Mary C. Mason, whose maiden name was Wheeler, was born in Willsboro, Essex County, New York, about 1822–1825. She first appeared in the 1850 U.S. Federal Census living in Elizabethtown with her husband, Lafayette Mason, and their children, John and Jane. Over the next several decades, census records documented the growth of the Mason family as they welcomed additional children while continuing to build their lives in the North Country. Throughout these records, Mary’s racial classification changed repeatedly—from Black to mulatto, white, and back again—illustrating the inconsistencies and complexities of nineteenth-century census documentation.
During the 1850s and 1860s, Mary remained in Elizabethtown while her family expanded to include George, Lewis, Frances, Thirza, Orpha, Phoebe, Caroline, Fanny, and Margaret. The household also included boarder Moses Gerrish for many years. Although the historical record contains discrepancies regarding the presence of some children, such as John and Jane, these variations were common in nineteenth-century census records and may reflect temporary living arrangements, recording errors, or other family circumstances.
Following the Civil War, Mary accompanied Lafayette as the family joined the westward migration that brought many New Yorkers to the Midwest. By 1870 they had settled in Vernon Springs, Howard County, Iowa, where Mary’s name was recorded as “May” and she was listed as a housekeeper. After Lafayette’s death in 1879, Mary continued west to the Dakota Territory before eventually settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 1900 U.S. Census recorded her living with her son Lewis and his family, noting that only one of her children was still living.
Mary’s final census appearance came in the 1905 Minnesota State Census, where she was listed as Mary C. Mason. She died on July 28, 1907, and was buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. Her life reflects the experiences of a nineteenth-century North Country family shaped by migration, military service, and changing social attitudes toward race. While the surviving records contain numerous inconsistencies regarding her age, birthplace, and racial identity, they collectively preserve the story of a woman whose life spanned nearly a century of American history.