The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-06

Constitution. This lie y! George MASON .'''
long regretted gap In the biographical iitera'
ture OF the Revolutionary period.
There Is a tradition that Col George Mason
thu ereat.rrapdfather OF the Revolutionary
patriot q troop OF horse on INC
Royalists' side at the battle OF Worcester. and
having managed to escape from the neio'
eventually found an opportunity to emoark
for America. Landing at Norfolk. he went up
tho Potomac River aud settled at Acconick'
near Pasbytangy. where no was buried. WIN
George Ma. on. or about the same time there
cam.!e Virginia d Staffordshire Gentiemah
Col. Gerard fvwke. who became the nia'et n'
ancestor of George Mason OF 90. The hrst
mention Of George Mason. the founder OF 'he
Virginia family. in the colonial RECORDS oe
ours Ia tho patent Of land obtained by mn, 'n
March. 1865: said land being due unto 'he
same George Mason by and for tho trahsno,-
tation OF 10 persons into the colony 'n''
tract COMPRISING 800 acres. was in Northuni-
h,rlnnd county. or more properly. Westmore-
lund. which was cut of from the hrs,
mined county in 1862 and oxt"hdeo
nortbward TO tho falls OF the Potomac
that IS to say, as far as tho site OF tho present
CITY OF Georgetown. In 1868 Can't. Mason. as
he is described not yet as Colonel. disposeu W
800 acres OF this land for five COWS WIN
calves and $500 pounds OF tobacco 9iN
years afterward we find him buying hoie
land $50 ncres in Westnoreland county. anu
again five years later we hear OF MN petition-
inn for and obtaining 500 additional acres
After Stafford county was cut oil from "es'-
morcland. in 1887. George Mason became sue
cessvely Sheriff. County Clerk. ana 'oun'S
Lieutenant. Tho latter officer. VINO. IN ,ir-
ginia. was usually chosen from among .ne
large land owners. commanded the mii'H.
with tho rank OF Colonel. was entitled 10 sea.
in tho Council and, as such. was Judge OF
the General Court. 1901,
George Mason. the first died In 1883.
leaving n son who sometimes has been con-
founded with him. because he bore the same
name and succeeded to tho same county
Offices md titles. Both wore great Indian
fighters and men Of mark in the community.
and while even the elder Mason inclined TO
the popular sdo OF the contest between BerK-
eley and Bacon, the second George showed
himself n still more decided Wing. In 1894
the latter received n patent from the proprie-
tors of the SO. called Northern Neck for tho
1850 acres upon Accohick Creek which he
had inherited from his father. In this way n
dispute about his title was quieted. Three
years later the second George Mason bought
2,1U9 acres OF land lying in Stafford county
between tho Potomac and OccoIuan rivers.
This tract then known as Dogue Island. was
undoubtedly part Of DoGue Neck. or Mason's
Neck. as 1t was nfterward called. In 1899
George Mason bought 200 acres Of land near
Little Hunting Creek. In what Is now Fairfax
county. 1t is interesting to recall the fact
that Mount Vernon lay between DoGue Neck
Creek and Little Hunting Creek. About this
bn nnpOint-
ment of County Lieutenant OF Stafford. and
his eldest son. a third George Mason. appears
as Clerk OF tho Court. BY the year
1904 the divers tracts OF land owned
by the second George In Stafford county
amounted to 5000 acres, but he continued
to enlarge his holdings. and in 1714 we find
him buying. in partnership with another.
some 1000 acres more. On the day after this
purchase. his son. the third George. is re-
corded a. patenting 1890 acres 1t Is evident
that Col. George Mason. second Of the name.
was very large land owner at the time OF his
deuth. which occurred in 1910.
Tho third George Mason was. like his pre-
decessors. con spicuous in the colony. In 17lS
he represented his county in the House Of
Eurgesscs. and in the following year was
commissioned County Lieutenant OF Stafford.
succeeding his father and grandfather in the
office. About 1870. however. the third George
Mason moved from Virginia to one OF several
plantations which he owned in Maryland.
IIenceforth no is described as a citizen Of
Maryland. until his death. which took place in
1875. BY his second marriage to Ann Thorn
son. whose father had been Attorney General
OF Virginia during the reign OF Queen Anne.
he left several children. the eldest son. COM
monty known as George Mason OF Gunston.
being the subject Of this biography.
George Mason OF Gunston was born in 1925.
and his birthplace was probably the dwelling
house at Masons Neck which had been tho
residence OF his father and grandfather. Only
ten years old ut the time OF his father 8
death. he was brought up by his mother who
showed herself 4 capable and prudent guar
dian. SO far. however. as his education is con-
cerned he seems to have been principally in
debted TO his uncle. John Mercer. n lawyer OF
talents and attainments and tho owner Of one
OF the best private libraries in the colony.
Whether George Mason received tho rud-
ments OF instruction Mt n school kept bv one
Of the clergy. as was common at tho time. or
whether he had n private tutor cannot now be
determined. Thore is no evidence Of his hav-
ing been sent 20 college. 1t is certain that
he ehJoyou inc advantages OF MERGERS IL
brary and tho benefits OF this urclc's
scholarship. for there is ample proof
in George Masons writings and speeches
that he was n classical scholar and that he
possessed n wide acquaintance with the lit
eraturc Of his own tongue
In l746 Mason attained his ajority and four
years aftcrward he married Anne Eilbcck. tho
daughter Of Col. William Eilbcck OF Charles
county. Md. portrait Of him made at this
tim" by llcsselas the early instructor OF
Charles Wilson Pealc. represents George Ma
SON IN the fashionable short wiz OF the day.
which eirectlally conceals his own darl; hair.
His features arc regular. the eyes hazel and
full OF expression. the complexion Is clear
and dark. the broad. firm brow betokens in
tcllcctual ability. Will" the chin In its firm.
strong contour is indicative of character and
will power. Lace rulIles fall over the we'll
shaped hand as 1t is thrust through AN
opening in tho embroidered waistcoat On
the whole. the portrait iustfles tho tradition
that George Mason was one OF the handsom est
young men OF his day. 1t was doubtless soon
after his marriage that he project cd the build.
ing Of Gunston Hall. which received its name
rll hpnp in, StnN,