WILLIAM BOND MASON was born in Lincoln, Massachusetts on February 02, 1767, and died September 26, 1813 in Adams Twp. in Washington County, Ohio. He married SUSANNAH COBURN July 14, 1790 in According to Wash. Co., Ohio Marriages1789-1840 they were married by Benjamin Tupper, Judge of County Court of Common Pleas. Susannah's name is spelled, "Susanna COBERN" in the book., daughter of ASA COBURN and MARY MCCLURE. She was born March 17, 1774 in Strubridge, Worcester, MA, and died September 01, 1855 in Adams Twp in Washington County, Ohio.

At the age of 21, he joined the little band of 48 pioneers and under command of Rufus Putnam arrived at Marietta, April 7, 1788. Senator Hoar said of the 48 pioneers at his speech in Marietta, "Of all the men of the world they were the first to form the government. There were never men better calculated to settle the country. We can measure them, they are the high water mark."

President Hayes said, "They went to school, and are miniature George Washington's, all of them." G.R. Gear, said on July 15, 1888, "They were men of industry, integrity and uprightness. They were God-fearing men, men who respected God's word and the Sabbath." In July 1888, Mary A Livermore said, "They were Grand Men. Some of the best blood of the world ran through their veins. The world has never seen grander more versatile, more self-poised men." Too much can scarcely be said in praise of them. It could be said of them as it has been said of the earlier Pioneers. "They built indeed better than they knew. Of the full meaning of their works, and of their own future fame as its authors, some of them had any adequate conception, and but few had dimly dreamed. Neither they nor their works could be fairly judged in their time, for they saw but the beginnings of an experiment.

Only in the light of a hundred years of trial can the works of the pioneers and the pioneers themselves be fairly judged. Looking back across the years we see their figures stand out clear on the sky line of our history."

Agree with Senator Hoar that there could have been chosen no better men to settle the country and thus have a part in shaping the future of the state than these pioneers of who William Mason was one. He was sober, honest and just, quiet, industrious and religious. He was not always foremost in civil affairs because of his retiring nature, but every good enterprise had his support. giving one's every effort to the upholding of all good and the destruction of all evil in whatever guise or station is noble. The homely saying of "Jack of all trades and master of none" did not prove true in his case. He was a soldier and Minister, cabinet maker and farmer all at one time, and was eminently successful in every one. He filled all positions of trust and with what devotion he served his God.

William Mason's cabinet-work was perfect. Some of the household furniture of Rufus Putnam, as well as that of many other early settlers was his handiwork. His son William, inherited this love for fancy carpentry. In fact a love for this work, as well as his tools descended to the fourth generations of William's. Some furniture made by him is the possession of his descendants. At his death the farm went to Jonas Mason, and from him to Jonas' nephew and his sons. The northern portion of the original farm was sold to William Mason and came by inheritance to Mary Eliza Mason and her brother at the time of Mary's fathers death, but was sold by them in 1891.

William Mason was a member of the A.U.L. No. 1 Freemasons until his death. On their books of more that 150 years ago is the "Register of Names of the Members of the A.U.L No. 1 holding at Marietta." They held their meetings in Union Hall. He was Stewart and Tyler. After moving to Adams Twp. he could not attend the meetings regularly, but paid his dues and was a member in good standing at the time of his death. In the same old book Belpre, Ohio is spelled Bellepre. Their accounts were kept in dollars, dimes, cents and mills, and even the half mill.

The men who came here April 7, 1788 were not adventurers, drawn hither by a love for gold. They came with high and lofty purpose. Their impelling motive was to obtain homes for themselves and their families. They were accustomed to good society and good government, and desired to continue the same. Thomas Ewing says, "The physical difficulties to be overcome in the way and the dangers attending settlement would have appalled any but the hardest of men impelled by a great and unselfish purpose." Their first acts after those of preparing a defense were to establish government, homes, churches and schools.

The Ohio Company had ordered that 4 surveyors and 22 men to attend them should be employed, and that there would be added to this number 20 other men. This company was composed of 6 boat builders, 4 house carpenters, 1 blacksmith, and 1 common workmen. They were to be boarded and paid by the company, at the rate of $4.00 per month. The whole number consisting in all the 48 men, was divided into two companies. The boat builders and mechanics, in all about 20 or 22 men, under the charge of Major Hatfield White, formed the first party and started from Danvers, Massachusetts, on December 1, 1787, and reached Simmerill's Ferry on the Youghiogheny River, 30 miles from Pittsburgh on the 23rd of January. The surveyors, Col. Ebenezer Sprout, Col. Putnam, John Matthews, Jonathan Meigs, Anslem Tupper, and their attendants at Hartford, Connecticut and started the last of January. On account of the heavy snow on the mountains they did not join the first party until February 14. Crossing the mountains, they had to stop and build sleds to which they harnessed the horses' the men had to go on and break the way through the snow for the horses. That they surmounted this and all trials and hardships with great perservance cannot be denied. This was only a foretaste of what they were to endure in the near future. The rest of February and all of March was spent in getting the boats ready. The flotilla consisted of a galley, a flat boat and 3 canoes. Union Galley or Adventure Galley as the larger boat was sometimes called but afterward was found to be too large and unwieldy for practical use. She was decked over, high enough for a man to walk under without stopping. The second boat was a flat boat of about three tins burden, which was designed to be used as a ferry boat and was called the Adelphia.

It was April, and the trees that bordered either side of the river were putting on their robe of green. Trees of such magnitude gave evidence of depth and richness of soil such as was not seen in New England, a sight that most of these emigrants had never seen in any country before. It was very encouraging no doubt, to the emigrants to know that THE OHIO COUNTRY was to be their future home, was so near and was such a land of promise.

They started down the Youghiogheny River on April 1st. On the morning of the 7th clouds obscured the sun and rain fell during a considerable part of the day. as they passed Kerrs Island, Captain Devol said to General Putnam, ÒI think it is time to take an observation. We must be near the mouth of the Muskingum.Ó The clouds and fog and spreading branches of the sycamore trees so obscured their vision that although many were watching anxiously for the long talked of Muskingum, they did not see it until they had gone past. They landed below Fort Harmar and Major Doughty, the commander, sent some men from the fort to help the others make a landing. It was high noon when they landed on the east bank of the Muskingum and planted, not a leaden plate, but the corner stone of the Buckeye state. Monday, April 7, 1788 was thus made memorable. The workmen began at once to clear the forest and erect temporary habitations. In a few days the surveyors began their work of laying out the town. During a meeting of the Directors, it was resolved that the city be called Marietta.

Sixty chains from the Ohio and at a short distance from the Muskingum a stockade fort was built at the expense of the company. In form it was a regular parallelogram the sides of which were each 180 feet in length. They were all 2 stories high, of sawed logs, the required length, 4Ó thick and put together with hand made nails and were covered with shingle roofs and furnished with brick chimney made on the grounds by men of experience. It must be remembered that the logs for this building were sawed by hand and the shingles were split from oak blocks previously sawed the required length. After the shingles were spilt were sloped at one end with an axe. Besides the row of windows in the first and second story, there were loop-holes for musketry. at he four corners there were block houses higher than the houses which formed the curtains or sides of the fort. The blockhouses also protected beyond the sides of the stockade about 6 feet. The first story was 20 feet square, and the second projected two feet over the first, making it 24 feet square. These housed were each covered with roofs which were four square. Three of these houses were mounted by watch towers enough for 4 men. On the other was a tower capped with a cupola in which the bell was placed. The watch towers were found inconvenient of access after the Indian War broke out and small, square bastions were built at each angle of the stockade for the accommodation of the sentries. The sides were about 6 feet. They were not roofed and were supported by posts at the angles. The floor was lower than that of the second story of the blockhouses. Cannon were placed in the Northeast and Southwest Towers. Gates were hung in the south and west sides of the square. Over them was a house, like the corner blockhouse, intended for protection of the gate in case of an attack. Public religious worship and court was held in the northwest blockhouse. The open yard or court within was 140 feet square and inside this, probably in the center, a well was dug 80 feet deep. Rows of palings were placed from corner to corner of the blockhouse, sloping outward at an angle of 45 degrees, and supported by posts and railing. At a distance of 20 feet from these sharp pickets, and surrounding the entire work was a line of heavy palings 8 or 10 feet in height; and again outside of this there was an abatis formed by bough of trees with the smaller limbs pointed and projecting outward. This fortification was called Campus Martius. At a place father down the Muskingum, called ÒThe PointÓ there were 25 dwellings erected this same season.

Six families came on the 19th of August. Among them, were the families of Major Asa Coburn, and his son-in-law Andrew Webester. Miss Susannah Coburn then a young girl was afterward married to William Mason. Col. Ichabod Nye says ÒThe winter began with a hundred or more in the settlement.Ó They passed through a pestilence of smallpox, a famine and a five year war. Thomas Ewing was given a public dinner at Marietta Sept. 2,1837. Judge Ephraim Cutler was President of the day, and on of the Vice President was William Mason.

William Mason owned and probably built, one of the two story houses which composed the west or southwest side of Campus Martius, as shown in both views. Here he and his family dwelt until 1796 when he removed his farm which was in Adams Township, ten or twelve miles up the Muskingum. Here the conqueror of all found him Sept. 13, 1813, but death had no victory, for now he lives in fame though not in life. Having been one of the "Hardy, heroic, devoted men who , fearing God feared nothing else, erected here and everywhere in our land alters to the true God, founded schools for their children, established institutions of law, liberty and a pure morality of general and exalted Piety.Ó ÒA life well spent reaches forward and influences the ages."

Mary A Livermore says, "Men never grow grand, never very great, never become Godlike unless they are associated with and stimulated by women of equal magnitude of character. The women of early times were as heroic and patriotic as the men."

The endurance of one was only equaled by that of the other. In times of peace they were real helpmates and in times of war they were the greater sufferers. The work of patient waiting was harder to bear than active serving.

The women of these times are worthy to be held in grateful remembrance as having had a large share in securing for us a free country, in which the inhabitants are blessed with civil and religious liberty.

The men of the Revolutionary War, and the men composing the settlement at Marietta, never could have accomplished what they did if the women had not borne well their part. It is surprising the amount of hard work they did. This whit their exposure and constant dread of savage warfare, was enough to destroy both mind and body.

The wife of William Mason was one of these heroic women, who through perils of every kind surrounded her on all sides, lived a long and useful life. She, like most others of her day was moral and religious and unswerving in allegiance to right and duty; evidence of this is her church history. It is not known when she firs united with the church, but her name is found on the first records, and if it is true, as has been supposed, that she was a member before 1788 then she must have been a Christian for nearly 70 years. Susannah was 14 years old when she came to Marietta with her parents, Major Coburn and Mary (McClure) Coburn. They were in the company of first families to arrive August 19, 1788. Her brother in-law, Andrew Webster, then a widower came in the same company bringing with him part of his family. His son Andrew was a baby and was carried by Susannah all the way. Adelphia came afterward and was married to his cousin. Susannah's mother died probably between January and April 1790 of smallpox. Her father died at Waterford 1797 during the Indian War. What her life was before she came to Ohio can only be guessed at. What other girls in Revolutionary times did, no doubt she did. She was on year old when her father joined the Army; and for eight years war was all around her. The 5 years between 1783 and 1788 are the years about which very little can now be learned. she spent some of this time undoubtedly in acquiring the various household duties and in study, for she was a good student and well informed. The new home that her parents had chosen for the family was the border land of another battle ground, but fortunately only the border. After they left "The Point" and dwelt inside the stockade they were never attacked by the Indians.

Children of WILLIAM MASON and SUSANNAH COBURN are:

1. PAMELA MASON, b. March 22, 1791, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio (Was born in Campus Martius or just before the family went into the Block-house); d. July 06, 1857; m. (1) JOHN ROACH, October 10, 1813; b. 1797; d. September 05, 1841; m. (2) JOHN GREEN, August 19, 1846; b. Adams, Ohio.

2. POLLY MASON, b. July 12, 1793, Campus Martius, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio;; d. December 29, 1793.

3.JOSEPH MASON, b. March 03, 1795, Campus Martius, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio;; d. February 20, 1862; m. (1) SALLY SPRAGUE; m. (2) LUCINDA HOWE ALEXANDER. Joseph finally settled in Missouri.

4. JONAS MASON, b. May 23, 1797, Adams Twp. Washington County, Ohio; d. February 17, 1878; m. BEULAH STACY, January 14, 1822, According to Wash. Co., Ohio Marriages1789-1840; they were married by John GREEN, J.P. of Adams Twp. Jonas was from Adams Twp.. and Beulah was from Union Twp.; b. October 08, 1804, Rainbow, Washington County, Ohio; d. May 28, 1884. Jonas was one of the Directors of the Washington Co. School Association in 1838 and 1845. Taken from the book: HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO 1881; page 558 : There is a tradition that he (Jonas) was the first child born in the township, but this is disputed by others. Adams was at that time a new community and medical services could be obtained only at Marietta or Waterford. this circumstance made it prudent for the wives of the youthful Adams settlement to spend the period of expectancy in one of the two older communities. It is said that for more than two years after it's first settlement, no child was born on Adams territory.

5. WILLIAM BOND MASON, b. October 12, 1799, Adams Twp. Washington County, Ohio; d. August 06, 1853.

6. SUSAN MASON, b. November 12, 1801, Adams Twp. Washington County, Ohio; d. December 29, 1880, Marion County, Ohio; m. SOLOMON HARDIN, March 19, 1845, Marion County, Ohio; b. January 20, 1792; d. February 07, 1872.

7. ELIJAH MASON, b. November 12, 1803, Adams Twp. Washington County, Ohio; d. October 18, 1878.

8. SIEMON MASON, b. July 07, 1806, Adams Twp. Washington County, Ohio; d. October 18, 1878; m. (1) MARY GILMAN; m. (2) JOANNA CARLETON. Siemon settled in Missouri.

9. ADOLPHUS MASON, b. June 16, 1808; d. December 21, 1886; m. BETSY BALDWIN DEVOL, February 10, 1830, According to Wash. Co., Ohio Marriages1789-1840, they were married by Enoch RECTOR, Baptist Minister/ Adolphus was from Union Twp. and Betsy was from Waterford Twp..

10. SOPHRONIA MASON, b. April 15, 1809, Marietta, Ohio; d. Bef. 1864, Unknown. She married SALMON PARKE on February 10, 1825 in Washington Co. Ohio According to Wash. Co., Ohio Marriages 1789-1840 by Sardine STONE, J.P. of Union Twp. Salmon was from Union Twp. Her name is spelled "Sophonia" in the Marriage

11. CLARINDA MASON, b. March 22, 1810, Adams Twp. Washington County, Ohio; d. July 11, 1848; m. ABNER DEVOL, September 02, 1830, According to Wash. Co., Ohio Marriages1789-1840, they were married by Jeremiah DALE, Pastor of the Marietta Baptist Church. They both were from Adams Twp.; b. Union Twp. Washington County, Ohio. Abner's father was Isaac Devol, of Tiveston, Rhode Island, born Aug. 1774. Isaac married Elizabeth Brownell, of Portsmouth in 1798, and came to Ohio the same year in company with his 2 brothers, Allen and Daniel, 2 sisters, and a widowed mother. He bought a farm on the Muskingum, not far from Big Run. He built on his farm a large stone house, which is still standing. He followed the sea for several yeas previous to his marriage and visited both the East and West Indies. He did Nov. 4, 1851, and his wife 11 years afterward. They were the parents of 11 children. George W. Clarissa, Rebecca, Abner, Richmond, David, Patience, Isaac, Nathan B., Charles M., and Cynthia. They settled as follows; Richmond, in Missouri, Patience, wife of Edmund Morse, in Athens County, and Charles M. in Muskingum Twp. Wash. Co. Charles married Celina M. Olney, and had 5 children-Russell S. who was a professor of mathematics at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, Mary E. married a Cookin Morris, Illinois, Alice D. in Kansas, Silian in Muskingum, and Charles Jr. lived at home.

12. JAMES HENRY MASON, b. January 13, 1812; d. October 07, 1826.

13. ADELPHIA COLBURN MASON, b. April 17, 1814; d. August 01, 1871.

Most of William Bond and Susannah Coburn Mason's family is buried in Mason/Kile Cemetery, Lowell, Adams Township, Washington County Ohio.

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Genealogy And History Of The Family Of Hugh Mason, William Mason And Allied Families, Mary Eliza Mason (1911)

Contributed by: Debbie Noland Nitsche

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