Elizabeth Sadoques Mason


Elizabeth Mary Sadoques Mason was one of the first American Indian Registered Nurses known in United States. Though not much is known about her career, Elizabeth finished nursing school in New York in 1919 and worked as a nurse to author Abbot Handerson Thayer.

Background

Elizabeth was born to the family of Israel Sadoques and Mary Watso, Abenaki Indians. Originally from Odanak Reserve, in Quebec, Canada, the family migrated to Keene, New Hampshire in 1880, where they operated a basketmaking and tannery business. Elizabeth had 5 sisters, Mary, Ida, Margaret, Agnes, and Maude.
Margaret owned and operated a millinery shop in Keene until 1961. Maude became a registered nurse prior to her sister and was also an Episcopalian nun, taking the name of Sister Benedicta. She is believed to have been the first Native American to become a nun in the Episcopalian church. Elizabeth also had 2 brothers, Israel and Edward.Elizabeth married Claude Mason and had 2 children, daughters Claudia Mason Chicklas and Mary Mason Holland Keating.
Although the Sadoques family in Keene is full blood native Indian, there is an oral history of English decent in the family through Eunice Williams, a White captive taken in the Deerfield raid of 1704.