Evening star., 1920-07-04

is, ferries supported by the taxpay-
ers-were established only when
travel seemed to demand them.
The private ferry over the Deco
guam was probably at the same point
where the public ferry was set up,
and it was probably conducted by a
member of the Mason family. that
family owning the land on both sides
of the creek. To make the accom-
panying photograph of the railroad
bridge the Rambler crossed the site
of the Mason house, on the southerly
side of the creek. 1t was a stone
house and stones from it's walls are
scattered on the ground. The Ram
bler's information is that the last
Mason to live there was Garret Ma
son. He was killed in bed by slave,
who used an ak as the weapon. That
was long before the civil war and
the slave was hanged at Brentsville.
which in 1920 succeeded Dumfries as
the county seat of Prince William,
and was succeeded by Manassas
about 1885. That date may be few
years out of the way. but the Ram
bier will not stop now to look it up.
Bearing on the Mason ferry over Oc-
coquan. the Rambler finds this in
Hening's Statutes of Virginia. 18th
George. II: September, 1144-Where-
as the ferry across the Occoquan
river from the land of Mrs. Anne Ma
son. widow. in the county of Prince
William. to the land Of the said Anne
Mason, in the county of Fairfax.
hath been found to be very con-
venient and was always. till the said
county was divided. maintained at
the expense of the said county. but
since the division thereof the justices
of each of said counties have refused
to make an annual charge therefor in
their levy, the laws in that case being
deficient.
Therefore, be it enacted by the
lieutenant governor. council and bur-
gesses of this present general assem-
bly,. and it is hereby enacted by the
authority of the same, That the JUS
tices of the said counties of Prince
William and Fairfax be and are here
by authorized and Empowered. re-
spectively. to contract and agree with
Mrs. Anne Mason or any other per-
son or persons for the keeping and
maintaining of said ferry in such
manner as to them shall seem most
proper and to levy the expense there
of upon the tithables in each of the
respective counties in such proper
tions as they shall think most for the
ease and benefit Of the people.
Touching on the subject of Occo-
ouan, the Rambler has received the
following letter from Henry /. Hut
ton of Warrenton. Va.
Seeing your article in The Star of last Sun
at the mouth of the Occoquan during the fall
Of 1902 of finding two old tombstones abont
100 feet or more from the shore. Evidently the
river had encroached the land until they
were undermined and tumbled in the water.
Though the water was quite cold. l took on
my shoes and waded out to them. and as the
waves receded made out portion of the in.
scrptions. which were as follows: Died
1895 Here Lyeth Ye Body of Martin Scaflett.
Gent" The other. with skull and crossbones
at the top, was inscribed: Died February.
1888 Here Iyeth the Body of -- Scarlett.
Gent As l recall it. the first stone had two
swords crossed at the top and referred 10 the
deceased as captain" The stones were quite
large and of granite. about 3x6 feet and eight
or ten inches thick, and We're lettered on the
entire face, but could not make out more. on
account of the water being cold and the tide
rising. If you interested think ii worth
while. / am sure I could point ont the spot
now. though it eighteen years ago. They
are just back of my friend Corbin Thompson s
Occ0quan farm and on the Prince William side
Of Occoquan. Am waiting with interest your
next article.
The Rambler will tell next Sunday
of the establishment of old towns
near Washington, such as Colchester
and Matildaviile and of the setting up
of the earliest ferries in this neighbor-
hood