Meet George Mason

A January 1758 letter from George Mason to Col George Washington shows up. This name George Mason like George Washington lives on. Before looking at that letter, here are a few interesting connections:

Short Bio

George Mason is the fourth George Mason.

He lives on in the name of GMU, George Mason University. Its library is the Mercer library.

That's because the Mercers helped raise George Mason after his Dad drowned in a boat accident.

His uncle, John Mercer, had one of the largest libraries in colonial Virginia.

He's his uncle, because Catherine, sister of George Mason's Dad, married John Mercer.

George Mason is known for writing the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776 on which are patterned our Bill of Rights.

As a hard contrast,

he had a grandson, James Murray Mason,

known for helping to author the Fugitive Slave Act and being involved in the Trent Affair and whose home, Selma, on Amherst St in Winchester VA was destroyed by the Yankee General Milroy's men.

John Mercer's Influence:

His mom, Ann Mason and John Mercer was co-guardians. It is no accident how learned George Mason became with John Mercer's money and library at his disposal. See the books listed in that library here. It is no accident George Mason became treasurer of the Ohio Company for 40 years since John Mercer was a founding member and lawyer for that group. it is no accident George Mason was brilliant, irascible, offensive in argument style like John Mercer. George Mason did not ratify the US constitution because it did not yet include a Bill of Rights, and he refused to serve on the Constitutional Convention.

Local reenactment group:

There is a group in Winchester VA who reenacts as the George Mercer Company of the Virginia Regiment in the French and Indian War. This Captain George Mercer, aide de camp, was a son of John Mercer. He brother was killed in the Battle of the Great Cacapon.

Washington connection

Mt Vernon is in between Alexandria and Gunston Hall at Doeg's Neck, the home of George Mason. Because of that fact, George Mason visited George Washington more often than the other way around. Both were in the Ohio Company. Both used the lawyer services of John Mercer. Both were elected to the House of Burgesses in July 1758.

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Now let us look at the January 1758 letter.

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George Mason had been treasurer of the Ohio Company for 6 years when he wrote this letter. He became treasurer in 1752. He had joined the company in 1749. In this letter, George Mason is asking Colonel George Washington for money owed for supplies to the Indians and for other needs to be submitted. Captain William Trent who was an agent for the Ohio Company had submitted this bill to the Ohio Company. The supplies were at Rock Creek in today's Washington DC.

The next part of the letter is the passing of George Mason's Sister.

The last part is George Mason cautioning George Washington to take care of himself. He's been sick with some form of dysentery since August 1757.

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To George Washington

from George Mason,

4 January 1758

From George Mason Dogues Neck 4th Jany 1758

Dear Sir

Needs Money for Captain Trent

The Bearer (my Cousin French Mason) waits on You with an Acct I recd from Capt. Trent, amounting to £165.12.2¾ as I have an imediate Call for a pretty large Sum, you will particularly oblige Me in sending the Cash ⅌ this Bearer; who will give a Rect for what he receives—if you happen not to have the Cash at Home, I must beg the favour of You to order it for Me by the first safe Hand from Winchester.1

His sister died

I intended to have waited on You myself this Day, or To-morrow, with this Acct but am prevented by an Express this Morning from Chappawamsic, to acquaint Me that my Sister Selden (who has been ill along time) is now given over by her physician, & not expected to live many Hours, & I am just setting off upon the melancholly Errand of taking my last Leave of her!2

Washington's Bloody Flux

I hope You will comply with the Opinion & Advice of all Your Friends, & not risque a Journey to Winchester till a more favourable Season of the Year, or a better State of Health, will permit You to do it with Safety; & give Me Leave Sir to mention another Consideration, which I am sure will have Weight with You—in attempting to attend the Dutys of Your Post at a Season of the Year when there is no Room to expect an Alarm; or any thing extraordinary to require Your presence, You will, in all probability, bring on a Relapse, & render Yourself incapable of serving the public at a time when there may be the utmost Occasion; & there is nothing more certain than that a Gentleman in Your Station owes the Care of his Health & Life not only to himself & his Friends, but to his Country—If You continue⟨e⟩ any time at Mount Vernon, I will do myself the pleasure of spending a Day or two with You very soon.

I am with Mrs Mason’s3

Compts & my ow⟨n⟩ to yr Brother, his Lady, & Yrself Dr Sir Yr affecte humble Se⟨vt⟩ G. Mason

P.S. You will be pleased to return the Acctg ⅌ the Bearer; for I have not any Copy of it; & if it’s necessary for you take it in, I will enter it in our Books, & send it you again.

ALS, DLC:GW.

Founders Online Footnotes

Footnote 1.

George Mason undoubtedly was writing in his capacity as treasurer of the Ohio Company. For a likely explanation for the account, see Mason to GW, 13 Sept. 1756, especially note 2. The frontiersman William Trent had been a factor for the Ohio Company since November 1752. For George Mason’s unsuccessful attempt to have GW make French Mason an ensign in the Virginia Regiment, see John Blair to GW, 3 May 1758, GW to Blair, 4–10 May 1758, and George Mason to GW, 6 May, 16 May 1758.

Footnote 2.

Mary Thomson Mason Selden, wife of Samuel Selden of Stafford County and George Mason’s only sister, died on 5 Jan. 1758 at Chopawamsic, her mother’s home in Stafford County.

Footnote 3.

George Mason was married to Ann Eilbeck Mason (1734–1773), originally from Charles County, Maryland.

Source:

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0048

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Compiled and authored by Jim Moyer posted 905pm 1/23/2022

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