Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-03-14

n
says:
"TheIe was sold not long ago 20 General
Sheaf, Of indiana, oDs Of the most famous
old Vlrginia mansions along the Potomac,
the anoesra! home Of the old nlason family,
Gurston Hail This quaint old mansion
was built IN 1889, of brick brought from
Scotland na ballast. In those early days Of
commerce England sent very l:ttle to the
coontea, but the caygoes going tbs other
way were heavy and numerous. There was
shipped from the landing at Gunston, in
1742, $4,000 bushels of wheat and five large
cargoes Of tobacco, packed in the old.fash-
toned hogsheads The vessels on returning
had TO snip ballast many of them ceme
with large rocks in their holds, so that it
was considered as fne stroke of business
TO bring as ballast csTgoes of brick that
could be sold in this country. The brick in
Gunston HaIl are q third larger than the
American brick, and are very well made.
The mason who Guilt the mansion at Gun
ston was the son Of tho first OF the family in
this country, the latter having fled from
England as 6 political exile at the time of
oae execution OF Charles the First The
most famous member OF tho family was
George Mason, who was called the father of
Virgiuia He had several thousand acres
in his plantation, aud was WasGipgton's ad.
Joining neighbor The two men were great
friends, and visited back and forth during
the last years Of their life with great regu.
arity. The porch on the south side of the old
Gunston mansion, & quaint little structure,
Yves the favorite chatting place OF the two
men. There they sat during many long
afternoon and twilight either playing chess,
their favorite game, or discussing the affairs
of the country. The scene from this porch
is almost uDequaled for beauty. The roll
ing hills, the masses of woodland, aud The
golden Potomac stretching of for miles
away make . landscape Of almost unriValeG
loveliness. George Mason was the real au-
thor OF the Declaration of Independence. Ii
ia simply marvellous when you place the
Virginia Bill of Rights side by eide with the
Declaration OF Independence to sac how
much Jefferson borrowed from Mason. JEFF
ferson says in his diary that he leaned upon
90 mac more than on George Mason When
some political opponent, in order 20 score q
point, said in o speech that George Mason's
mind was falling from old age. it was Jeffer-
sen who interrupted to say: You: sir, have
one consolation when your mind fails you,
no ono will ever discover it, George Ma.
son opposed The adoption of the constitu.
ton. He was man of ponderous logic, and
his arguments were almost convincing and
successful. Some of them were simply
prophetic. Ea opposed the Senate, saying
that The choice OF men who served for
terra OF six years would set up an aristocratic
class of public representatives., who will
build for themselves houses at the
seat of government and by their
wealth and their aristocratic social
position be in time weaned from the peo-
pie Nothing has ever come true moro GER
tainly aud precisely than this utteraDce of
Mascp. Ganston Hall is built after the
old manor house OF the family in England.
l. is about eighty feet long By forty feet
vide. and is far mora costly and highly
ofnemanted mansion than Mount Vernon.
THO old fashioned wide hall and the apa-
cious psr!ors are carved tastefnlly and Ini-
autelv. During toe war the old mansion
was occupied 81 oae time by the Louisiana
Tiuers. Soon after the war Gunston WAS
bought by Col Edward Daniels, of Wiscon-
sin. who reetored the mansion at great
dea. of expense. George Mason was the
qra5dfsther Of Mason, OF Mason and Slidell
fame. Tie old family burying ground is
situated on d side hill . few rods from the
house. Every gear the Lee family have
raunion at Gunstop, Governor Fitzhugh Lee
presiding. The two families we're inteEnar.
risd for several generations back. The old
Guuston estate is badly run down from long
vesrs of tobacco cropping, but enterprise has
redeemed it somewhat. There are some
thing ike two hundred acres Of fine peach,
pear and apple orchards, and when the
steamer Corcorap, on her daily trip, to
Mount Vernon, stops at Gunston landing
where, one hundred and fifty years ago, the
tobacco brigs took in their cargoes, the
farmers of the neighborhood always have q
good deal of very choice butter, poultry ADD
fruit to send up the river.