John P. Mason

04 Oct 2021, last revised 15 Jun 2026

John P. Mason was not featured in Old Copper Country Bottles, but now three bottles are known from his drug store. Holland's Houghton directory for 1887-8 stated that Mason was "a pharmacist of high standing" and "the drug store of Dr. Mason is the leading one in Houghton" (1). Mason operated the drug store for nearly 15 years.

Mason as Proprietor

John Park Mason was born in Elmira, NY on 27 May 1854 (7). He was raised by his widowed mother after his father died when he was an infant (2). He learned the trade of a machinist, which taught him the mechanical skills that contributed to his later success as a surgeon (2). After attending Cornell University for two years and completing his first year at Buffalo Medical College (2), he moved to the Copper Country and practiced for a year as assistant to Dr. Plews, physician for the Quincy Mine (2,12). He then returned to Buffalo Medical College, completed his second year, and graduated as a physician and surgeon in 1880 (2). He promptly returned to the Copper Country and practiced as the resident physician of the Pewabic Mine for five years (2,12) before entering private practice in Houghton (2).

Mason purchased Dr. Hafenreffer's drug store from Dr. Maclean in Aug 1884 (8). The 1887 Holland directory placed the store at 410 Shelden Ave (1); however, the 1888 Sanborn map shows this address to be a dwelling east of Ripley St.

In Aug 1888, Mason enlarged the drug store by removing the partition separating his doctor's office from the store (13). In May 1890, Mason moved into the large store room recently vacated by Josiah Paull, who ran a hardware store (9). In Apr 1891, Mason had plans to move into the Miller block (10), but it is unknown if he actually did.

In late Oct or early Nov 1891, Mason moved the drug store into the newly-constructed Douglass-Mason block (11). The 1895 Polk directory placed the store in the Douglass-Mason block (3), and the 1897 directory described the location as on the north side of Shelden Ave., five units east of Isle Royale St., with his residence being the same (4). The 1893 Sanborn map labeled the building at this location as a drug store.

In 1894, Mason suffered a serious fall, which produced a permanent injury and forced his retirement from practice (2). The 1895 and 1897 directories still listed him for "drugs" (3,4), but then in Apr 1899, he sold the store to Edward Des Rochers (6). In 1907, Mason and his mother returned to Elmira, NY (2). He later suffered an illness with carbuncles for several weeks (2) and died on 04 Jul 1910 at the age of 56 (7).

The Bottles

Mason used the only known colored pharmacy bottle (#s74) in the Copper Country. Amber glass was often used to protect the contents from UV degradation. Bottle #s29 is the only Copper Country pharmacy bottle to have the monogram square shape.

Citations

1. Holland, A. H. 1887. Hand-book and Guide to Houghton, Mich. Mining Journal Book and Job Print. Marquette, MI.
2. anonymous. (1910, Jul 05). Deaths and funerals. Star-Gazette (Elmira, NY). p. 16.
3. R. L. Polk & Co. 1895. Houghton County Directory 1895-96. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
4. R. L. Polk & Co. 1897. Houghton County Directory 1897-98. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
5. anonymous. 1903. Biographical Record: Houghton, Baraga and Marquette Counties, Michigan. Biographical Publishing Company. Chicago, IL.
6. anonymous. (1899, Apr 07). Portage Lake news. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 3.
7. Find a Grave. accessed Oct 2021. John Park Mason. findagrave.com/memorial/99804248/john-park-mason
8. anonymous. (1884, Aug 21). Local jottings. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
9. anonymous. (1890, May 22). About Portage Lake. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
10. anonymous. (1891, Apr 30). untitled. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
11. anonymous. (1891, Oct 27). untitled. Torch Lake Times (Lake Linden, MI). p. 3.
12. anonymous. (1880, Jul 01). untitled. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.
13. anonymous. (1888, Aug 09). Local jottings. Portage Lake Mining Gazette (Houghton, MI). p. 3.