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CHARLES WALTER MASON
Vol. 3, p. 1029, 1030

In recent years no more forceful character has impressed itself upon
legal circles of Oklahoma than the county attorney of Nowata County,
Charles Walter Mason. While his methods of procedure have at times
been called spectacular, the fact remains that he has shown himself
possessed of the ability and the desire to discharge well and
faithfully the duties of his office, and that, not yet twenty-eight
years of age, he has already attained a position gained by most men
only after many years of endeavor.

Mr. Mason was born on his father's farm in Monroe County, Ohio,
December 11, 1887, and is a son of Frank and Luella (SHANKLAND)
Mason. His grandparents, George and Martha Mason, were born in
Scotland, and on coming to the United States settled as pioneers in
Monroe County, Ohio, where they cultivated a farm and continued to be
engaged in agricultural endeavors throughout their lives. Their first
home was a log cabin, and although in later years they erected a more
pretentious residence, the old log house still stands on the farm as
a memento of the early days. Of their five sons, Frank was the third
and was born at Woodsfield, Monroe County, Ohio, in 1863. He grew up
in a pioneer atmosphere and assisted his father in clearing the farm
and in its cultivation, in the meantime securing his education in the
public schools. He was only twenty-two years of age when he decided
to try for the office of register of deeds of Monroe County, there
being at that time sixteen other candidates, and won handily,
subsequently succeeding himself and serving in all for seven years.
In 1903 he came to Nowata, Oklahoma and here has since been engaged
in the real estate and abstract business. He is a democrat
politically and in fraternal affairs is identified with the Knights
of Pythias. Mr. Mason married Miss Luella Shankland, who was born at
Summerfield, Noble County, Ohio, in 1867, and three sons have been
born to this union: Charles Walter, Ronald and Claris.

After attending the public schools, Charles W. Mason entered Grant
University, at Chattanooga, Tennessee, and when he had graduated
therefrom became a student in the law department of Washington and
Lee University, being graduated therefrom in 1911 with his degree. He
had come to Nowata with his parents in 1903, and when his college
career was completed returned to this city, where in 1912 he was
appointed city attorney. He served one-half a term, and was later
elected for a full term, but before it was completed resigned to take
up the duties of county attorney of Nowata County, in November, 1914.
A number of interesting incidents attach to his race for this office,
as described in an article which appeared in the St. Louis Globe-
Democrat, of January 3, 1915, from which we quote: "When every body
told him there was 'no use,' that he was too young and should wait
awhile, and that no democrat could defeat the incumbent of the office
of prosecuting attorney of Nowata county, Charles Walter Mason donned
his uniform as leader of the noted saxaphone (sic) band, strapped his
big saxaphone (sic) over his shoulder, made music and speeches during
an exciting campaign and won the election by 347 votes, whereas only
three other democrats were elected and the leader of them by only
thirty-four votes. Imitating the methods of the late Bob TAYLOR of
Tennessee, whom Mason learned to admire while he was a student of law
in Nashville, and making practical some of the methods attributed to
Blackie Daw, a character created by George Randolph Chester for his
series of Wallingford stories, Mason won this fight, as he had won
others, by assembling the crowds with his music, impressing upon them
his striking personality, and making them believe that a change was
needed in the office of county attorney and that he was them man to
fill the bill.

Mason's Scotch-Irish father had politics bred in the bone and son
suffers no lack of the talent by reason of being a generation
removed. The younger Mason has been pulling nearly all his twenty-
seven years to get a foothold in politics, and three times, by sheer
force of will, and the exercise of strategy worthy the emulation of
more doughty politicians, he has succeeded. And he's not done yet,
for if the music in him holds out and his instruments do not lose
their chords, he expects to advance another step in due time. When
the campaign of last spring came on the democratic leaders,
confessing that the republican county attorney had made good and
practically conceding him another term, could find no candidate to
enter the race. They hadn't looked for Mason. He didn't have to be
found by anybody but Mason. "I'll admit,' he says, 'that for the
first time I didn't think I had a chance in politics, and then I got
to thinking of the success of Bob Taylor and of the tactics of my old
friend Blackie Daw. I gathered together the band and started the
campaign. My saxaphone (sic) was a winner nearly everywhere, but once
in a while I reverted to the use of my old national guard bugle to
get the crowds together. At the country schoolhouses I used a smaller
saxaphone (sic). Well, when the election was over, I had won by 347
votes, while the next nearest democratic plurality was that of the
candidate for county judge who received a plurality of thirty-four
votes. That's what I call busting a political band wagon with a
saxaphone (sic).' In this campaign Mason used a freak automobile
also. He took the bed from an old Ford that practically was a wreck
and replaced it with a tin bent into the shape of a cigar, fat in the
middle and running to a point at the ends. When he sat at the wheel
only his head and shoulders were visible above the bulge. The old
mill made a lot of noise, just as Mason had planned it should do, and
before the end of the campaign every body was talking about the
saxaphone (sic) chap riding in a campaign car.

Mr. Mason's service in the county attorney's office is one which has
gained him the respect of the courts and bar and has placed him still
deeper in the confidence of the people. He is a close student of his
profession and belongs to the Nowata County Bar Association and the
Oklahoma State Bar Association. His fraternal connections include
membership in Nowata Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Nowata Lodge No. 1151,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which he is past exalted
ruler; the Fraternal Order of Eagles, of which he is past president;
and the Sigma Phi Epsilon and Delkta Theta Phi, college fraternities,
in all of which he is popular.

Mr. Mason was married December 25, 1914, to Miss Ruth COBBS, who was
born in Kansas.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Lee Ann Collins, December 11, 1999.