, Texas Confederate Pension #4795]

Letter written to my great-grandmother Maggie (Cawthon) Chapman, niece of Wesley Randolph Mason:

“Mrs. Maggie Chapman

                                     Wylie, Tex

Dear Madam

Bro. W.R. Mason resided here and near here for 6 years. in June 1892 he moved to Hillsboro Hill Co. Texas. I knew him personaly. Write Harry Beck Pm and tell him your Uncle was a mason and he can probably find out his where abouts

Respectfully,

                    Will H. Harvey

W.R. Mason

Address is Hillsboro, Tex”

William H. Harvey was the postmaster of Belton, Bell. Co., TX from 18 Sept. 1897 to 1907, so this letter was written between those dates. Harry Beck was the postmaster of Hillsboro, TX from 1898 - 1907, which means this letter was written in 1898 or later but before 1907. In 1900 Maggie Chapman was living in Wylie, Collin Co., TX with her brother Will Cawthon. This letter links the W.R. Mason who was in Bell Co., TX in 1870 to the Wesley R. Mason who was in Hill Co., TX in 1900.

Wesley Randolph Mason filed for a Confederate pension from Bosque Co., TX in 1899.

A W.R. Mason married Mary Jane Mason in Bastrop County, on 15 October 1891.

21 June 1900, PCT #6, Hill Co., TX, p. 138:

197 - 198

Mason, Wesley R. Head M W Mar 1829 71 M-19 b. TN fb. Unk mb. Unk

--- Mary Wife F W Sept 1843  56 M-19 2-1 b. MS fb. GA mb. SC

--- Minnie Dau F W Sept 1887 12 S b. TX fb. TN mb. MS

Brasier, Sarah s-in-l F W Dec 1846 53 Wd  0 – 0 b. MS fb. GA mb. SC

Since the birthplaces of Wesley R. Mason’s parents are unknown on this census this may be an indication that someone other than Wesley provided the information to the census taker, especially since all the birthplaces of the other members of the household are provided. This points to Mary Mason being the provider of the information--she would know the birthplaces of her own parents, her sister, and her own children. She may have believed that Wesley was born in Tennessee and would probably not know where his parents were born.  This may indicate that Wesley’s birthplace is reported in error. Since Minnie is the only surviving child of this marriage, she is most likely the wife of L.E. Spradling. 

Notice that William and Mary's marriage is listed as being of 19 years duration. That would put their marriage date at c. 1881 which is in conflict with the date Mary Mason reported in her Confederate Widow’s pension, but which may, in fact, be accurate.  A W.R. Mason married Mary Jane Mason in Bastrop County, on 15 October 1891.

Wesley Mason died on 23 Feb 1903 in Hill Co., TX. His ex-wife Martha (McCullough died on 8 November 1903 and is buried in San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas.

Wesley R. Mason’s widow Mary filed for a pension from Hill Co., TX after his death.

2 May 1910, PCT #6, Hill Co., TX, p. 530:

214-216

Mason, Mary  Head 66 Wd b. MS fb. GA mb. SC

Vaughn, Henry M. Bro            71 S b. MS  fb. GA mb. SC

---James R. Bro 60 S b. MS fb. GA mb. SC

Brasher, Sarah Sis 63 Wd b. MS fb. GA mb. SC

Mary Mason’s sister Sarah Brasher is still living with her after 10 years. Additionally, the J.R. and H.M. Vaughan who provided depositions for Wesley Randolph Mason’s Confederate pension in 1899 are Mary’s brothers; therefore, it is reasonable to assume that her maiden name was

Vaughn.

The following Vaughn family appeared in Smith Co., TX and seems to be the family to which Mary, Henry M., James R., and Sarah Vaughn belong:

11 Nov 1850, Smith Co., TX, p. 142:

Vaughn, Thomas 52 Farmer $500 b. GA

--- Ann 40 b. SC

--- William R. 14 b. MS

--- Henry M. 12 b. MS

--- Thomas M. 8 b. MS

--- Mary Ann 6 b. MS

--- Sarah Jane 3 b. TX

--- James R. 2 b. TX