Mason - Paul
Source: New Richmond Record Thursday August 12, 1915
This community suffered a severe shock late Wednesday afternoon of last week when a telegram from Arcadia, Florida brought to the famly here the sad message that Paul Mason had met death in an accident. Nothing more was learned until late that evening when a night wire brought more definite news of the tragic death of a former New Richmond boy.
This message in substance was as follows: Arcadia, Fla - August 4, 8 o'clock p.m. - Paul Mason, a prominent farmer accidently shot himself today. Mr. Mason had gone to a neighbors, Charles Pearce to get some strips that were to be used in preparation of planting peppers and other vegetables. He and Mr. Pearce were in partnership. Before leaving he had place his shotgun in the wagon and thoughtlessly loaded the strips on top of the gun. Before unloading the strips he undertook to remove the gun and in doing so the trigger accidently caught on one of the strips, discharging the gun. The load striking Mr. Mason just back of the right jaw under the ear tearing a large hole between the base of his head and neck, killing him instantly.
His father, Mr. O.W. Mason of New Richmond, Indiana, was immediately notified as was also his wife who is enroute to Arcadia, who will be informed with the sad news at Jacksonville. Additional facts were that Paul was at the home of Mr. Pearce when the accident occurred. Mr. Pearce had gone into his home on some errand, heard the shot and rushed out to find the prostrate form. Death had been instantantenous. The gun was a hammerless double-barrel shotgun. The fatal accident happened at about 8:30 o'clock Wednesday morning. O.W. Mason and his family were quite prostrated over the tragic death of the son, but at once made plans to have the body brought here. Telegrams of instructions were sent to friends of Paul's at Arcadia, and Ed. M. Mason of Crawfordsville left at once for Arcadeia to accompany the remains and the family north. The gravity of the sudden death of Paul Mason was intensified in the fact that his wife and two-year-old son had concluded a two months visit with relatives in New RIchmond had left Crawfordsville Tuesday afternoon to return to their home near Arcadia and were then on the road. Thoughtful friends of the family at Arcadia at once wired Mrs. Mason at Jacksonville that Paul had been shot accidently and they feared it was serious and close friends met her and the young son at Palatka, 50 miles further on and accompanied them on to Arcadia, reaching there Thursday morning. The body was at once prepared for shipment, and early Friday morning Mrs. Mason and son ...
The Barnhill-Templeton Company's auto hearse of Crawfordsville was sent to Indianapolis for the body, the funeral party leaving the city on an early morning traction car for Crawfordsville, arriving in New Richmond shortly after 11 o'clock. The body was taken to the home of OW Mason where it rested until about 2:30 Sunday afternoon and was then taken to the Christian Church. Several hundred persons viewed the remains at the home and at the church prior to the funeral. The casket remained closed after the opening of the funeral service.
The funeral occurred at 3 o'clock at the Christian Church, conducte by Rev. OE Kelley of Terre Haute, assisted by the pastor, Rev. Joseph Myers, Jr. and Rev. HD Dick, pastor of the ME Church. There were many presentations of flowers, from friends of the deceased and his family, showing in but a small measure the esteem in which they are held, and included some very beautiful floral emblems and set pieces. A male quartette composed of IN Miller; IG Meharry; ML Davisson and WW Harriman gave some good sacred numbers and Miss Ethel Stellhorn sang two vocal solos.
The pallbearers were members of the old No. 6 Christian Sunday School class of which Paul was also a member, the six being David Holmes, Earl Waye, Will F. Jones, Grady Chadwick, Claude Nesbitt and Robert McClamrock. THe flower bearers were Mrs. Levi Thomas; Mrs. Robert McClamrock; Mises Grace willis; Edna Rash; Rose Atkinson and Anne Smith; Marion DeVault and Roscoe Plunkett. The interment was made in the New Richmond Cemetery. The following obituary was read at the funeral : Paul Mason, son of Orlando W and Clara Mason was born at the old Mason homestead, 2 1/2 miles north of New Richmond, March 28, 1891; and met an accidental death at Arcadia, Florida, Wednesday morning, August 4, 1915; aged 24 yeaers, 4 months 6 days. He was married to Edna Lucile Batreal April 8, 1911. He is survived by the wife and little son, Richard Cal, age 3; by his parents, three brothers and one sister, Ed M. Mason of Crawfordsville; Ewing and Lee ... low students. He united with the Young's Chapel Christian Church December 1906.
Paul was of a quiet, unassuming disposition, exemplifying all that was strongest and best in our young American manhood. He heard the call of adventure and with the courage of the early pioneers went to the new undeveloped portion of the Southland, to make for his family a home, where he felt the opportunities were greater than in the home state and there spent the last two years of his life. Paul Mason, as a resident of New Richmond, was one of the finest young gentlement and the hundreds of relatives and friends who gathered about his bier Sunday afternoon to pay their last tribute of respect was a mute testimoney of the love and esteem in which he was held. It was probably the largest funeral ever held in New Richmond. The Christian Church was filled to standing room and not the half of the crowd could get within the church. Probably 200 automobiles were parked about town and about the gate of the beautiful little cemetery during the afternoon. There were 71 automobiles the funeral procession from the church to the cemetery.
