Taylor Mason gets up about 3am each morning then drives for about 45 minutes from her home in Gloucester County to a deadrise workboat across the James River to tong for oysters.
That’s a new experience for Mason. Until her husband Peyton’s unexpected passing in June, she was primarily the land-based partner in their young business, the Virginia Oyster Co. Since then, Taylor Mason, who is 25 and the mother of two young daughters, does it all.
After local photographer Mike Fontaine heard about the family’s story through Facebook, he wanted to help out. His photography is a passion and an advocacy for watermen. Fontaine teamed up with the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum to raffle one of his photographs to benefit the family. Recently three cash prizes were added to the raffle.
Peyton Mason was a full-time fisherman from age 21 and wanted to own his own processing facility. The couple used their savings to start the business in 2022. He managed the boats and crews and she ran day-to-day operations at the processing house. Both doted on their growing family.
Giving up on the dream they had talked about for years never entered her mind, said Taylor Mason.
“This wasn’t a job for us. This was our lifestyle, our passion,” she said.
The business has two wooden deadrise boats and a fiberglass boat, but one of the deadrises is being repaired after sinking. Other captains sometimes rent the boats and sell her their catch. Now that she’s oystering herself, she goes with her crew who was already working with Peyton as an apprentice.
After the drive back home, she works at the processing facility.
“I just get up and go every day,” she said, with a calm cheerfulness that belies the difficult situation she found herself in. She credits both her and her husband’s families for constant support, plus faithful sitters for the girls, ages 1 and 4.
Tina McCloud
“Pot of Gold” by Mike Fontaine is on view at the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum. Raffle tickets are being sold for the artwork and cash prizes to benefit the Mason family.
Fontaine shot the raffle art, “Pot of Gold,” from the workboat Easy Rider. The artwork is professionally matted and framed and measures about 29x38".
With the cash prizes now included, first is the artwork and $500; second is $200; and third is $100, said Shauna McCranie, Executive Director of the museum.
Raffle tickets are $25 each or five for $100. A maximum of 500 tickets will be sold. The winning tickets will be drawn at the museum’s 36th annual oyster roast on November 15. The oyster roast is sold out, but winners do not need to be present.
Raffle tickets are available at Miss Mary’s Seafood in White Stone, or contact the museum by calling 804-453-6529 or e-mailing office@rfmuseum.org.
