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Terry Mason's Family History Site55,914 names. Major lines: Allen, Beck, Borden, Buck, Burden, Carpenter, Carper, Cobb, Cook, Cornell, Cowan, Daffron, Davis, Downing, Faubion, Fauntleroy, Fenter, Fishback, Foulks, Gray, Harris, Heimbach, Henn, Holland, Holtzclaw, Jackson, Jameson, Johnson, Jones, King, Lewis, Mason, Massengill, McAnnally, Moore, Morgan, Overstreet, Price, Peck, Rice, Richardson, Rogers, Samuel, Smith, Taylor, Thomas, Wade, Warren, Weeks, Webb, Wodell, Yeiser. |
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1Frank McKamie Mason, Homesteads in the Toledo American Settlement, 1985. "Brother James at age 10 went to Knoxville, Tenn. home of Auntie Ria. Massey."
2U.S. Social Security Death Index. "SSN: 411-05-1917
Born: 15 Jun 1911
Died: 26 Jun 1990 State (Year)
SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951 )."
1Frank McKamie Mason, Homesteads in the Toledo American Settlement, 1985. "Sister Eulah at age 11 went to an aunt in S.C. and later to Knoxville."
2U.S. Social Security Death Index. "SSN: 225-28-0428
Last Residence: 23227 Richmond, Henrico, Virginia, United States of America
Born: 24 Mar 1913
Died: Oct 1984 State (Year)
SSN issued: Virginia (Before 1951 )."
1Frank McKamie Mason, Homesteads in the Toledo American Settlement, 1985. "Brother Harry went to Knoxville in 1933."
2U.S. Social Security Death Index. "SSN: 410-42-9910
Born: 4 Dec 1914
Died: 8 Jun 1980
State (Year) SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951 )."
1Frank McKamie Mason, Homesteads in the Toledo American Settlement, 1985. "1. Forest Home - Home of Rev. Levi Pearce who came with wife, Maria and children Bennet, Mary, Dr. Harry, Dr. Frank, Julia and Levi IV in 1867. Parthenia Pearce Becton, daughter from a previous marriage, who had lost her husband in the war also came. A sugar cane mill was operated with the help of sons, Harry and Frank. This was the home of Harry Pearce and later went to his son Magruder.
2. Forest Home Church and School - Rev. Pearce in 1874 in order to perform the marriage of daughter, Julia to James R. Mason, established a Wesleyan Church and became a marriage officer. A school and graveyard were begun on land given by Rev. Pearce. The 1945 hurricane blew down Forest Home house, the church and the school. The church and school were rebuilt at Shinn Cottage.
3. Forest Home Village - Soon after the hurricane Magruder Pearce donated 40 acres at Shinn Cottage to be the nucleus of Forest Home Village.
4. Eldridge - The Eldridges, Early settlers, left after two[10] years. Rev Levi bought Eldridge and before 1979 built a home for son Dr. and wife, Annie Pearce. After practicing medecine on Kentucky for a year, Dr. Frank returned to Toledo with his wife and her brother, James Mason, my grandfather. Later Dr. Frank built his own cane mill and still at Eldridge. The rum caused a family rift. Younger brother Levi refused to transport the rum to Belize on his boat. Dr. and Mrs Pearce moved to Sarasota, Fla. and Magruder's brother Lee (Levi) took over Eldridge and the brothers made sugar as partners. Later they cut mahogany and ran a sawmill. Lee died in 1960.
5. Eldridge Village - Was established about 1980 and a community center has been built. Part of the Eldridge home was fixed up as a church in 1983. After one service had been held, vandals burned it.
6. West Moreland - Betty Mason Moore, sister of Annie Pearce and James Mason brought her 5 children to Toledo about 1878. Ella, the oldest married Levi Pearce IV and lived at Fairview. Sons Peter Mason and Charlie lived at West Mooreland and never married. Tom married Anna Johnston. They lived at Refuge and later Rocky Run. Children were Wallace, Anita Kelly ??hem Gillan and Douglas. The family went to USA about 1930. James married Daisy Halliday (Died before our time).
7. Tropic home - Now known as "Old Rancho" was the home of early settler Theodore A. Watrous and son, Will. Will's son Theodore T. Watrous married Bessie, daughter of Dr. Frank Pearce. Theodore Built a new home (El Dorado) East of Old Rancho and cane mill powered by a 1 cylinder semi-deisel engine. When the sugar market fell apart he started a successful mahogany cutting business. In 1932 the Watrouses moved to Sarasota, Fla. to join Bessie's parents, Dr. Frank Pearce. The 2400 acre El Dorado land was taken over by the government and has been parceled out to the local people for raising crops.
8. Fairview - Home of Levi IV and Ella Moore Pearce and children, Bennett, Lawson, Mason, Levi V, Lois, Charles H. (died as an infant) & Harry Francis. This was a large building with many bedrooms to accomodate the family and visitors. During the period 1909-1924 my aunt Maria brought several groups of school teacher friends for summer vacations. My mother, Eulah Hartley met my father this way. Bennet Pearce met and later married Julia Chestor. For entertainment the visitors went horseback riding and made overnight visits to the nearby bays for fishing and swimming. Levi IV made his money with sugar and cattle. He later cut mahogany. In 1914 he put up $50,000 of his own money, mortgaged his home for another $50,000 and with $17,000 from son, Bennett for a large mahogany cutting operation. He was on a boat from Puerto Barrios to Belise to make the final sale of the timber to a British outfit when World War I started. The deal fell through and he could not find any other buyers, so the mahogany rotted and he lost everything. Levi and Ella Pearce continued living at Fairview. The children had gone to live in the US except Lawson, who lived with his family at Shinn Cottage. About 1925 the Levi Pearces, in 1927 Lawson's family and Mason and in 1931 Charlie Moore moved to Texas. Lawson remained at Shinn Cottage until he died about 1935 from cancer. Burried at Fairview after priesth and nuns cared for him. The Palatine order of the Catholic Church bought the house portion of Fairview and the sisters established a church and Parochial school as well as a noviate training school.
9. Retreat - Mr Parkinson, head of the Toledo District Public Works, bought part of the Fairview and built a home here. James Williams now operates the Punta Gorda - Belize City J - line bus from this location.
10. Foster Home - I know nothing about the Fosters. "Capt. Foster" was a "GAR" vet. His wife returned to the US where she died. The Cessimiro Palma lived here across the road from elderly Mr. Shinn and the Lawson Pearce family. Mr Palma was captain of the rock crusher crew who obtained rock from the Foster Hill quarry. His son, Macario Palma is capitan at my Fern Hill home built 1978-83.
11. Refuge - Big Hill - In 1873 Dr. & Mrs Ade Wilson built a home here after a revolution forced them to flee from Spanish Honduras. They raised sugar cane and other crops. Ade's sister Nan and her husband, Dr Hill lived with the Wilsons part of the time. These sisters over their lifetime wrote many letters to their other sister Aurelia Otterson who lived in North Carolina. These letters form the nucleus of a book written by Joe De Priest about the Otterson sisters. Their letters shed some light on my grandparent's lives, their neighbors. Big Hill Landing on the Rio Grande is not far from Refuge. The Wilsons, their health bad, returned to Long Beach, Miss. in 1896. My cousin, Tom Moore bought Refuge. Later he bought Rocky Run and swapped locations with the Rob Johnson family who lived here until the house was blown down in the 1945 hurricane. Sidney Peret bought the land 192? and built a new house and still. After his death Mrs Marie Young bought the Big Hill property and made "Rocky Run Rum". She used the Big Hill still and ground the cane on a mill at Rocky Run. Marie sold Big Hill to Mr. Savage who resold to a Mr Cox, the present owner.
12. My grandfather, James R. Mason bought 400 acres of land including "Rocky Run" and 80 acres of Spice Hill and 80 acres of Dixie. Date 1880 back dated to 1872 ?. Probably an earlier settler started to buy the land but left. In 1886 he sold the 160 acre, Rocky Run plus 8 cattle to Mr. Ed Watrous (no kin to Theodore). Ed Watrous married widow, Marie Peret Johnston. She and brother, Paul Peret were children of Pierre Perot, an early setttler in Toledo Settlement. Mr Rob J????ton, brother D???et Johnston ???? married Marie Carroll were children of ????. [Bottom of page is illegible] Rocky Run [cont.] Mr. Rob Johnston, brother Dick, and sisters, Anna Moore and Mary Carroll were children of Marie Peret's marriage with Johnston. Cousins Tom and Anna Moore bought Rocky Run from Mrs B Watrous and built a new home. Tom made a living with sugar cane and later mahogany cutting. He sold to Mr. Carroll, his brother-in-law and moved to USA in late 1920s. Marie young inherited Rocky Run from her step father and presently lives there.
13. Carroll's Store - My grandfather's first cousin, George Mason was asked by the Ameerican settlers to come establish and run a store for the planters in 1896. After operating a number of years, some accounts became delinquent so Dr. Frank Pearce bought the business from the other shareholders and sold the business to George Mason. After the death of George Mason, Mr. J. A. Carroll, an englishman, took over the business. The American settlers continued to trade at the store. Mr. Carroll had open accounts for all of them. He provided all sorts of services. He paid my father's taxes for years and put it on the account.
14. Dixie and Spice Hill - Ade Wilson in a letter to her sister, Aurelia in 1873, in describing her neighbors, mentioned a Mrs. Wood who lived with her son-in-law, ___ Lester and three grand daughters. Unmentioned were grandson's Joe and Eugene. Mary Woods is buried at Forest Home Cemetery besides graves of Mary Lester, Baby Neppie Lester and Neppie Lester. After two marriages, Mr Eugene had no family. My mother feeling sorry for this lonely old gentleman kind of adopted him. Mr Eugene owned Spice Hill. He made sugar for a living. Mr. Joe Lester lived at Dixie. He married Miss Mollie Copeland and they had two daughters, Ruth and Alma Barker. They made sugar and raised cattle. Alma went to the USA but Ruth continued raising sugar cane until she went broke. She went to USA and taught music for a living. One grandaughter, Rose Lester married Julius Payne. Julius Payne sold the 157 acre Hope Estate with plant, machinery, implements and cattle in 1885 after a mortgage on the land was cleared up, to my grandfather, J.R. Mason. I am sure that he took possession of the land 5 or 6 yrs. earlier. The Paynes then moved to a 4 acre plot of land on Spice Hill. A Mr. Wilson, descendant of Julius Paynes currently owns Spice Hill. Alma Barker's daughter, Mrs. Ruth Crum looks after Dixie. Her aunt, Ruth Lester is in a nursing home.
15. Fern Hill - James Rogers Mason arrived at Toledo Settlement in 1876 kept 80 of the 400 acres of the land he bought with The Rocky Run land. He added the 157 acre Hope estate, bought 80 acres from Frank Pearce, and bought two 40 acre parcels from Paul Peret (Peret Place). Grandfather probably built the original house or it may have been bult by Julius Payne. At any rate, he turned the house around to face North as he acquired land North of old Hope Estate. According to Ade Wilson's letter he put up his mill shed and between his own sugar operation and sugar from Ed Watrous's Rocky Run mill was pretty well out of debt in 1879 when he married Miss Julia Pearce. Their chldren were Maria, Annie, James II and Julian. Julia, who suffered from an enlarged heart and was under her brother, Dr. Frank's care did not survive Julian's birth. Grandfataher died in 1889 of amoebic dissentary and the orphans at Fern Hill were cared for by uncles Harry and Levi. Julian died at age 11. The house received an added wing and about the time my father, James II took over, the older portion of the house was replaced with a much larger rectangular building. My mother, Eulah (Joe & Eulane Lester's Rose) married Payne - son (Truman?). ???? Rose & Alma grew up in Guatamala City - lateer moved to Los Angeles, California. ???? [bottom of page is illegible]
Hartly and several other teacher friends of Maria Mason were invited to a summer vacation in British Honduras in 1909. My parents married in 1910 and children were James III, Eulah, Harry, Frank, Eugene, Elizabeth and Felix. Auntie Moore came to Fern Hill after Julia died to assist with raising the orphans. My father was sent to the USA to college but quit after less than two years. He spent much time with the Fairview cousins and was raised by Auntie Moore and daughter, Ella Pearce. Auntie Mary opened a boarding house in Mississippi and boarded nieces Maria, Annie, Bessie, Josephine and Mary (the last 3 being daughters of the Frank Pearces. Papa's two sisters became outstanding tennis players in their final years at Vanderbuilt University. They only returned to Toledo for summer vacations. My mother bought the sister's shares of Fern Hill with inheritance money in 1912. Brother James at age 10 went to Knoxville, Tenn. home of Auntie Ria. Massey. Sister Eulah at age 11 went to an aunt in S.C. and later to Knoxville. Brother Harry went to Knoxville in 1933. My mother taught us at home but in 1929 Papa announced "That's all for school. I'm going to put these boys to work". He took Harry and me to work in a sawmill he was running on the Temash River. Eugene stayed at home to do milking and other chores. Relations between my parent had worsened and Mama left home twice when he beat her. The second time she took Elizabeth and Felix with her. Mama, with the aid of Auntie Ria Massey and cousin Bess Watrous made plans for the five of us to go to the USA. We slipped away on Saturday night and began new lives. We all managed to finish high school. I was twenty on graduating but had been out of school for four years. My aunt was a history teacher and Uncle Felix Massey was Dean of Students at the University of Tennessee. Sister Eulah graduated and James lacked 3 quarters of finishing. I wanted to take electrical engineering at U. T. but family finances would not permit.
My father died in 1960 and since none of the others in the family were able or desirous of having Fern Hill, I bought them out. I broke up 80 acres of Mesica, providing 10 acres apiece to the Palma and Gonzales families in appreciation for the assistance they gave my father in his last years. Brother Eugene got 30 acres and three of the Rob Johnston family got the remaining 30 acres. I bought some barbed wire and a few head of cattle and Macario Palma and I started a shoe string ranching operation. In 1971 my wife, Margie joined me in yearly visits to Fern Hill. Before Papa died Marie had stayed at the old house to look after Papa. Later the Gonzales family took care of him. Later Papa had Macario teare down the old house and build a little house for his use. Margie and I stayed in this tiny house during our visits.
We both retired in 1978 and began building our present Fern hill home. We hauled all the plumbing, electrical, doors and windows from our Florida home.
16. Little Rock. The Joe Gomez family lived here. He was raised by Will Watrouses widow, Mrs Harvester. Joe was capitan at Tropic Home but later bought land of his own and raised sugar cane. He also sold cattle to the mahogany cutters before tractors took over the job. Children were Joe Jr., Ernest, Delores, twins Bill and Earl, Elsie and Nina. Only the last three are still alive. The Gomez family were our best friends when we left Todedo. Bill Gomez took over the old homestead, built a still and sold Little Rock Rum. His widow is trying to sell.
Cattle Landing Village - The American cane planters each had a sugar warehouse all in a row with a watchman living beside them. An American had a home and a cashew tree orchard and Aaron, the blacksmith had a shop and home there in my younger days. Now there are enough families living there to make it a village with it's community center."2U.S. Social Security Death Index. "SSN: 411-07-9856
Last Residence: 33463 Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Florida
Born: 1 Feb 1916
Died: 12 Jan 1996 State (Year)
SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951 )."
1U.S. Social Security Death Index. "SSN: 414-28-3651
Last Residence: 33426 Boynton Beach, Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America
Born: 12 Nov 1924
Last Benefit: 33463 Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America
Died: 30 Jan 2004 State (Year)
SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951 )."