By Claudia Houston, New Bern Historical Society
March is Women’s History month, so it is fitting to write about a famous daughter of New Bern who was well known in her day. Her name might not be familiar to you, but in 1859 Mary Ann Bryan Mason penned the first children’s book written by a North Carolinian, A Wreath from the Woods of Carolina. Surprisingly, she did not make Gertrude Carraway’s list of famous firsts in New Bern.
Mary Ann was born in 1802 to the prominent North Carolina family of John Council and Mary Ann Fulford Bryan. She grew up and was educated in New Bern. On June 10, 1823, she married Richard Sharpe Mason, who was born in Barbados, the West Indies. At the time of their marriage, Mason was the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in New Bern; he served in that capacity for ten years. The couple moved to New York in 1828 when Rev. Mason became the rector at St. Matthew’s Church in Geneva, NY and a year later was appointed President of Geneva College (now Hobart). The family moved to Delaware where Rev. Mason had a collegiate role, returning to North Carolina in 1840. He served as the rector of Christ Church in Raleigh for 35 years.
During this time the Masons had six children, and despite moving and caring for this large family, Mrs. Mason established herself as a notable painter, sculptor, and musician. In 1859 she penned A Wreath from the Woods of Carolina. The book has ten chapters that each begin with a bible verse and contain religious morality stories for children. Each story was illustrated by Mrs. Mason with a lovely colored engraving of a native wildflower. It was published by the General Protestant Episcopal Sunday School Union and Church Book Society of New York.
John Whitford in his popular Rambles About Town series, wrote in the New Bern newspaper The Daily Journal, January 7, 1883, “Mrs. Mason’s neat and interesting work, prettily illustrated…should be read by every child. The stories in it are all founded upon facts and scenes that occurred in and about our town.” This book is quite rare, but you can purchase one online for $1600 if you wish. Luckily, if you would like to read it for free, the Kellenberger Room at the Craven County Library on Johnson Street does have a copy.
This book was well received, and Mrs. Mason wrote several others, most notably in 1871, The Young Housewife’s Counselor and Friend, Containing Directions in Every Department of Housekeeping, Including the Duties of Wife and Mother. It was reprinted in 1875 with the cover title, Mrs. Mason’s New Cookery.
Mrs. Mason died in 1881 and is buried with her husband at Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh.