James B. Mason was the minister at Chapel Hill Baptist Church (now University Baptist) and an active local businessman. He was a Republican supporter of Governor W. W. Holden and wrote to Holden to complain about Klan marches in Chapel Hill in the fall of 1869 (at the height of the Orange Co. Klan's activities).The farm that he and his wife owned whet is now Mason Farm Biological Reserve over next to the UNC Botanical Garden. He likely owner-financed land upon which the Strayhorn house is sited. Source: Mark Chilton, Register of Deeds.

 

Thomas Lloyd was a prominent industrialist. He and his partners, the Pritchard brothers, build the area’s first cotton gin at the West End railroad depot one mile west of the Chapel Hill town limits. in 1899 he built the Alberta Mill, a cotton mill at the depot and a second mill about 1909. Lloyd likely lived in the house during this time. Source: M. Ruth Little.

 

The Town collaborated with UNC to address an illegal fraternity operating in the historic Mason-Lloyd-Wiley House. Local residents of the neighborhood purchased the house from a fraternity alumnus. They were deeply involved in the COA process, researching their home’s history and making thoughtful changes, including adding a new garage, remodeling the guest house, restoring the existing boxwood garden, relaying brick paths, repairing the Ilex hedge, and extending the historic house.

 

This house is listed as much of its work does not show and it has returned to single family ownership.