James Bayne Mason (1846-1920), Architect
DBA: J.B. Mason, Architect
James Bayne Mason was born on January 23, 1846 in Fife, Scotland. Mason arrived in New York City along with his parents and four siblings on October 2, 1850, aboard the S.S. Lydia from Glasgow, Scotland. His family soon located to Morrison County, Illinois where they took up farming. Although little is known of his early career, Mason was appointed in 1875 superintendent of construction for the County Insane Building in Morrison County, at the age of 29. During the 1880 US Federal Census, he was listed as an agricultural implement maker in Morrison County, Illinois. In the early 1880s Mason moved to Omaha and took the position of manager for M.A. Disbrow & Company’s retail store located in Omaha. Within a few years Mason left M.A. Disbrow & Company and accepted the position of mill superintendent of Cady & Gray, an Omaha planning mill and factory. By 1891, Mason transitioned from managing construction supply companies and became a draftsman, and by 1896 he was an architect in private practice, continuing as such until his death in 1920. Mason was married to Mary A. Woolley, and together they had two children: Mable C. and Claude William.[3][4][5][6] James Mason died on September 11, 1920 in Omaha.[7]
This page is a contribution to the publication, Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. See the format and contents page for more information on the compilation and page organization.
Contents
Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings
Omaha, Nebraska, 1893-1895, 1899-1918
Educational & Professional Associations
1880 : maker of agricultural implements, Morrison, Illinois.[6]
1886-1890: manager, M. A. Disbrow & Company, Omaha, Nebraska.[a]
1891-1893: draftsman, Omaha, Nebraska.
___-1896: architect, Omaha, Nebraska.[b]
1900-1920: architect, Omaha, Nebraska.[3][4][5][c]
Other Associations
1907: employed James T. Allan as junior draftsman.
Buildings & Projects
Building (1892), 1420-22 Sherwood Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[2]
Building (1892), 1424-26 Sherwood Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[2]
John Francis residence (1893), 1004 S 37th St, Omaha, Nebraska.[1][2] (DO09:0315-009)
A. L. Patrick residence (1900), 1117 S 30th Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[1][2] (DO09:0204-052)
House (1900), 1026 S. 22nd St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0120-024)
Building (1900), 4106 N. 17th S., Omaha, Nebraska.[2]
Building (1904), 1302-06 Izard St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0129-008)
House (1904), 1912 Wirt, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0140-059)
Store (1905), 2623 Woolworth Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0201-021)
Lucinda C. Mack residence (1905), 536 Park Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[1][2] (DO09:0207-039)
Commercial Building (1906), 112 S. 11th St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][d] (DO09:0123-060)
H. P. Hamilton residence (1906), 2001 Binney St, Omaha, Nebraska.[1][2] (DO09:0140-128)
Building (1906), 2254 N. 20th St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2]
Building (1906), 4109 N. 18th St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2]
House (1907), 1825 Binney St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0140-132)
John E. Reagan residence (1908), 2102 Pinkney St, Omaha, Nebraska.[1][2] (DO09:0142-060)
Gray Bonnet Taxi Line Building (1909), 2216 Farnam, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0124-031)
Store (1909), 1252-54 S. 13th St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0117-096)
Building (1911), 815 N 21st St, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0130-052)
Court Apartments (1914), 1720 Cuming, Omaha, Nebraska.[2] (DO09:0130-008)
Notes
a. First Omaha listing, 1886.
b. 1894-1895 Omaha directories unavailable.
c. 1916-1927 Omaha directories unavailable; no listing in 1928 directory.
d. Listed as Mason in NeHRSI and Omaha Architects Database.
References
1. Landmarks, Inc., An Inventory of Historic Omaha Buildings (Omaha: Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission, 1980).
2. City of Omaha Planning Department, Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission, Database, Query on Architects, May 20, 2002; courtesy of Lynn Meyer, Preservation Planner.
3. 1900 United States Census, s.v. “James B. Mason,” Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, accessed through HeritageQuestOnline.com.
4. 1910 United States Census, s.v. “James B. Mason,” Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, accessed through HeritageQuestOnline.com.
5. 1920 United States Census, s.v. “James B. Mason,” Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, accessed through HeritageQuestOnline.com.
6. 1880 United States Census, s.v. “James Mason,” Morrison, Whiteside County, Nebraska, accessed through HeritageQuestOnline.com.
7. "James Bayne Mason" Ancestry Family Trees Accessed October 11, 2018 via https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/65415187/person/44136090508/facts?ssrc=
Page Citation
D. Murphy, “James Bayne Mason (1846-1920), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, October 11, 2018. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 22, 2024.
Contact the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office with questions or comments concerning this page, including any problems you may have with broken links (see, however, the Disclaimers link at the bottom of this page). Please provide the URL to this page with your inquiry.
