MASON, William Powell, lawyer, born in Boston, Massachusetts, 9 December, 1791 : died in 1867. He was graduated at Harvard in 1811, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. Subsequently he succeeded John Gallison as reporter of the first circuit of the United States. He published "Reports of Cases in the Circuit Court of the United States for the First Circuit, from 1816 to 1830" (5 vols., Boston, 1819-'31), and a second series (5 vols., 1836). The decisions in these reports, comprising those of Mr. Justice Story, relate to a great variety of subjects, constitutional, admiralty, personal, and real law and chancery, and are characterized by "the profound learning, acuteness, and thoroughness of research" that are distinguishing traits of their author. See an article by Henry Wheaton in the "North American Review" (vol. viii., p. 253).