Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-12-15
VOL. ."LXXIV:.
"REMINISCENCES. Or. GEO. MASON
From the Richmond State Journal

"REMINISCENCES OF. GEO. MASON.
From the Richmond State Journal.
We published few days ago letter of this
distinguished statesman of Virginia, written
while he was member of the House of National
Delegates in 1851, and design to give other
letters of his of more or less historic interest to
our readers. We give below such historic
"reminiscences Of the Father of Virginia" as
We have been able to CLEAN from the several
sources Of information at our command
Mr. Mason ancestor, whose name he bore,
was member Of Parliament in the reign of
Charles the First, and though, like Hyde and
Falkland, intent upon effecting important
amendments in the existing system, did not
seek an overthrow of the monarchy and on
the appeal to arms adhered to the King. He
organized military corps, and in several en-
gagements crossed swords with the troopers of
Cromwell, and iemptied his holsters with his
warlike saints. From 1861, when George Ma
SOP, the eldest. flying from the field Of Worces-
ter, arrived in Hampton Roads, to the period
of the Revolution, the Masons had exercd,
either in the House OF Burgesses, or at home,
great influence in the colony. j.
After aodng at Norfolk 10 1861, he imme-
diately removed to Acohick creek, and was
soon after followed by his family Here
be established plantation, on which he re-
sided for lite and is there buried ln
1916, the year of Bacon's Rebellion, he
commanded force against the Indians,
and represented the same year the county
Of Stafford 10 the House of Burgesses. :
Stafford was carved out of Westmorelaud
the year before, and was so named by
Colonel Mason in honor of his native county Of
Staffordshire, England His eldest son, also
called George Mason, married Mary, daughter
Of fGerard Fowke, esq, Of Gunston Hall, in
marriage also bore. the name, and with his ia,
ther lived and was buried on the patrimoniaI es
tate at Acohick. Their wills were recorded in
Stafford county court 10 ITO and Ills respec-
lively.
George Mason, the fourth 10 descent, and
eldest SOD Of George the last named, married a
daughter of Stevens Thomson, of Middle Tenn
pie, Attorney General of the Colony of Vir-
gina in the time Of Queen Anne. He estsb-
tabished plantation at Doeg's Neck on the
Potomac, on land which he inherited, then in
Stafford, now 10 Fairfax county, and was the
Lieutenant and Chief Commander of the coun-
ty Of Stafford in l7l9. He was drowned by
the accidental upsetting of bis sail boat in the
Potomac, and his body having been recovered
was committed TO the grave at '.Doeg's Neck
He left three children, two sops and daughter.
OF these sons. one was George Mason of the
Virginia Convention, and the other Thomas
Mason, hardly less celebrated than his brother,
who settled 10 Loudoun, and was frequently a
member of the House of Burgesses, an eminent
member Of the bar, and warm friend OF this
country, Thomas Mason was martyr to the
pout, and it was one of the earliest recolectlons
Of old Governor Tazewel to have seen him
borne into the court while suffering from that
disease. His son Stephens Thompson Mason
was a member of the Virginia Federal CoOven-
tion, and was Senator of the United States,
and had a son, Armistead Thomson Mason,
who was also 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 Doeg 8
Neck, which he inherited in 1925, 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 ma
ternal ancestry 10 England. Here he lived,
and here on the 7th of Octobet, 1892, in the
Goth year Of his age, he died and was buried.
Jefferson, in his personal memoirs, says that
plain marble slab marks his grave, and has en-
eraved on it his name and the date OF his death.
But this must have been mere suppostion Of
bis, as there is no such slab now in existence
!. His estate at Dogs Neck, afterwards Gun
ston Hall. consisted of seven thousand acres,
and lies on the Potomac, next below Mount
Vernon. This venerable patriot lett five sons
and four. daughters. of the soos, George, the
eldest, was captain in the Virginia line OF
the Revolution, aud Inherited Gunston Hail.
where he lived aud was buried, leaving descen-
dauts. His fourth son was General John Ma
son of Analosta Island, wh0 survived all bis
brothers, and died at bis estate at Clermont,
in Fairfax county. 10 March, 1859, in the S3d
wear of his age The Hon. James Murray Ma
son, who was the third of the name and race
that filled seat in the U. S. Senate, was SOD
of this John Mason. All the sons OF George
Mason left descendants :. =;
Hugh Blair Grigsby, in bis discourse deiv-
cred before the societies of William and Mary
Colleges, and published In 1855, says that
when the right was first asserted BY the Eng
lish Parliament to tax the Colonies, in all cases
whatsoever, George Mason wrote tract with
the modest title Of Extracts from the Vlrglnla,
Charters With some Remarks upon them,
which was regarded as an unanswerable expo,
si,ion of colonial rights under the charters, anu
which proved a rich mine of authority. 10 the
controversy than waglng between the hlng ana
-Georse Mason was the author of the Bill Of
Rights of Virgioia, the original draft OF wnich,
in hi, handwriting, is now preserved IN the
State Library. He also reported the design OF
the present seal Of the House. /; II. .: .-4y,.
Grigsby says of him that be was the Michael
Angelo who laid the foundation aod prescribed
the proportions of the new government while
Thomas Jefferson was the Raphael who i'm
parted to it it's peculiar grace aod effect.
George Mason opposed .be adoption, of the
Constitution OF the United States in the Virginia
convention, believed with Patrick Henry that
it would tend to the conversion Of the govern
ment into monarchy, and his opposition con-
tributed largely to the first ten amendments 20
that instrument, ...,I,. =. -.
10 IT'S, the Convention Of Virginia desired
to elect him delegate to Congress. Inc 49,
cseptaOce of the Office was urged upon % nlm ~
the warmest manner by Jefferson, Patrck