Gunston Hall, Home of George Mason
  Mason Family Bible  

Entries of Marriages, Births, and Deaths

[4 April 1750-11 April 1780]

This bible, now in the collections of Gunston Hall Plantation, contains four pages with family records written by George Mason (IV). The Bible is likely the folio edition printed by Thomas Baskett in London in 1759, although the title page and all printed pages prior to that beginning with Chap. XXIX, verse 43 of Exodus are missing.


George Mason of Stafford County Virginia, aged about twenty five Years, and Ann Eilbeck (the Daughter of William Eilbeck of Charles county Maryland, Merchant) aged about sixteen Years, were married on Wednesday the 4th. Day of April in the Year 1750 by the revd. Mr. John Moncure Rector of Overwharton Parish, Stafford County Virginia.

George Mason, their eldest Son, was born on Monday the 30th. Day of April 1753, abt. 8 O'Clock at Night, in Dogues Neck, & privately baptized the Week after by the revd. Mr. Charles Green Rector of Truro Parish Fairfax County.

Ann Eilbeck Mason was born on Monday the 13th. of January 1755, abt. 4 O'Clock in the Morning, in Dogues Neck, & privately baptized at a Fortnight old by the revd. Mr. Charles Green.

William Mason was born on Thursday the 16th: of April 1756 about 4 O'Clock in the Morning, in Dogues Neck, & baptized by the revd. Mr. Charles Green on Monday the 14th. June following; the revd. Mr. John Moncure & Mr. Thomson Mason being God-fathers, & Mrs. Sarah Eilbeck & Mrs. Margaret Green God-Mothers. N.B. At the same Time my two eldest Children (George & Ann) had public Baptism; the same Persons being Sponsers for all the [m]

William Mason died of the Flux on Thursday the 4th. of August 1757. And was buried in the Family Burying Place at Newtown

William Mason (the second of the Name) was born on the 22d. Day of October 1757. abt. 3 O'Clock in the Morning, in Dogues Neck; & was privately baptized by the revd. Mr. James Scott Rector of Dettingen Parish Prince William County.

Thomson Mason was born on Sunday the 4th. Of March 1759 abt. 11 O'Clock in the Fore-noon, at Gunston-Hall, & privately baptized by the revd. Mr. Charles Green

Sarah Mason was born on the 11th. of December 1760. abt. 9. O’Clock at night, at Gunston hall, & was privately baptized by the revd. Mr. Charles Green

[Mary] Th[o]mson Mason was born on the 27th. of January [1763?. . . o'c]lock in the Morning, at Gunston-Hall, & was privately baptized [by the Rev. Charles] Green.

John Mason was born on Thursday the 4th: of April 1766, about ten O'Clock in the Morning, at Mrs. Eilbeck's, in Charles County Maryland, and was privately baptized by the revd. Mr. James Scott.

Elizabeth Mason was born on Teusday the 19th. of April 1768. about two O'Clock in the Morning, at Gunston-Hall, & was privately baptized by the revd. Mr. Lee Massey Rector of Truro Parish. Mr. Martin Cockburn standing God-father & Mrs. Ann Cockburn & Miss Elizabeth Bronaugh God-Mothers.

Thomas Mason was born on Teusday the 1st: Day of May 1770. about two O'Clock in the Afternoon at Gunston-Hall & was baptized by the revd. Mr. Lee Massey Mr. Martin Cockburn & Capt. John Lee standing God-fathers, and Mrs. Mary Massey and Mrs. Ann Cockburn God-Mothers.

Richard Mason and James Mason, Twins, were born on Friday the 4th: Day of December 1773, about eleven O'Clock in the Forenoon at Gunston-Hall, & baptized the same Day by the revd. Mr. Lee Massey; but being born about two Months before their due time (occasioned by a long Illness of their Mother) they both died the next Morning, and were buried in the new Burying Ground at Gunston-Hall; being the first of the Family who are buryed in that Place.

On Teusday, the 9th. of March, 1773, about three O'Clock in the morning, died at Gunston-Hall, of a slow-fever, Mrs. Ann Mason, in the thirty-ninth [ye]ar of her Age; after a painful & tedious Illness of more than [nine months, which she] bore with truly Christian Patience & Resignation, in [faithful hope] of eternal Happiness in the World to come. She [,it may be truthfully said, led a] blameless & exemplary Life. She retain[ed unimpaired her mental faculties to] the last; & spending her latest Moments [in prayer for those around her,] seem'd to expire without the usual [pangs of dissolution. During the whole course] of her Illness, she was never heard to utter one peevish or fretful Complaint, and [constan]tly, regardless of her own Pain & Danger, endeavoured to administer Hope & Comfort [to her] Friends, or inspire them with Resignation like her own! For many Days [be]fore her Death she had lost all Hopes of Recovery, & endeavour'd to wean herself from the Affections of this Life, saying that tho' it must cost her a hard Struggle to reconcile herself to the Thoughts of parting with her Husband & Children, she hoped God wou'd enable her to accomplish it; and after this, tho' she had always been the tenderest Parent, she took little Notice of her Children' but still retain'd her usual Serenity of Mind. She was buried in the new Family-burying-Groun[d] at Gunston-Hall; but (at her own Request) without the common Parade & Ceremo[ny] of a Grand Funeral. Her funeral Sermon was preach'd in Pohick Church by the reved. Mr. James Scott, Rector of Dettingen Parish in the County of Prince William, upon a Text taken from the 23d, 24th, & 25th Verses of the 73d. Psalm.

In the Beauty of her Person, & the Sweetness of her Disposition, she was equalled by few, & excelled by none of her Sex. She was something taller than the Middle-size, & elegantly shaped. Her Eyes were black, tender & lively; her Features regular & delicate; her Complexion remarkably fair & fresh--Lilies and Roses (almost without a Metaphor) were blended there--and a certain inexpressible A[ir of] Chearfulness, Health, Innocence & Sensibility diffused over her Coun[tenance] form'd a Face the very Reverse of what is generally called masculi[ne. This is] not an ideal, but a real Picture drawn from the Life. Nor was this be[autiful out]ward-Form disgraced by an unworthy Inhabitant:

Free from her Sex's smallest Faults,
And fair as Woman-kind can be;

She was bless'd with a clear & sound Judgement, a gentle & benevolent Heart, a s[incere] & an humble Mind; with an even calm & chearful Temper to a very unusual degree Affable to All, but intimate with Few. Her modest Virtues shun'd the public-Eye, Superior to the turbulent Passions of Pride & Envy, a Stranger to Altercation of every Kind, & content with the Blessings of a private Station, she placed all her Happiness here, where only it is to be found, in her own Family. Tho' she despised Dress, she was always neat; chearful, but not gay; Serious, but not melancholly; she never met me without a Smile! Tho' an only Child, she was a remarkably dutiful One; an easy & agreeable Companion; a kind Neighbour; a steadfast Friend; an humane Mistress; a prudent & a tender Mother; a faithful, affectionate, & most obliging Wife; charitable to the Poor, and pious to her Maker; her Virtue & Religion were unmixed with hypocrisy or Ostentation.

Form'd for domestic Happiness, without one jarring Attom in her Frame!

[Her . . .] irreparable Loss I do, & ever shall deplore; and tho' Time I hope will [soften my sad im]pressions, & restore me greater Serenity of Mind than I have lately enjoy[ed, I shall ever retain the most tender and melancholy] Remembrance of One so justly dear.

George Mason of Gunston Hall in Fairfax County Virginia, aged abt. fifty four Years, and his second Wife, Sarah Brent (D[aughter] of George Brent Esqr. Of Woodstock in the County of Stafford) aged abou[t fifty] Years, were married on Teusday the 11th. Day of April in the Year 1780. [by] the revd. Mr. James Scott, Rector of Dettingen Parish in the County of Prince William in Virginia

 

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