1856
Masontown is laid out
Oren F. Morton records that Masontown’s site was a clearing called “Hartley Green” until the fall of 1855, when William Mason built a store there. A small village was laid out in 1856, and its lots were sold at auction for $5 to $7 each. The Town of Masontown’s official history identifies Mason as its namesake, founder, and first postmaster. A federal appointment register lists William G. Mason at Masontown on July 3, 1856.
Research status
This entry has been checked against its named source.
The timeline wording accurately reflects the source listed below. This status does not necessarily mean the event has been independently corroborated against additional records.
Sources and further reading
Where this entry comes from
Oren F. Morton, A History of Preston County, West Virginia, vol. I, p. 273 (printed page)
Research notes
What the evidence establishes
The National Archives scan was visually checked on September 14, 2026. On the first image in this catalog record, the Masontown row is on the left-hand page, about two-thirds of the way down. The handwritten entry reads “William G. Mason” and “3 July 1856.”
Source citation: National Archives, Postmaster Appointments for Preston County, West Virginia, Record of Appointments of Postmasters, 1832–September 30, 1971, microfilm publication M841, roll 140, image 30439_065525-00442 (digital object 78783821).
The appointment register documents Mason's appointment as postmaster; it does not explain the town's name or establish the date of its layout or platting. The naming, founder, and first-postmaster attribution comes from the Town of Masontown's official “About Us” page.
Morton, volume I, printed page 273, was visually checked on September 14, 2026. His account places William Mason’s store construction in fall 1855, the village layout in 1856, and the auction prices at $5 to $7 per lot. The title uses “laid out” to match his wording. This precise citation replaces the earlier unlocated Morton reference; the entry is now Verified to source.
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