Mason, Lowell B. (Lowell Blake), 1893-1983
Dates
- Existence: 1893-1983
Biography
Lowell Blake Mason was born July 25, 1893 in Chicago Illinois. Mason was the youngest of six children raised by William E. Mason and Edith J. Mason. William Mason was a lawyer and politician serving in both the Illinois General Assembly and the United States Congress in several posts. Mason went on to follow a similar career path. As a child Mason lived in both Chicago and Washington D.C. as a result of his father’s political career. While living in their Chicago home, the Masons attended the Third Unitarian Church in Oak Park Illinois. It was there that the Masons met the man who would be their son’s namesake, minister James Vila Blake. After his father earned extra money from winning an important legal case, Lowell Mason had the opportunity to go on a “circumnavigation” trip. On this trip he, his mother, his aunt, and two siblings traveled around the world. Photographs from this trip are included in the collection.
Mason received his Bachelor of Laws from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1916. He was accepted to the Illinois Bar Association in 1916 and the Bar Association of the District of Columbia in 1936. He practiced as a lawyer in Chicago and Washington D.C. Mason’s professional titles include: Assistant Corporation Council to the city of Chicago 1916, Illinois Senator 1922-1930, first Illinois State Aviation Commission 1927, general counsel National Industrial Review Board 1934, counsel U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee 1936, appointed member of the Federal Trade Commission 1945 and reappointed to a seven year term in 1949. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge for many years. Northwestern University honored Mason with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1954.
Mason published several articles and books throughout his career. Publications focused on his professional life ranged from sections of legal proceedings, to opinion pieces. One aspect of his professional writings that was a constant throughout his career was his interest in the intersection of society and law. The comparison between social aspects and law that he published about include crime, society’s involvement in democracy, “Art As Barometer” for society among others. To characterize this type of comparison Mason gave the Federal Trade Commission the pet name of the “Old Lady”.
Mason was married in 1916 to his first wife Grace Gilbert with whom he had four children, William E. Mason III, Barbara Grace Mason, Nancy Gilbert Mason, and Lowell B. Mason, Jr. He married his second wife, Rose D’Amore in 1938 with whom he had one child, Bianca Mason. Rose D’Amore’s daughter Jimilu also took Mason’s name. Aside from his professional interests, Mason wrote several articles about travel and recreation for a variety of periodicals. The subjects of these articles range from biking in Rock Creek Park to boating. Mason also enjoyed mountain climbing and music on his free time. His “mountain climbing” scrapbook and the charitable event “Lowell Blake Mason Annual Music Festival” that benefited the Illinois Braille and Sight Saving School evidence these interests. Lowell Mason also started traditions of biking to Washington with fellow government employees for a monthly “inspirational breakfast”, and attendance of the opening day Washington Senators baseball game with other Washington VIPs. One such photograph shows him with his close friend Senator Harry Truman at an opening day baseball game. Lowell Mason died July 9, 1983.