Silas W. Mason
Silas Wright Mason was a lawyer, politician, and Prohibition Party activist. He was born on November 17, 1841, in Ellery, Chautauqua County, New York.169 He was the son of Luther Martin Mason and Amanda F. (Persons) Mason and was one of twelve children they had.170 He was of Scotts Irish and English descent. His father was a farmer and Millwright.171
He grew up in the town of Harmony, Chautauqua County, New York.172 Silas Mason was educated in public schools until he was 14.
He spent a year working as an insurance salesman, then went on to study at Westfield Academy. During his second year, he spent one term teaching schools. He graduated from Westfield Academy in 1859.173
He spent some time in 1860 working as a professional musician.174 He studied at Bryant and Stratton Business College in Ohio and graduated from there in 1861.175
He then went to Venango County, Pennsylvania, and spend some time being involved in the real estate and oil businesses, before returning to Chautauqua County and coming to live in Westfield, New York by 1863.176
Silas Mason married Amanda F. (Persons) Mason on March 5, 1863. They had three children (one of whom died in infancy): George P. Mason (b.1863-d.1928), Louie Mason (b.1865-d.1865), and Clara M. (Mason) Sears.177
By 1865, Silas Mason had a farm in Westfield. He also was working as a clerk and continued to have some involvement in the oil business.178 Around 1870, he began to read law with attorney Austin Smith. He went to Albany Law School, graduated, and was admitted to the bar in 1872. He then began his career as a lawyer.179 He was a general practice lawyer and became one of the most prominent lawyers in Westfield. He argued a variety of cases, including ones in the New York State Supreme Court.180
In 1875, he served as a Justice of the Peace.181 Silas Mason and his wife Amanda were involved in their community. Both were members of the Presbyterian Church in Westfield. Silas at some point served as a trustee for the church. Amanda had been involved with the church’s missionary and aid society efforts, had been a church organist, and had sung in the church quartet.182
At some point in his time living in Westfield, Silas had been on the local board of education, had been president of the local YMCA, and was a notary public.183 In 1888, he was on the board of trustees of the Westfield Cemetery Association.184
Amanda was a member of the National Daughters of the American Revolution, the National Society of New England Women, the National Society of the U.S. Daughters of 1812, and the Frances Scott Key Memorial Association.185 She was a member of the WCTU and was for some time the president of the Chautauqua County WCTU.186
Silas Mason was a supporter of temperance and prohibition. The Westfield Republican newspaper described him as a pronounced temperance worker, who endorses the sentiment in theory and practice. 187 He delivered speeches at various events in support of prohibitionist policies. He delivered speeches in Westfield, as well as other towns, such as Sherman, New York, and Bradford, Pennsylvania.188 For instance, in 1884, during a discussion on the merits of continuing local prohibition policies in Westfield, Mason spoke in favor of local no license policies, contended that allowing such policies to lapse would make things worse for the community, and spoke in favor of national prohibition.189
“I do not believe in legalizing a wrong. If it is wrong to sell intoxicating liquors as a beverage, then I say refrain from selling it at all”.190 “I believe that the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors should be prohibited by Congress”. 191 While delivering a speech in Bradford, in 1892, Mason argued in favor of prohibitionist policies and for people to vote for the Prohibition Party.
He stated that the Prohibition Party was the only national party that supported prohibition. He spoke against those who voted in favor of legalized alcohol; contending that a man who votes to continue legalized crime shares in the responsibility of those evils. 192
When it came to politics, Silas Mason was a Democrat, before joining the Prohibition Party.193 In 1879, he was the Democratic candidate for Chautauqua County Judge. He reportedly received a relatively large number of votes, but was not elected.194 In 1883, the local Democratic Party nominated him as a candidate for Justice of the Peace. He came in second place with 312 votes (49.05%).195
Mason’s support for prohibition led him to join the Prohibition Party in 1881.196 Silas Mason ran as a Prohibition Party candidate for a variety of state local and state offices. In 1882, he was the Prohibition Party candidate for Chautauqua County Judge.197 In 1884, he was elected Village President of Westfield (though it is uncertain if it was under the Prohibition Party ballot line).198 In 1884, he ran as a Prohibition Party candidate for State Assembly in Chautauqua’s 1st Assembly District. He received 286 votes and 4.43% of the total vote.199 In 1885, he ran the Prohibition Party candidate for town supervisor. He received 70 votes and 12.8% of the total vote.200 In the same year, he was a delegate to the Prohibition Party state convention. And in 1885, he was the Prohibition Party candidate for State Senate. He received 988 votes and 6.99% of the vote.201 Mason’s strongest results were in the towns of Villenova (25.74% of the vote), Mina (22.82%), Westfield (17.46%), and Sherman (15.72%).202
In 1887, ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for state Attorney General.203 Prior to being nominated for Attorney General, he was nominated as the Prohibition Party candidate for Assembly in Chautauqua’s 1st Assembly District. After the Party nominated Mason for Attorney General, G.F. Dickson replaced him as the party’s candidate in Chautauqua’s 1st Assembly District. Dickson received 653 votes 201(13.51% of the vote).204 In the state Attorney General election, Mason received 40,286 Votes and 3.86% of the total vote.205 In 1888, Mason was elected excise commissioner in Westfield. He received 318 votes, while his opponent Hugh C. Stephens received 306 votes.206 In 1889, Mason ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for Justice in the 8th District of the New York State Court of Appeals.207
In 1890, Mason was the Prohibition Party candidate for Justice on the New York State Court of Appeals. Mason received 33,621 Votes: 3.35% of the total vote and 3.45% of the cumulative vote of listed candidates.208 In 1892, Mason ran as a Prohibition Party candidate for three different offices at different points in the year.209 In February, he ran as one of the Prohibition Party candidates for Inspectors of Elections in Westfield’s 2nd Election District. Mason and the Prohibition Party Candidate John R. Fay, ran against two Republican and two Democratic candidates for two Inspector of elections positions. They both received 66 votes, came in 5th and 6th place, and the seats were won by the two Republican candidates.210 In March, Mason ran for Village President of the village of Westfield. He received 147 votes, while the winning candidate E.H. Dickerman received 217.211 In August, Mason was nominated as the Prohibition Party candidate for Chautauqua County District Attorney. The election was held in November. Republican candidate John Woodward won the election, and Mason appears to have come in third place.212 In 1893, he was the Prohibition Party candidate for Justice on the State Court of Appeals. He received 32,849 votes and 2.90% of the total vote.213
After running as Prohibition Party candidate for various offices, Mason continued with his career as a lawyer in Westfield for the remainder of his life.214
In 1896, Democratic Presidential Candidate and prohibition supporter, William Jennings Bryan, delivered a short speech while visiting Westfield. After another resident called for three cheers for Bryan, Mason called for three cheers for Bryan’s wife.215
Mason’s son George and daughter Clara grew up and movie to Florida. His daughter married Harry L. Sears and had two children: Mason O. Sears and George B. Sears.216
In 1917, Mason's wife Amanda was involved with the campaign to establish Women’s Suffrage in New York State.217
Amanda died on May 30, 1926.218 On October 28, 1927, Silas Mason died while at the home of his daughter in Jacksonville, Florida. His son George brought his body back to Westfield, New York and he was buried in the Mason family vault in Westfield Cemetery.219
Sources:
169 “Silas Wright Mason (1841-1927) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave, Accessed June 17, 2021,
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65836215/silas-wright-mason; Obed Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, New York, Ed. Butler F. Dilley, (Philadelphia: John M. Gresham &Co., 1891), https://archive.org/details/biographicalport00dill, 630- 631
170 “Silas Wright Mason (1841-1927) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave; “Silas Wright Mason”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 16, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L24H-2VC
171 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631
172 “Silas Wright Mason”, FamilySearch.org
173 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; “Local Political Aspirants”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 12, 1887, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
174 “Sherman Hurd: United States Census, 1860”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed June 5, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC7V-6H6
175 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631
176 “Silas Wright Mason”, FamilySearch.org; Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631
177 “Silas Wright Mason (1841-1927) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave; “Silas Wright Mason”, FamilySearch.org; “Silas W Mason: New York State Census, 1865”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 16, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNF-JCYZ; Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; “In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926, Accessed, June 13, 2021, “S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927, Accessed, June 14, 2021,
178 “Silas W Mason: New York State Census, 1865”, FamilySearch.org; Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631
179 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; “S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50 Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927 180 “Silas W Mason: New York State Census, 1875”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 16, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNJY-W9R; “Silas Mason: United States Census, 1880”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 16, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZZZ-M8F; “Silas W Mason: United States Census, 1910”. FamilySearch.org, Accessed, June 16, 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M59K-Z9N; Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; “In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926; “S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50 Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927
181 “Silas W Mason: New York State Census, 1875”, FamilySearch.org
182 “In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926; “Presbyterian Notes”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 8, 1924, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
“S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50 Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927
183 “Notaries Public”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), April 1, 1889, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
“S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50 Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927
184 “Local Brevities”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), August 15, 1888, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
185 “In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926
186 “In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926
187 “It will be noticed that the Prohibition ticket has upon it the name of S.W. Mason of this place, for County Judge”,
Westfield Republican. (Westfield, New York), October 11, 1882, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
188 “Social and Personal”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 13, 1892, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
"Good Temperance Rally”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), June 5, 1888, Accessed, June 13, 2021;
“Local Political Notes”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 8, 1884, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
“Of Local Interest”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 28, 1885, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
“License or No License”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 13, 1884, Accessed, June 14, 2021,
189 “License or No License”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 13, 1884
190 “License or No License”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 13, 1884
191 “License or No License”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 13, 1884
192 “Social and Personal”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 13, 1892 193 “It will be noticed that the Prohibition ticket has upon it the name of S.W. Mason of this place, for County Judge”, Westfield Republican. (Westfield, New York), October 11, 1882; “Local Political Aspirants”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 12, 1887
194 “It will be noticed that the Prohibition ticket has upon it the name of S.W. Mason of this place, for County Judge”, Westfield Republican. (Westfield, New York), October 11, 1882
195 “The Vote in Westfield”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 21, 1883, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
196 “Local Political Aspirants”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 12, 1887
197 “Local Political Aspirants”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 12, 1887; “It will be noticed that the Prohibition ticket has upon it the name of S.W. Mason of this place, for County Judge”, Westfield Republican. (Westfield, New York), October 11, 1882
198 “S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50 Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927; “Westfield, Wednesday, Mar 12, 1884”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), March 12, 1884, Accessed, June 14, 2021,
199 The Tribune Almanac and Political Register for 1885, 93; “Local Political Aspirants”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 12, 1887
200 “Prohibition Ticket”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 11, 1885, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
“Town Meetings”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 18, 1885, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
201 “Local Political Aspirants”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 12, 1887; “Statement of the Board of Canvassers of the County of Chautauqua”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), January 27, 1886, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
; “County Prohibitionists”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), September 2, 1885, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
202 Statement of the Board of Canvassers of the County of Chautauqua”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), January 27, 1886
203 The Tribune Almanac and Political Register for 1888, (New York: Greeley & McElrath, 1888), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951002271742s&view=1up&seq=83, 82
204 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; The Tribune Almanac and Political Register for 1888, 82; 91
205 The Tribune Almanac and Political Register for 1888, 82
206 Party Prohibitionists Elected”, The Voice, (New York City, New York), March 15, 1888; “No License: The Result of Town Meetings Here and Elsewhere”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 22, 1888, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
207 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; “Local Brevities”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), October 6, 1889, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
208 Edson, Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chautauqua County, 630-631; The Tribune Almanac and Political Register for 1891, (New York: Greeley & McElrath, 1891), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951002271744o&view=1up&seq=324, 380
209 “Prohibition Nominations”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 10, 1892, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
210 “Prohibition Nominations”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 10, 1892; “It’s A “Wet” Town”. Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), February 17, 1892
211 “Village Election”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), March 9, 1892, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
214 “Silas W Mason: United States Census, 1910”. FamilySearch.org
215 Hon. W.J. Bryan: The Democratic Nominee Stopped Here Ten Minutes”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), August 26, 1896, Accessed, June 13, 2021,“
216“In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926
217 “Equal Suffrage Campaign”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), September 5, 1917, Accessed, June 13, 2021,
218 “In Memoriam: Mrs. Silas Mason”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), July 28, 1926
219 “Silas Wright Mason (1841-1927) - Find A Grave Memorial”, Find a Grave; “Silas Wright Mason”, FamilySearch.org; “S. W. Mason: A Prominent Citizen of this Village for Over 50 Years Passed Away October 20. 1927, in His 87th Year”, Westfield Republican, (Westfield, New York), November 2, 1927
-- Contributed by Jonathan Makeley
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