The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-12-09
"REMINISCENCES OF GEORGE MASON

we puDllSueu Few Jays ago letter
of this distinguished statesman of Vir-
ginia, written while he was a member of
House of National Delegates, in 1857, and
design to give other letters of his Of more
or less historic interest to our readers as
we can find room to do so in our columns.
We give below such historic reminiscent
ces Of the Father of Virginia." as we
have been able to CLEAN from the sew
eral sources OF Information at our COM
mand. a..se 81 q 8H a1
T Mr.. Mason's ancestor, whose name he
bore, was member of Parliament in the
reign OF Charles the First, and though,
like Hyde and Falkland, intent upon effect
ing important amendments in the existing
system, did not seek an overthrow of the
monarchy, and on the appeal to arms ad-
hered to the King. lie organized mill
tary corps, and in several engagements
crossed swords with the troopers Of Crom-
well, and emptied his holsters with his
wariike saints, From 1861, when George
Mason, the eldest, flying from the field of
Worcester, arrived in Hampton Roads,
10 the period OF the Revolution, the Ma
sons had exerted, either in the House of
Burgesses, or at home, great influence in
the colony.
After landing at Norfolk in 1851, he inn
mediately removed to. Acohick creek, and
was soon after followed by his family.
Here he established plantation, on which
he resided for life and is there buried. In
1876, the year of Bacon's Rebellion, he
commanded force against the Indians,
and represented the same year the county
of Stafford in the House of Burgesses,
Stafford was carved out of Westmoreland
the year before, and was so named by
Colonel Mason in honor of his native county
of Stafiordshire, England. His eldest
son, also called George Mason, married
Mary, daughter Of Gerard Fowke, esq.,,
of Gunston Hall, in Stafordshire, England.
The eldest son by this marriage also bore
the name of George Mason, the third of
The name, and with his father lived and
was buried on the patrimonial estate at
Acohick. Their wills were recorded in
Stafford county court in 17lO and l7l5
respectively.
George Mason. the fourth in descent,
and eldest son of George the last named,
married daughter of Stevens Thomson. Of
Middle Temple, Attorney General of the
Colony of Virginia in the time Of Queen
Anne. lie established plantation at Doeg's
Neck on the Potomac, on land which he
inherited, then in Stafford, now in Fairfax
county, and was the Lieutenant and Chief
Commanderofthe county ofStaflord in 1719,
tie was drowned by the accidental upsetting
OF his sail-boat IN the Potomac, and his
body having been recovered was COM
mitted to the grave at Doeg's Neck. He
lelt three children, two sons and daugh-
ter. OF these sons, one was George Ma
son ofthe Virginia Convention, and the other
Thomas Mason, hardly less celebrated than
his brother, who settled in Loudoun, and
was frequently member of the House OF
Burgesses, an eminent member of the
bar, and warm friend of his country.
Thomas Mason was martyr to the govt,
and 1t was one of the earliest recolections
OF old Governor TaZewell to have seen
him borne into court while suffering from
that disease. His son Stephens Thomson
Mason was a member Of the Virginia Fed
eral Convention, and was Senator of the
United States, and had a son. Armistead
Thomson Mason, who was also a member
of the Senate OF the United States from
Virginia.
The George Mason of the text, the fifth
OF the name, was born at the plantation of
Dogs Neck, which he inherited in 1926.
married Ann Eilbeck, Of Charles county,
Maryland, and built the new mansion ON
the high banks of the Potomac, near the
river, which he called Gunston Hall. in
honor of the seat of his maternal ancestry
IN England. Here he lived, and here on
The 9TH of October, 1892, in the Goth wear
OF his age, he died and was buried. def
ferson, IN his personal memoirs, saws that
plain marble slab marks his grave. and
has engraved on it his name and the date
of his death. But this must have been a
mere superstition OF his, as there Is no such
slab now in existence.)
His estate at Deeg's Neck, afterwards
Gunston Hall, consisted of seven thousand
acres, and lies on the Potomac, next below
Mount Vernon. This venerable patriot
left five sons and four daughters. Of the
sons, George, the eldest, was a captain in
The Virginia line of the Revolution, and
inherited Gunston Hall, where he lived and
was buried, leaving descendants. His
fourth son was General John Mason of
Anolasta Island, who survived all his
brothers, and died at his estate at Cer.
mont, in Fairfax county, in March, ls49. in
the SD year Of his age. The Hon. James
Murray Mason, who was the third Of
the name and race that filed n seat IN tho
U. y. Senate, was son Of this John Ma
son. All the sons of George Mason left
descendants.