James W. Mason | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 1841 |
| Died | November 1874 (aged 32–33) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Parent | Elisha Worthington |
James Worthington Mason (c. 1841 – November 1874) was a state senator, sheriff, and postmaster in Arkansas. In 1868 he was one of the first six African Americans to serve in the Arkansas House. [1] He also served in the Arkansas Senate [2] and was the first African American postmaster in the United States. [3]
Early life
James W. Mason was born in about 1841 in Chicot County, Arkansas. [4] His father, Elisha Worthington, was a Kentucky-born large landowner and the owner of the Sunnyside Plantation in Chicot County. [4] His mother was an African slave owned by his father. [4] As a result, he was a mulatto. He had a sister, Martha. They were both recognized by their father, and they studied at Oberlin College in Ohio. [4] He also studied in France. [4]
Career
Mason was appointed as the postmaster of Sunnyside in 1867, becoming the first documented African-American postmaster in the United States. [4] [5]
He served as a member of the Arkansas Senate from 1868 to 1869. [4]
He was appointed as Consul General to Liberia on March 29, 1870. [6] However, he failed to fill the position. [4]
He served in the Arkansas Senate a second time, from 1871 to 1872. [4] He then served as the Sheriff of Chicot County from 1872 to 1874. [4] In the summer of 1873, he was arrested under the suspicion of inciting a race war in the county. [4] The judge, Colonel John A. Williams, dismissed the trial. [4]
Personal life
He married Rachel, who was also of mixed race. [4] They had a daughter, Fannie. Mason died in late November 1874. [4]
References
- ^ "Black History Month 2021".
- ^ "Minorities in the Arkansas Senate".
- ^ "African American Postal Workers in the 19th Century" (PDF). About: Postal People. United States Postal Service. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n James W. Mason (1841–1875), The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
- ^ Deanna Boyd, Kendra Chen, The History and Experience of African Americans in America’s Postal Service, National Postal Museum
- ^ U.S. Department of State: Office of the Historian
 | This article about an Arkansas politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1840s births
- 1874 deaths
- People from Chicot County, Arkansas
- Postmasters from Arkansas
- Arkansas state senators
- African-American state legislators in Arkansas
- African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era
- 19th-century American legislators
- Oberlin College alumni
- African-American sheriffs
- Arkansas sheriffs
- Arkansas politician stubs
James W. Mason | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Born | c. 1841 |
| Died | November 1874 (aged 32–33) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Parent | Elisha Worthington |
James Worthington Mason (c. 1841 – November 1874) was a state senator, sheriff, and postmaster in Arkansas. In 1868 he was one of the first six African Americans to serve in the Arkansas House. [1] He also served in the Arkansas Senate [2] and was the first African American postmaster in the United States. [3]
Early life
James W. Mason was born in about 1841 in Chicot County, Arkansas. [4] His father, Elisha Worthington, was a Kentucky-born large landowner and the owner of the Sunnyside Plantation in Chicot County. [4] His mother was an African slave owned by his father. [4] As a result, he was a mulatto. He had a sister, Martha. They were both recognized by their father, and they studied at Oberlin College in Ohio. [4] He also studied in France. [4]
Career
Mason was appointed as the postmaster of Sunnyside in 1867, becoming the first documented African-American postmaster in the United States. [4] [5]
He served as a member of the Arkansas Senate from 1868 to 1869. [4]
He was appointed as Consul General to Liberia on March 29, 1870. [6] However, he failed to fill the position. [4]
He served in the Arkansas Senate a second time, from 1871 to 1872. [4] He then served as the Sheriff of Chicot County from 1872 to 1874. [4] In the summer of 1873, he was arrested under the suspicion of inciting a race war in the county. [4] The judge, Colonel John A. Williams, dismissed the trial. [4]
Personal life
He married Rachel, who was also of mixed race. [4] They had a daughter, Fannie. Mason died in late November 1874. [4]
References
- ^ "Black History Month 2021".
- ^ "Minorities in the Arkansas Senate".
- ^ "African American Postal Workers in the 19th Century" (PDF). About: Postal People. United States Postal Service. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n James W. Mason (1841–1875), The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture
- ^ Deanna Boyd, Kendra Chen, The History and Experience of African Americans in America’s Postal Service, National Postal Museum
- ^ U.S. Department of State: Office of the Historian
|
| This article about an Arkansas politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1840s births
- 1874 deaths
- People from Chicot County, Arkansas
- Postmasters from Arkansas
- Arkansas state senators
- African-American state legislators in Arkansas
- African-American politicians during the Reconstruction Era
- 19th-century American legislators
- Oberlin College alumni
- African-American sheriffs
- Arkansas sheriffs
- Arkansas politician stubs