Mason family

The Mason family of Virginia is a historically significant American political family of English origin, whose prominent members are known for their accomplishments in politics, business, and the military. The progenitor of the Mason family, George Mason I (1629–1686),[1][2] arrived at Norfolk, Virginia on the ship Assurance in 1652.[2][3] Mason was a Cavalier member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Charles I of England. George Mason I's great-grandson was George Mason IV (1725–1792), an American patriot, statesman, and delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Along with James Madison, George Mason IV is known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights."[4][5][6][7] For these reasons, Mason is considered one of the "Founding Fathers" of the United States[8][9] and raised the Mason family to national political prominence.

For other uses, see Mason (surname).
Not to be confused with Manson Family.
Mason
Current regionEastern United States
Place of originPershore, Worcestershire, England
MembersGeorge Mason IV
Stevens Thomson Mason (1760–1803)
Armistead Thomson Mason
James Murray Mason
John Thomson Mason, Jr.
Stevens Thomson Mason (1811–1843)
Connected familiesFairfax family
Fitzhugh family
Lee family
Mercer family
Randolph family
Taliaferro family
Spannagel family
Street family
Estate(s)Gunston Hall

George Mason II (1660–1716)[2][3][10] and his son George Mason III (1690–1735)[2][3][11][12] both served as a member of the House of Burgesses, Stafford County sheriff, Stafford County county lieutenant, Stafford County militia colonel, planters, and businesspersons. George Mason III's son and George Mason IV's younger brother, Thomson Mason (1733–1785),[13] was a patriot, statesman, and delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Thomson Mason's son, Stevens Thomson Mason (1760–1803)[14][15] served as a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, a member of the Virginia state legislature, and as a Republican U.S. Senator from Virginia (1794–1803). Another of Thomson Mason's sons, John Thomson Mason (1765–1824)[15][16] was a jurist and Attorney General of Maryland in 1806.[15] Thomson Mason's grandson John Thomson Mason (1787–1850)[15][17][18][19] was a lawyer, United States marshal, Secretary of Michigan Territory from 1830 through 1831,[15] land agent, and an important figure in the Texas Revolution.[18] His son Stevens Thomson Mason (1811–1843),[20][21] was also territorial governor of the Michigan Territory, and later governor of the state of Michigan.[20][21] He was first appointed acting Territorial Secretary at the age of 19, then became acting Territorial Governor in 1834 at the age of 22. George Mason IV's grandson James Murray Mason (1798–1871)[15][22] was a United States Representative and United States Senator from Virginia and represented the Confederate States of America as appointed commissioner of the Confederacy to Great Britain and France between 1861 and 1865 during the American Civil War.

Notable members of the Mason family

References

  1. Gunston Hall. "George Mason I". [Gunston Hall]. Archived from the original on 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  2. French Family Association (2008). "Children of Dennis French, A.2". [French Family Association]. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  3. Lee Woolf (2002-04-07). "George Mason gets memorial in D.C." [The Free Lance-Star Publishing Company]. Archived from the original on 2012-12-08. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  4. "The New United States of America Adopted the Bill of Rights: December 15, 1791". The Library of Congress. Archived from the original on November 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  5. Heymsfeld, Carla R.; Lewis, Joan W. (1991). George Mason, father of the Bill of Rights. Alexandria, Va.: Patriotic Education Inc. ISBN 0-912530-16-2.
  6. Spratt, Tammy. "Father" of Our Country vs. "Father" of the Bill of Rights". The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Archived from the original on 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  7. "Bill of Rights Day – December 15th". Bill of Rights Defense Committee. Archived from the original on 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  8. Yardley, Jonathan (November 5, 2006). A founding father insisted that the Constitution wasn't worth ratifying without a bill of rights. The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  9. Henderson, Denise; Henderson, Frederic W. (March 15, 1993). How The Founding Fathers Fought For An End To Slavery. The American Almanac. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  10. Gunston Hall. "George Mason II". Gunston Hall]. Archived from the original on 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
  11. Gunston Hall. "George Mason III". [Gunston Hall]. Archived from the original on 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  12. arlisherring.com (9 Feb 2008). "Lt. Col. George Mason III". [arlisherring.com]. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  13. Gunston Hall. "Thomson Mason". [Gunston Hall]. Archived from the original on 2008-02-11. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
  14. Gunston Hall. "Stevens Thomson Mason". [Gunston Hall]. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  15. The Political Graveyard (June 16, 2008). "Mason family of Virginia". [The Political Graveyard]. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  16. Gunston Hall. "John Thomson Mason". [Gunston Hall]. Archived from the original on 2008-02-11. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
  17. Gunston Hall. "John Thomson Mason". [Gunston Hall]. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  18. Texas State Historical Association (January 18, 2008). "MASON, JOHN THOMSON". [The Handbook of Texas Online]. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  19. Rowland, Kate Mason (January 11, 1908). General John Thompson Mason. Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association.
  20. Gunston Hall. "Stevens Thomson Mason". [Gunston Hall]. Archived from the original on January 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  21. The Political Graveyard (June 16, 2008). "Mason family of Virginia". [The Political Graveyard]. Retrieved 2009-03-08.
  22. Gunston Hall. "James Murray Mason". [Gunston Hall]. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
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