Obit: Mason, Merville P. (1813 - 1898)

Contact:  Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: MASON BULAND PIXLEY BURT

----Sources: NEILLSVILLE TIMES (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 31 Mar 1898

Mason, Merville P. (1813 - 26 MAR 1898)

Merville P. Mason died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Dr. Buland, at Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.), Saturday, March 26, 1898, of heart failure. Some two weeks ago he was taken sick while at Aberdeen, S.D., visiting his son Walter. His condition was telegraphed to his son Milo P. Mason at Davenport, Ia., and Milo hastened to Aberdeen. The father had expressed a wish to die in Wisconsin, but was told he must give up that thought, but later he rallied and looked o well that he was told ten or twelve days ago that he could make the journey. He was brought to Greenwood by Milo, and took to his bed to recuperate. Last Friday he sent for a barber, being full of life, sound of mind and in good spirits, to "get a good hair cut and shave." The barber couldn’t come, however, until Saturday forenoon, when Mr. Mason was propped up in bed and fixed up to his satisfaction, and the barber departed. Mr. Mason died ten minutes later, without pain or distress of any kind, while chatting with those about him. One of his last sentences was characteristic of him, "I believe in the Christ principle - not in the Christ fetish."

Deceased was born at Inverness, Scotland in 1813, coming to this country with his parents when a babe of three years. He lived in Ohio some years, was married to Maria E. Pixley at Geneva, Ohio, coming to Wisconsin territory in the 1840’s, and has lived here since. The family came to Clark County in 1862, and the "Mason place" two miles north of this city is one of the old landmarks. The wife died seven years ago. They had raised a family of sons and daughters as follows: Mrs. Wm. Burt, Mary mason, Milo P., I.W. and Walter Mason. Mrs. Dr. Buland and one daughter is deceased.

When Mr. Mason first came to Wisconsin he taught school at Milwaukee, later living at Portage and Sparta. He was a man of commanding intelligence, ahead of his age in intellectual and religious matters, one of the first anti-slavery agitators, always active and vigorous in all matters and deeply interested in all living subjects, reading the weightiest publications, delighting in forensic debate, for he had a mind that was alert as lightning, a memory that seldom failed him, and a great knowledge of the world’s affairs, past and present, and his deduction for the future were always based on reasonable premises.

For many years he followed the business of a millwright, in which he was most proficient. For his varied learning and breadth of mind he was well entitled to the name of philosopher.

The funeral was held from the Buland home in Greenwood at 9 a.m. Monday, and burial at this city, Rev. T.G. Owen officiating.