The Sentinel-Record, Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Sunday Morning January 10, 1932 Page Three
"PEACE AT THE END OF THE ROAD" TO COUPLE ON 65TH ANNIVERSARY"
A golden wedding anniversary is something most couples look forward to, and count themselves extremely fortunate to celebrate together:
but their golden wedding is simply a pleasant event fifteen years in the past to Mr. and Mrs. David Mason, 224 Pecan street. On Thursday,
January 14, Mr. And Mrs. Mason will quietly celebrate their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary. Few, indeed are the married couples living to celebrate this happy event together. He is 92; she is 82. And that is not all. They have five living children, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. On Thursday, many of these
descendants will gather at the Pecan street home, "for a little dinner; just a homey affair." Mr. And Mrs. Mason have lived a life worth while. Long life; their offspring are good, sturdy citizens; loyalty to country; peace at the end of the road; what more could a couple ask? How could they contribute more to the welfare of these
United States?
Civil War Veteran
Mr. Masons proudest boasts is that he fought with the northern forces during the Civil was; next to that, he is proud that he was a farmer until he was 80 years old. On these subjects, Mr. Mason said: "Yes, there were some great battles. But war is gone forever, now, and I am glad of it." "I was a farmer until I was 80 years old. And if I could work, I'd be on the farm now." Mr. Mason was with Company F,
42nd Indiana Regiment. As far as he knows, he said, he is one of two yet living out of the company of 130. Lookout Mountain, Battle of Chickamauga; Stone River; Missionary Ridge, and with Sherman from Atlanta to the Sea-all these and more,
can Mr. Mason re-live in memory. "It was at Stone River," he said, "that a bullet tore through my brothers right foot, and that same bullet took a nick out of my right ear. We were lying on the scrimmage line, just before going into battle. That bullet put my brother out of the war and crippled him for life, but I went through unscathed, except for that nick in the ear." My brother is now dead. In fact, Mr. Mason is the only one of a family of eleven yet living, and Mrs. Mason, formerly Ellen Deter, is the only one yet living of a family of ten. They were born and reared in adjoining counties in Indiana. They met after the war was over, and were married at Spurgeon, Indiana, January 14, 1867.
Rode Horseback to Wed
"We rode horseback through the snow to the home of Squire Eldridge Hopkins," Mrs. Mason recalled. "He was also a United Baptist preacher." They came to Arkansas twenty years ago. They farmed eight years in Drew County, and since then have been retired, living in Hot Springs. The oldest child is Charles Mason, living in Hot Springs. He is 64. He has two children, both married. Perry who
lives in Little Rock, and Mabel who lives in Booneville, Indiana. Perry has two children, and Mabel has one. Next is Floyd Mason, age 61. He lives in Oaklawn. He has one son, Freeland Mason who lives at home. Mrs. Cora Wickham, age 58, of Norcatur, Kansas, is now on a visit to her aged parents. Ordinarily, the couple live alone. Mrs. Wickham has two sons, Floyd and Carl Shepard. Carl being in Oklahoma
City, and Floyd at home. Tillman H. Mason, age 55, the fourth child, lives on St. Louis Avenue. He has three children, Mildred, married and living in Dallas, and Madge and Morman, living at home. Mildred has one child. The fifth child is Mrs. Nora Beatty, 53, Oakland City, Indiana, who has two children, on in Evansville, Indiana and one at home.
A Big Surprise
Not satisfied with rearing five children of their own Mr. And Mrs. Mason took another infant to rear when his mother died when the child was born. And that lad turned out to be the biggest surprise of their lives. At 30, he weighed 514 pounds. He was about 26 when he joined a show. He has not been heard from in years. He was known as Evert Mason, though never legally adopted. Mr. And Mrs. Mason have no special rule for health. They "eat, anything" and enjoy it. Mr. Masons eyesight and hearing are failing, but he is still spry. He takes a walk every day. Mrs. Mason said she has her "second eyesight" and does not use spectacles any more.
