Mason, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Mason is a town in Hillsborough County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 1,382 at the 2010 census. Mason, together with Wilton
, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.
upon establishment of New Hampshire
as a separate state in 1741. The town's charter was granted in 1749 by Colonial
Governor Benning Wentworth
, and in 1768 his nephew, Governor John Wentworth
, named it in honor of New Hampshire's founder, Captain John Mason. Captain Mason was the holder of patent with title to the land that became New Hampshire. Greenville
would be set off from Mason in 1872.
Near the town's center is the boyhood home of Samuel Wilson
, the meat-supplier who is believed to have inspired the Uncle Sam
character. The private house is today identified by a state historical marker. Another prominent local figure was Elizabeth Orton Jones
, an author, illustrator and teacher better known as "Twig", instrumental in recording the history of the town. Pickity Place, a local cottage built in 1786, was the model for the grandmother's house in Jones' 1948 illustrated version of Little Red Riding Hood
. It was also the home of Ron Harry, Boston Garden
organist
from 1983–1995 and for the Boston Celtics
in the TD Banknorth Garden
until his death in 2004.
, the town has a total area of 24 square miles (62.2 km²), of which 23.9 square miles (61.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.25%) is water. Mason is drained by Spaulding Brook. The town's highest point is 1100 feet (335.3 m) above sea level
, on an unnamed summit near the border with Greenville.
Mason is bordered by New Ipswich
and Greenville
to the west, Wilton
to the north, Milford
to the northeast, Brookline
to the east, and Ashby
, Massachusetts
and Townsend
, Massachusetts
to the south.
The town is served by state routes 31
and 123
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,147 people, 433 households, and 328 families residing in the town. The population density
was 48.0 people per square mile (18.5/km²). There were 455 housing units at an average density of 19.0 per square mile (7.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.17% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.44% Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 433 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples
living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town, the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,433, and the median income for a family was $61,908. Males had a median income of $43,558 versus $26,042 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $28,503. About 3.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
which is northeast of Mason. Also to the west is Greenville, location of the shared post office. On Depot Road, a kilometer down the hill from town center, is the Volunteer Fire and EMS Department and Town Highway Department.
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 380,841 people, 144,455 households, and 98,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 149,961 housing units at an average density of 171 per square mile...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,382 at the 2010 census. Mason, together with Wilton
Wilton, New Hampshire
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 3,743 people, 1,410 households, and 1,023 families living in the town. The population density was 145.3 people per square mile . There were 1,451 housing units at an average density of 56.3 per square mile...
, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.
History
Mason was first known as Number One, the first in a line of border towns including area allotted to this state by MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
upon establishment of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
as a separate state in 1741. The town's charter was granted in 1749 by Colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
Governor Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth
Benning Wentworth was the colonial governor of New Hampshire from 1741 to 1766.-Biography:The eldest child of the John Wentworth who had been Lieutenant Governor, he was born and died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Wentworth graduated from Harvard College in 1715...
, and in 1768 his nephew, Governor John Wentworth
John Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
, named it in honor of New Hampshire's founder, Captain John Mason. Captain Mason was the holder of patent with title to the land that became New Hampshire. Greenville
Greenville, New Hampshire
Greenville is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,105 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 1,108 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Greenville census-designated place and is located at the junction of New Hampshire...
would be set off from Mason in 1872.
Near the town's center is the boyhood home of Samuel Wilson
Samuel Wilson
Samuel Wilson was a meat-packer from Troy, New York whose name is purportedly the source of the personification of the United States known as "Uncle Sam"....
, the meat-supplier who is believed to have inspired the Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard...
character. The private house is today identified by a state historical marker. Another prominent local figure was Elizabeth Orton Jones
Elizabeth Orton Jones
-Early life:She was born "half past Christmas" in Highland Park, Illinois, to George Roberts Jones, a violinist, and Jessie May Orton, a pianist and a writer. Elizabeth was followed by a brother and a sister...
, an author, illustrator and teacher better known as "Twig", instrumental in recording the history of the town. Pickity Place, a local cottage built in 1786, was the model for the grandmother's house in Jones' 1948 illustrated version of Little Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
. It was also the home of Ron Harry, Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
from 1983–1995 and for the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the TD Banknorth Garden
TD Banknorth Garden
TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, N.A. and is often simply referred to by local Bostonians as, The Garden, The Fleet Center, or the traditional Boston Garden...
until his death in 2004.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 24 square miles (62.2 km²), of which 23.9 square miles (61.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.25%) is water. Mason is drained by Spaulding Brook. The town's highest point is 1100 feet (335.3 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, on an unnamed summit near the border with Greenville.
Mason is bordered by New Ipswich
New Ipswich, New Hampshire
New Ipswich is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,099 at the 2010 census. New Ipswich, situated on the Massachusetts border, includes the villages of Bank, Davis, Gibson Four Corners, Highbridge, New Ipswich Center, Smithville, and Wilder, though these...
and Greenville
Greenville, New Hampshire
Greenville is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,105 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 1,108 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Greenville census-designated place and is located at the junction of New Hampshire...
to the west, Wilton
Wilton, New Hampshire
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 3,743 people, 1,410 households, and 1,023 families living in the town. The population density was 145.3 people per square mile . There were 1,451 housing units at an average density of 56.3 per square mile...
to the north, Milford
Milford, New Hampshire
Milford is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States, on the Souhegan River. The population was 15,115 at the 2010 census. It is the retail and manufacturing center of a six-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley....
to the northeast, Brookline
Brookline, New Hampshire
Brookline is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,991 at the 2010 census. Brookline is home to the Talbot-Taylor Wildlife Sanctuary.-History:...
to the east, and Ashby
Ashby, Massachusetts
Ashby is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,120 as of the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and Townsend
Townsend, Massachusetts
Townsend is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,926 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Townsend, please see the article Townsend , Massachusetts....
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to the south.
The town is served by state routes 31
New Hampshire Route 31
New Hampshire Route 31 is a long north–south state highway in southern New Hampshire. It runs from Mason on the Massachusetts border to Goshen....
and 123
New Hampshire Route 123
New Hampshire Route 123 is a long secondary north–south state highway in southwestern New Hampshire. The southern terminus of the route is at the Massachusetts state line in Mason where, as Valley Road, the road continues as an unnumbered local road in the town of Townsend...
.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,147 people, 433 households, and 328 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 48.0 people per square mile (18.5/km²). There were 455 housing units at an average density of 19.0 per square mile (7.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.17% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.44% Pacific Islander, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 433 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.02.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,433, and the median income for a family was $61,908. Males had a median income of $43,558 versus $26,042 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $28,503. About 3.6% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Town facilities
Mason is immediately north of the Massachusetts border, with the center of town approximately 5 kilometers from the state line. At the center of town are five public buildings: the library, elementary school, meetinghouse, church, and police station, all situated where Darling Hill, Old Ashby, Merriam Hill, Meetinghouse Hill and Valley roads meet. The public middle and high school students are tuitioned to MilfordMilford, New Hampshire
Milford is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States, on the Souhegan River. The population was 15,115 at the 2010 census. It is the retail and manufacturing center of a six-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley....
which is northeast of Mason. Also to the west is Greenville, location of the shared post office. On Depot Road, a kilometer down the hill from town center, is the Volunteer Fire and EMS Department and Town Highway Department.
Notable residents
- F. Ross Holland, Jr.F. Ross Holland, Jr.F Ross Holland, Jr. was an American historian. He is best remembered today for his books on American lighthouses.-Life:...
, historian - Elizabeth Orton JonesElizabeth Orton Jones-Early life:She was born "half past Christmas" in Highland Park, Illinois, to George Roberts Jones, a violinist, and Jessie May Orton, a pianist and a writer. Elizabeth was followed by a brother and a sister...
, children's book author and illustrator - Samuel WilsonSamuel WilsonSamuel Wilson was a meat-packer from Troy, New York whose name is purportedly the source of the personification of the United States known as "Uncle Sam"....
, meatpacker and origin of Uncle SamUncle SamUncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard... - Walter A. WoodWalter A. WoodWalter Abbott Wood was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Mason, New Hampshire, Wood moved to New York in 1816 with his parents, who settled in Rensselaerville...
, congressman