[1] However, today Mason is perhaps most remembered as the cadet who graduated first in the class of 1829 at the United States Military Academy at West Point, ahead of future Confederate Army commander Robert E. Lee.

Later, Mason was president of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, from 1852 to 1853, and United States Commissioner of Patents, from 1853 to 1857.

During his twice interrupted (he submitted his resignation three times 1853-7) tenure as Commissioner of Patents, Mason instituted a heretofore rare experiment in workplace diversity.

He hired several women, among them Clara Barton, to work as equals to their male counterparts.

[2] He was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Iowa in 1867, but was defeated by Samuel Merrill.