Robert Mason
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Robert James Mason (1843 - 1917)

Mr Robert James "RJ" Mason
Born in Corryong, Victoria, Australiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 17 Mar 1873 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australiamap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 74 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australiamap
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Profile last modified | Created 3 May 2013
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Contents

Biography

Obituary of Robert James Mason from the Wangaratta Chronicle:

DEATHS OF OLD IDENTITIES. MR R. J. MASON.


At one o'clock yesterday morning Mr. Robert James Mason died at his home "Lyola," Rowan street, Wangaratta, after an illness extending over 18 months, the last eight of which he was confined to his bed. At internal complaint was the cause of death. Mr. Mason was one of the best known identities of these parts, and after 59 years' residence on his "Fairfield Park" property at Hanson South, he moved into Wangaratta four years ago, taking up his residence at "Lyola," and intending to enjoy a rest from active work that was well deserved. Fate, however, decreed otherwise, and in February of the following year, 1914, Mrs Mason died from a paralytic stroke. This wa a terrible blow to the husband who never got over the loss of his life partnerm and in the latter end of 1915 his health commenced to become impaired, and death came as a happy release to his sufferings.


Mr. Mason was born on 26th March 1843, at Biggeree Station, on the Upper Murray, and was therefore 74 years of age. His father landed in Sydney from England in 1827, and his mother was the first white woman on the Upper Murray River - they settled at Biggeree Station (Corryong) in 1837, and members of the family were the first white natives of the district. In 1855, and when only 12 years of age, Mr Mason arrived with his parents on the Fifteen Mile Creek, Greta. Wangaratta at that time, as Mr. Mason remembered it, was only a settlement of a few huts, and the first bridge across the Ovens River was being completed. Settlement in the country was also scanty, and Mr. Mason used to speak interestingly of the early day events. A story of his 60 years reminiscences of this district was published in "The Chronicle" in October, 1913, and the following facts are taken therefrom: - Mr. Mason and his father stopped at Mr. J. Evans' the night after leaving Wangaratta, and with him, next day (1854) went to inspect "Bungamero," which Mr. Mason's father did not approve of. On the suggestion of Mr. Evans they travelled across to Greta and inspected the Fiftenn Mile Creek Station, which was for sale, and Mr. Mason, senr., considering it a good property, decided to purchase it. On account of the wet weather they stopped at Holloway's Hotel, Greta, for two days, and saw the North-Eastern mail carried past on pack-horses, the coaches being stuck up in the heavy roads. At this time the main Sydney road went round by Greta. The Mason family started for Fifteen Mile Creek, bringing 953 head of cattle and 133 horses across with them. Trouble was experienced in holding the stock, which endeavoured to break away during the night; but every hoof was safely landed. The journey over occupied three weeks. For the next 18 months the cattle were very restless. There were no dividing fences in existance in those days, bullocks and horses frequently got away, necessitating long and rough journeys for the members of the family who went in search of them. Some of Mr. Mason's horses and cattle found their way back to Corryong, while others were picked up in the Wangaratta pound. Things went along merrily at Fifteen Mile Creek station under the new owner and prosperous times loomed ahead. The prices given for fat cattle were very low, bullocks that turned the scales at 8cwt, fetching £4. As they were heavily stocked Mr. Mason decided to open a butcher's shop at Benalla, and placed his son, R. J. Mason, in charge. Prime roast beef was sold at 2d per lb., rump steak and undercut at 3d, and other pieces at proportionate prices. Mr. Mason's made the fifth butcher's shop in Benalla at the time, but 12 months after only two existed - R. Mason's and T. Fleming's. Two years later the business was disposed of, and Mr. Mason, then 21 years of age, went home to manage the station for his father who died two some years later respected and esteemed by everyone acquainted with him.

The country was sparsely populated, the nearest neighbours being many miles away. In 1864 Mr. Forge built a hotel at Greta in opposition to Holloway's. In 1865 the first race meeting as held at Greta and was carried out in the vacinity of Forge's Hotel. They raced then for the honour and glory of winning. Mr. Mason had a couple of good hacks, and won two events during the day riding them to victory himself. The door of the hotel operated as the judge's box. Mr. Mason was also a noted buckjump rider, and would travel many miles to ride a horse that was classed as an outlaw. On one occasion, accompanied by a number of followers, he went across to "Cocked Hat" station near St. James to ride a reputed outlaw, and suceeded in mastering the horse. Mr. John Evans, the present squire of "Redcamp," was also a great horseman of those days, and together they did some fine bush work when mustering stock on the rough country. Mr. Mason considered a better stockman than Mr. Evans was not to be found in the country at that time. On Fifteen Mile Creek 126 cows were milked by four men, and large quantities of cheese and butter were made and sold on the diggings at Wangaratta to Messrs Dunlop and Lamont for £88, and also received £18 per ton of potatoes. He took 60 head of horses overland to Melbourne, and they were sold through Campbell's bazaar, by the late Mr. Campbell senr., for from £2 to £13 each, prices being rediculously low at that time. When the stations were broken up under the 1870 Land Act, settlement rapidly took place in the district, and Mr. Mason had neighbours living only eight miles away.

Mr. Mason continued to add to his original half section block of 320 acres by buying out farms around him until "Fairfield Park" embraced 2000 acres of some of the best land in the Greta district. In 1878 he married Miss E. K. Whitty, of Moyhu, and of a family of 13 reared 11 children, nine of whom married. He was on several occasions approached to stand for the Oxley Shire Council, but declined, deciding to devote his time and attention to the furtherance of his own affairs. He followed mixed farming and horse breeding with success. He grew some excellent tobacco leaf. His first experience with tobacco was rendered unprofitable owing to the plants being attacked with blue mould, but the next year when he put in only 5 1/4 acres (a fifth of what he put in the first year) he obtained a good crop and received 1s a lb for the leaf, and collected £498. He grew tobacco for about 30 years with varying success. He also harvested some fine crops of what and oats, and drew some big milk cheques. Mr. Mason was a lover of a good horse, and also a good judge of horses. For 30 years he acted as a judge of blood horses, hacks and hunters at numerous shows in Victoria and N.S.W., including the Royal Show. He was one of the originators of the Greta and Moyhu Race Clubs (starting in the seventies), and held the position of President, treasurer, judge, handicapper, etc., in turn. He raced a hack at the Wangaratta races in 1856. The blood sires that he owned included Stockman and Fenian by Dolo (imp.), the latter being out of Wild Irish Girl, a well known steeplechase mare raced by the late Mr. Ben Warby, Taminick; Touchstone, sire of the dam of Vanguard. He purchased Whalebone in Queensland, and he won 11 races with him, defeating the renowned Buzzi over the fences at Benalla and Moyhu, thereby causing great excitement. Makado II, sire of Yum Yum, was another successful sire owned by Mr. Mason. He also owned draght sires British Admiral and Lord Harrington and the roadster Zabdass. He owned some fast horses in his time, and also some successful hurdle racers. The name of R. J. Mason was always connected with clean racing, and horsesrunning under his colours were triers every time whether he rode them himself or not. Robinhood, Tipmit, Chancellor, Steersman, Lantern, Mora, Telegraph, Touchstone, Whalebone, and others were amongst the best he owned. He won some big races including £80 Handicap at Bright with Aruma. (Tom Lloyd, of Greta, being in the saddle), £40 Steeplechase at Avenel with Lantern. Aruma also won a handicap of £25 over three miles, run at Violet Town.

The late Mr. Mason was held in high esteem by an extensive circle of acquaintances. His upright and unblemished life winning admiration and friends for him in all sides. His was a useful life, and up to three years ago there was no more active a man for his years than Mr. Mason. He is survived by six sons, four daughters and 16 grandchildren, the members of the family being:- Messrs John R. and Hubert Mason, Wangaratta; Percy, Richmond; Leslie, Nagamble; Bert, Albert Park; and Lieut. Chas. Mason, on active service; Mesdames O. Gray, Nagambie; W. Silvey, Caulfield; M. Barbeta, Surrey Hills, and Sister Mary Blandina (Ruby) of Potts Point Convent, Sydney. Brothers and sisters of the deceased are - Messrs Ben Mason (Hanson South), John Mason (Benalla), Thomas Mason (Rockview, N.S.W.), Mrs Neil (Deniliquin), Mrs. O'Dwyer (Junee), Mrs T. Skelton (Benalla), and Miss Eliza Mason, Hanson South. The remains will be interred at Benalla to-day beside those of his late wife. Mr. Mason's father and mother are also buried in Benalla cemetery. The funeral arrangements are in the hands of Mr. T Laidler.


Name

Robert James Mason [1]

Birth

26 Mar 1843
Corryong, Victoria, Australia[2]

Death

26 Oct 1917
Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia[3]

Marriage

St. Patrick's Catholic Church
17 Mar 1873
Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia[4]

Sources

  1. Wangaratta Chronicle
  2. Wangaratta Chronicle
  3. Wangaratta Chronicle
  4. Wangaratta Chronicle
  • Wangaratta Chronicle

Title: Wangaratta Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Author: Wangaratta Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Publication: Wangaratta Chronicle (Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Repository: Name: National Library of Australia Phone Number: +61 (0)2 6262 1111 Address: Parkes Place Canberra ACT 2600 Australia www.nla.gov.au trove.nla.gov.au

  • North-eastern Ensign. (1890, May 2).

The North Eastern Ensign (Benalla, Vic. : 1872 - 1938), p. 2. Retrieved May 1, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70082437

At the meeting of the Moyhu Rail way League, which was held after the public meeting at Mrs. Whitty's hotel, last Saturday evening, one of the speakers - Mr. P. Byrne - is reported by a Wangaratta paper to have said that people from Benalla packed the meeting, and that they had come to the meeting for that purpose. The statement is quite groundless. We have it on good authority that the only per sons from this district who attended the meeting were Mr J. Bell, Mr R. J. Mason and a reporter of a local paper. It has also been said that there was not a solitary repre sentative from Winton or Kilfera, and that the meeting was "packed" soley by King River residents and its imme diate neighbourhood.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Lauren W for creating WikiTree profile Mason-3317 through the import of Silvey Family Tree.ged on May 1, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Lauren and others.






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