The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-16
OBITUARY..
Edward Mason.

In the death of Edward Mason, which oc-
Cured yesterday, Portland loses one of her
best known citizens. Edward Mason was
born July 9th, 1916, ami in 1882, when 16
years of age, was entered as clerk with
Dr. Carter, more generally known as Dea-
con Carter, one of Portland's Oldest drug
gSts. Edward was bright lad, apt at ac-
quiiing his trade, agreeable and popular
with the deacon's extended list of customers.
Four years later. in 1885, at the age Of 20,
DR.. Mason established himself in his own
store, four doors below his late stand, on
Middle street. There. and at the present To-
cation, he has remained in business for 50
years. The fire of 1866 passed him by, leav-
ing his store unscathed.
Fifty-three' years means great deal in the
life OF an American city. In his store, which
was sort OF headquarters for the leading
men OF Portland, were gathered daily men
whose names have become part of history.
Ether Shepley, late Chief Justice of Maine.
and his son, Judge George f. Shepley, of the
Unitsd States Court. the late General Samuel
+ ssenden, John Holmes, Francis o. j.
Smith, the late DR.. Stephen Cummings, DR..
John L. Gilman, and hosts of others, talked
over in his back shop many matters that
were to tend vastly to the advantage of the
city, and as one generation gradually passed
| away, 1t was as gradually succeeded by the
| next and SO insensibly that the change was
hardly noticeable. The Doctor was an old
line wing, and when the change of parties
came he became as radical a Democrat as he
had been Whig. Notwithstanding his in
terest In politics, Doctor Mason never would
accept nomination to Office. 1t was pleas.
| ure enough to him to have finger in the va
rlous schemes that were talked over by the
leaders in his back shop, and to criticise, in
the columns OF the Argus the movements of
his political adverSaries. His signature of
| "Ollapod, dozen or twenty years ago, was
perfectly familiar to all newspaper readers
Outside OF politics and his drug business,
DIR. Mason was at one time deeply interested
in the militia. In the days of the cid
| "Whitecoats, the Portland Light Infantry
( of from thirty to forty years ago,-Dr. Ma
son was prominent figure. He was the
color-bearer of tina. crack organization, and
was one of the party on that celebrated ex-
cursion to Montreal that is now historical
Few OF the old color-guard now exist
Among the last OF them are 10 Stickney
and John Pike When the old 'Whitecoats"
formed a veteran association a few wears
ago, the Doctor was one of the first to sign
the roll. His bright, quaint savings, his
dapper figure, which was set off to its best
advantage by his hsndsome uniform. recall
ing the well known dramatic parsonage
DIR. Ollapod," early earned him that sobri-
quet, and he 50 enjoyed it that, as we have
stated, he signed it to his effusions. A true
chronicle of Dr. Mason should give to the
world the host of witty sayings that have
been attributed to him. They would fill
volume.
About Thanksgiving the Doctor caught
severe cold. He took his THANKSGIVING din
ner with his daughters family, and that was
the last time he was out on the street. He
didn't recover ifr1m the cold, and, in addi-
tion. he was affected with hardening of the
brain and spinal cord. When the end came
it was 50 quietly and gently that it was al
most Impossible to tell iwhere life ended and
death began.
Tne Doctors wife, who was Miss Hall of
Portland, died several years agoJ They had
one daughter, Henrietta, the wife of Mr.
Hugh Chisholm Of Portland. The Doctors
funeral will take place from his late resi-
dence, corner of Cumberland and Elm
streets, Friday, at 2.3O p. m.
John 3. F,llebrown.
Mr.. John b. F.llebrown died vest .rday
aged 20 years. Mr.. Fillebrown was well
known in business, masonic and temperance