
Dearest Reader,
America is abuzz! It is much to my delight that the social season has made its arrival and everything is seeming much greener, both as summer is afoot and the world begins its own promenade of sorts once again. It calls to mind my arrival in Brockton. What a bustling time that was! My name is William Betts Mason. I was born at the close of the American Civil War in 1865, in Auckland, New Zealand to parents Janet and William Mason. My father passed away rather suddenly in 1871, bringing much strife to our family. My mother, a shrewd woman, knew there would be little left for our livelihood in New Zealand. She packed my grandmother, her four children, and all our trunks up and set sail for America for a new beginning. We landed on Nantucket Island and spent our first year in America there. However, my mother realized there was little future for us on the island, so she moved us to Brockton, Massachusetts in 1872.
Ah, Brockton – where the real journey begins. The story of W.B. Mason transforms from the tale of one man’s work, to an epic narrative of thousands of people working across what would come to be known as “Masonville”. But my dear readers, before we explore the history of Masonville, I must share with you how I came to found the organization that bears my name. As the adage goes my dear reader, where there is a will there is a way!
Ah, here comes another customer! I will leave you with this for now and will write again next week!
Yours Sincerely,
William Betts Mason