Mason

by Marietta Hedges

When the railroad came through Mason, a depot was built across from the late Effie O'Neill's house on the east side of the railroad.  This was the social center of Mason.  People from all around would gather and wait for the #6, a northbound passenger train.  Although no one was leaving or arriving people still came together because there was nothing else to do.  There was a telegraph office in the depot with Walter Gardner as the operator for eight years.

 There were three doctors in Mason.  Dr. J. B. Alexander lived in a two-story log house located on the lot which Herman Vallandingham now owns.  Dr. J. W. Abernathy also had his office in this vicinity.  Dr. Simpson had his office west of the Baptist Church.

 The first family of Mason was the Gouges who had their homestead where Howard Pickett now lives and the town was first called Gouges.  The gouges brought many slaves with them.  Another homestead was the Harrison Homestead, which is where Robert McGlasson lives.  They had a family cemetery behind their house.  Some of their family died of cholera.

 Bill Beverly, a surveyor for the county and a great leader in the Methodist Church, had the first car in Mason, a Model T Ford.

From a collection of essays written in American Literature Eleven.  The class was taught by Ms. Hazel Ogden of Grant County High School in the 1963-1964 school year, and was typed by the typing classes of Mrs. Mattie Cox.  It is copyrighted by the Grant County Schools, and is used here with their kind permission. We found a copy in UK's King Library.