Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 770.
 
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM PENN MAST

     who passed away December 10, 1889, was for a number of years actively and
successfully identified with general agricultural pursuits in Coos county.  His
birth occurred in North Carolina, on the 6th of June, 1834, his parents being
Reuben and Nancy (Webb) Mast, both of whom were natives of Watauga county, that
state.  Their children were seven in number, namely:  Wyley, Jennie, James,
Caroline, Eliza, Elandor and William Penn.  All have passed away.
     William Penn Mast remained on the home plantation until a year after his
marriage and then made his way to Texas, there cultivating rented land for a
period of three years.  On the expiration of that period he returned to North
Carolina and enlisted for service in the Confederate army under General Bragg,
holding the rank of first lieutenant.  He was captured and taken to Camp Chase.
After the cessation of hostilities between the north and the south he purchased
a farm and continued its operation until 1872, when he came to Douglas county,
Oregon.  There he operated a rented farm for one year and then came to Coos
county, settling on a tract of one hundred and eighty-two acres for which he
traded a wagon.  Only a quarter of an acre of the land had been cleared and the
only building thereon was a board shanty.  One hundred and forty acres thereof
are now cleared, and the property is one of the beautiful show places in Coos
county.  Mr. Mast and his wife did most of the work incident to the clearing and
improvement of the farm and were later assisted by their sons.  The sons have
extended the boundaries of the place until it now embraces about four hundred
acres.  They have been engaged in the logging business for the Johnston Lumber
Company and have also cleared their own land.  They raise wheat, oats and barley
and have recently embarked in the dairy business on an extensive scale.  William
P. Mast was long numbered among the enterprising and prosperous agriculturists
of Coos county, and in his passing the community lost one of its representative
and esteemed citizens.
     On the 5th of March, 1857, Mr. Mast was united in marriage to Miss
Charlotte Helen Mast, a native of North Carolina and a daughter of Leason and
Sarah (Duger) Mast, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of
Tennessee.  Mrs. William Penn Mast has one brother and one sister; Eli who is an
agriculturist residing in McKinley, Oregon; and Hester, who is the widow of
Leason L. Harmon.  To Mr. and Mrs. William P. Mast were born five children.
Reuben H., whose natal year was 1859, is cashier of the Farmers & Merchants Bank
of Coquille, Oregon.  He is married and has three children, Leta, Reuben and
James.  William L. born December 21, 1864, is a diver in the employ of the
government dredge department.  James W., whose birth occurred on the 10th of
October, 1866, is engaged in merchandising at Bandon, Oregon, and also acts as
mayor of that town.  Webb, who was born February 11, 1868, operates the home
place in association with his brother Hardy.  On the 14th of June, 1908, he
wedded Miss Bessie Dernberger, a native of West Virginia and a daughter of
Benjamin and Martha (Boso) Dernberger.  Mrs. Bessie Mast is one of five
children, the others being as follows:  Orra, who is the wife of M. R.
Buffington, of West Virginia; and Conway, Gladys and Gordon, all of whom are
residents of West Virginia.  Mr. and Mrs. Webb Mast have one daughter, Helen
Webb, born January 15, 1912.  Hardy W. Mast, who was born on the 26th of
January, 1873, resides on the old homestead and operates the same in association
with his brother Webb.  He is married and has three children, William W., Lloyd
C. and Myrtle H.
     William P. Mast gave his political allegiance to the democratic party which
organization the family has ever supported.  For one term he served as
commissioner of Coos county.  He also established the postoffice at Lee and his
widow is still in charge thereof.  Mrs. Mast has now resided in Coos county for
about four decades and is well known and highly esteemed throughout the
community.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.