Lyman Elbert Mason (1884 - 1953)

Born 15 Apr 1884 in Bicknell, Knox, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Son of Alexander Harrison Mason and Clarissa C (Roberts) Mason

Husband of Maude Elizabeth (Miller) Mason — married 23 Jun 1903 in Alton, Oregon, Missouri, USA

Descendants

Died 23 Feb 1953 at age 68 in Chelsea, Rogers, Oklahoma, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Becky Walker [send private message]

Sources

Both Parents are confirmed by a DNA triangulation from 23andMe between R Mason, his granddaughter; M Fiscus, a descendant of his brother, William; and S Turner, a descendant of his brother Claude. All three share a 24 cMs segment on chromosome 2.

Biography

Lyman Elbert Mason

Birth (Confident)

He is the son of Alexander Mason and Clarissa Roberts with whom he is listed in the 1900 King City, Oregon Co. Missouri census. His date of birth is noted on his headstone.

His parents are confirmed with a triangulated DNA match between R Mason, his granddaughter; M Fiscus, a descendant of his brother, William; and S Turner, a descendant of his brother Claude.

Timeline

- Parents: Alexander Harrison Mason and Clarissa C. Roberts
- Birth: 15 April 1884 in Bicknell, Knox, Indiana, USA
- Spouse: Maude Elizabeth Miller
- Marriage: 23 Jun 1903 in Alton, Oregon, Missouri, USA
- Census: 1900 in King City, Oregon, Missouri, USA
- Census: 1910 in Pine City, Ripley, Missouri, USA
- Census: 1930 in Alluwe, Nowata, Oklahoma, USA
- Census: 1935 in King, McPherson, Kansas, USA
- Census: 1940 in King, McPherson, Kansas, USA
- Draft Card: 1942 in Chelsea, Rogers, Oklahoma, USA
- Death: 23 February 1953 in Chelsea, Rogers, Oklahoma, USA

Marriage (Confident)

Lyman married Maude Elizabeth Miller in 1903. Their marriage is recorded in Oregon Co. MO (book 25, page 244). Their children are listed in Lyman's obituary & Maude's estate settlement except for Willie who died in infancy; Claude who died of a brain tumor in 1942; Henry who died during World War II; and Billy who died in 1946 of diphtheria. Claude, Henry & Billy are buried in Chelsea Cemetery, Rogers Co. OK.

Family Story by son, Harry Mason in 1998

Harry said that his father took good care of the family and that they never went without. In the depression, his father would drill oil wells for double or nothing because he knew if it was a dry well they would not be able to pay anyway.

Harry also said that he was named after Harry Hutchison, an oil field man who had promised his father, Lyman a buggy or wagon if he named his son after him.

Family Story by daughter, Dora Fern Mason(1988) "The Mason Family"

In 1913, Lyman and his younger brother, Noah, spent several months preparing for their move to Oklahoma to join their brother and sister and their families. Lyman and Maude had five small children from the ages of eight years to seven months. Noah and his wife, Nova Riley Mason, had no children. They traveled by covered wagon. Mother's brother, Jim Miller and his family were going along with their wagon. The trip was long and hard. It took seventeen and one-half days to reach their destination.

Many problems were encountered along the way. One was the crossing of a swollen river. Uncle Jim's wagon broke down, with him on one side of the river and his wife on the other. They were forced to turn back. They were not as well prepared for this trip as my father and his brother were. For instance, Dad and Uncle Noah each had mules pulling their wagons and Uncle Jim had horses. The horses were slower than the mules and that caused problems. I cannot imagine the hardships that they endured during that trip with five young children, six adults and three wagons.

After their arrival in Oklahoma, Noah and Nova Mason settled in Alluwe in Nowata County. Lyman and Maude went to Whitehill in Rogers County. They temporarily set up housekeeping in a tent. One night a storm came up and my parents had to stand on the tent to hold it down.

Dad went to work for his brother, Walter, in the oil field. He worked the noon to midnight shift. This lasted for more than a year. The two oldest children, Claude and Mae, started to school in Whitehill. They were in the same grade and continued that way through their high school years. Our family moved to Chelsea in 1914 or 1915. My father purchased a grocery store there and operated it for four or five years. He realized that he needed more than that to support his family.

The grocery store was sold and Lyman purchased cable-tool drilling rigs and went into the business of drilling oil wells. When he moved the drilling rig to a new location, he also moved the family as close to the rig as possible. Commuting was not heard of in those days. We lived in many different locations over the years, but mostly it was within a fifty mile radius. This was very hard on the school age children.

Lyman and Maude had seven boys and seven girls. Their first-born, Willie Elmer died at seven months old, in Missouri. The children in order of birth were; Willie Elmer, Claude, Grace Mae, Verdie, Elbert, Clarissa Hester, Dora Fern, Gladys Pauline, Paul Britt, Luella, Corine, Joseph Henry, Harry Alden and Billy Don.

The Great Depression of the Thirties hit Oklahoma and Dad and Mother were struggling to provide for their large family. Dad sold his drilling rigs and moved his family to McPherson County, Kansas, where an oil boom was going on. We settled in an area called the Voshell Field and Dad went to work for Sinclair Oil Company at the salary of $175.00 per month. That was considered very good wages for that time (1931). It was here that we younger children lived through our formative years.

Farming was in the bloodstream of Lyman and he retired to a small farm near Chelsea, in Rogers County, Oklahoma. They were living there during the years of 1942-1944 when they lost three sons. Claude died in Odessa, Texas of meningitis. Henry was killed during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II and Billy Don died of diphtheria while in his teens. This was very hard on my parents. Also, Dad lost his older brother, Walter, in 1942.

After the Boys died, my parents sold their farm and moved to town. They both died in 1953, Dad on February 23rd and Mother on the nineteenth of December. They missed their fiftieth weeding anniversary by only four months. Survivors included ten children and thirty grandchildren. There are many more grandchildren now. The family has scattered over several states.

Family Story by Becky Mason Walker in 1996

As a grandchild, I have two recollections of my grandfather. The first was sitting on his lap and listening to his watch and the second was sitting in their strawberry patch and eating fresh strawberries. Looking at the year he died, I now realize that I was only 2-3 years old at the time. My mother once told me that someone had wanted to adopt me for a $1000. When I was older, she told me that it was my grandfather. Years later, it was very surprising to see a picture of my grandfather and realize how much my father resembled him.

Death (Confident)

Lyman died 23 Feb 1953 per his head stone in Chelsea Cemetery, Chelsea Oklahoma.