WHAT'S NEW - 2013
When one of us contributes something to this website, this is where it will be featured so that everyone will know how to find it. Here are the highlights of what was added to the website in 2013:
People

  1. Ida Frances Marshall's recollections of her time in Chicago in the early '50s and her memories of her grandmother Frances Cora Hurd Mason are included with Frances Mason's entry.
  2. Two short videos from Don Mason's 1989 conversation with Lucy Mason in Walden, Colorado are included under Lucy's entry.
  3. An audio recording of Lucy Mason playing her piano at age 91 is included under her entry.
  4. James and Horace Mason's recollections of their childhood on the farm in Downers Grove and the one room schoolhouse they attended are included under their entries.
  5. A video of Shirley Mason recorded by her granddaughter Kate Mason is included under Shirley's entry.
  6. Steve Roberts' recollections of his grandfather Horace Mason are included under both Steve's and Horace's entries.
  7. Ida Frances Marshall's tribute to her mother at Lucy Mason's 1995 memorial service is included under Lucy's entry.
  8. Ida Frances Marshall's Things Remembered is included under her recollections.
  9. Ida Frances Marshall's recollections of Ralph and Norman Mason are included under their entries.
  10. Bob Mason's recollections of his mother Lucy and father Horace from his self-published book "Bred and Raised in North Park" are included under Lucy's and Horace's entries.
  11. David Mason's entries about his trip to Colorado in 1942 are included under his recollections.
  12. An audio recording of David Mason is included under his entry.
  13. Russ Mason's recollections of Jane Mason are included under her entry.
  14. Russ Mason's story about the time he burglarized a house in Park Ridge, IL is included under his recollections.
  15. Russ Mason's recollections of working at the Jefferson Ice Factory are included under his entry.
  16. A 1987 magazine article, which was shared by Susan Marshall Bleser, about Charles (Chuck) Little's paintings is included under his entry.
  17. A picture of John Mason studying trumpet with Dizzy Gillespie along with John's recollections of this event are included in his music section.
  18. Several pictures of Shane and James Roberts, including some photos of James' art, are included under their entries.
  19. Several pictures of Grant and Caroline Bleser, as well as their parents Mike and Susan, are included under their entries.
  20. Several pictures of Neil and Kate Mason, including links to web pages related to Neil's music career, are included under their entries.
  21. There is a link to a web page about the gravesite of the first Ziba Hurd (1785-1854), as well as a biography of his years in Castile, NY, under his entry.
  22. There is a link to a web page about the gravesite of Norman G. Hurd (1808-1896), as well as his recollections of life in Castile, NY, under his entry.
  23. There is a picture of the second Ziba Hurd (1837-1908), as well as Florence Roberts' recollections about him, under his entry.
  24. There are several photographs under 'Family Occasions - Group Pictures'.

Places

  1. There is information about our family's connection to Wisbech, England, which was home to several generations of Howards, and photographs and video of Russ Mason's 2009 visit there.
  2. There is a photograph of the Hurd house in Castile, NY, an extensive biography of Ziba Hurd's life there, and a link to a web page about the early history of Castile.
  3. There are photographs of the Hurd house in Woodbury, CT.
  4. There are documents related to the purchase of the Adams Street house in Chicago in 1893.
  5. There are photographs and stories about the Masons' Fairview Farm near Downers Grove, IL, including an interview with James Mason about growing up there and the one room schoolhouse he attended with his brothers.
  6. There are photographs of the Mason farm in Barrington, IL, as well as documents related to its purchase in 1958.
  7. There are photographs of Dave & Shirley Mason's house in Park Ridge, IL from the 1950s.
  8. There are photographs of Malcolm & Florence Little's house in Western Springs, IL.
  9. There are photographs and other information about Oak Hill Cemetery in Downers Grove, IL, where several family members are buried.
  10. There is a photograph and some recollections of the Marshalls' house in Northbrook, IL.
  11. There are photographs of the Mason brothers' Colorado homestead and of Horace and Lucy Mason's house in Walden, CO.
  12. There are photographs of the Bobb Inn in British Columbia, where Don Mason lived with some of his friends for several years after college.

Events

  1. There are pictures and video segments from the 2009 Mason family reunion at George Williams College in Wisconsin.
  2. There are numerous pages from Horace, James and David Mason's 1912-1916 McKinley High School yearbooks.
  3. There are lots of pictures of Jim and Dave Mason in France during World War One, and a portrait photo of Horace Mason in uniform.
  4. David Mason's letter from France to his mother in Chicago during the First World War is included as a part of his entry under World War One.
  5. Photographs taken by David Mason during and after the First World War are included as a part of his and his brother Jim Mason's entries under World War One.
  6. Photographs of David Mason's First World War medals and souvenirs are included under his World War One entries.
  7. There are several pictures of Bob Mason taken during World War Two.
  8. There are several pictures of Dick Roberts taken during World War Two.
  9. There are pictures of David Mason at the War Production Board during World War Two.
  10. There is a picture of Korean War veteran Carl Hanke in uniform.
  11. There are several documents related to Daniel Hurd's enlistment in the Vermont militia during the Revolutionary War.
  12. Noteworthy milestones of family members are shared on the 'Current Events' page.
Recent Events
NOTES & POINTERS
  • You can click on any photograph to make it larger. An iPad or similar device is also great for enlarging pictures and documents to make them easier to see or read.
  • Captions can be added to any photo, so if you want to add or correct a caption, let us know. ​
  • The overall structure of this website is very flexible and easily modified, so don't hesitate to make suggestions about how to improve it.
  • We've made a start on adding all the names listed on Florence Roberts' gigantic family tree that John Mason shared with us at the Wisconsin family reunion, and eventually we'll all be listed under 'People'. Please let us know if we've forgotten someone you think should have an entry (or even better, write a little something about that person for us to add).
  • There's so much we don't know. We're really looking forward to learning more about our family from all of you, and hope you enjoy discovering new things about our family's history as well.