Contributed by Pat Mason Harris
[email protected]

From the book by Roy H. Mason, privately published: The Masons in Delaware, North Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kansas printed about 1979:

“William E. Mason’s funeral services were conducted in Rushville Methodist Episcopal Church. The Mason family was sequestered in six pews on the south pulpit side of the church. William’s casket was constructed of bronze. The foot of the casket was adorned by a long casket piece of white lilacs, across which a white silk ribbon bore the words, “GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC” in large gold letters. George remained stoically calm during the service. When the service was completed, William’s casket was opened and members of the family and congregation filed past the open casket. William was dressed in his Civil War infantry uniform. Across his chest on a white silk ribbon was printed, “WILLIAM E. MASON, 28TH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS”. A single white rose was pinned to his service jacket. When the services were over, William E. Mason’s body was placed in the funeral van, and the procession made its way south on Liberty Street to the Rushville cemetery, where a brief ceremony was held at the gravesite in the Mason cemetery plot. A member of the American Legion blew taps and William’s body was lowered into the ground. Then the Masons, their relatives and friends sadly and proudly took their leave of  this gentle man, William Edward Mason.”

Illinois Death Index Records:
MASON WM E M/W UNK 00100181922-01-31 ADAMS RIVERSIDE TWP 22-02-02