SYLVANUS MASON

It gets really interesting from here on....so far we have studied

Lemmie Sylvanis Mason,

Marion Francis Mason,

Sylvanus “Vane” Mason and now on to ….

SYLVANUS MASON

Sylvanus Mason was born in 1814 in Hyde, North Carolina to Mary and Thomas. Wow 1814!!!

Keep in mind we are relying a lot on census to track families from now on. Also usually there were big families back then with no birth control so lots to track. Are you ready to follow the trail left? I hope this may even spur you on to look into it yourself because much of it is a puzzle to put together. If I don't have it put together perfectly excuse me (my disclaimer).

We pick up on Sylvanus when he marries Louisa McMun on August 11, 1839 in Franklin, Illinois. Louisa was born in 1815 but it looks like she passed away in 1848. They had two children Simeon in 1847 and Charity in 1848. You have to wonder if she passed away from childbirth.

Father did not wait six years to remarry (remember that is what his son did?). Sylvanus married Elizabeth Clemons in her father's living room July 31, 1849 in Washington, Missouri. She had been married before also. They went on to have many children, even a set of twins. This is the line we come through.

In the 1840 census Sylvanus was in Franklin, Illinois. Census taken at that time were only interested in how many free white people in the family and how many non white there were. Hard to believe in the world we live in. Thank goodness that is in the past!

1850 census finds the Mason family in Reynolds, Missouri. 1860 they are in Black River, Missouri. Sylvanus is 46 by now with many children. Real Estate value is at 900 and Personal Estate 300. Can you imagine how much money that was back then? His son Sylvanus that we also come from was only 3 then. 1870 Census the family is in Linn, Dent, Missouri. His occupation is listed as a Mill Right. Real Estate value 1600 and Personal Estate value 1000. So interesting the things they track. What do they track now? Finally the 1880 census the family is in Newton, Shannon, Missouri. This is only four years before he died. This year they tracked where his mother and father were born (North Carolina). His occupation is shown as a farmer. I guess there was no social security then. He is 70 when he passes away in Missouri.

I don't know how many of you do the DNA through Ancestry. I find it most interesting that from Sylvanus there are 33 DNA matches for me.....through Sylvanus (Vane)....Henry, Lucinda, Mary and Desea. Pretty cool. If any of you are on Ancestry it is a wonderful place to track everything. I have our family tree on it and you can see all the census yourself. Family Tree Maker is another great program I use to keep track of everything.

See we are so far away there are no family stories to pass on. Let's not let that happen with us! We can deduct that Sylvanus modeled this perseverance and determination to his son. As a farmer and a Mill Wright he was able to support many children. I'm sure all those children helped him on the farm. Children were helping in big families with so many things. There were many children to play with but also help in so many ways! We are so far away from children pitching in to make it.