George Mason IV

• Son of Col. George Mason, "the Cavalier" and Mary Gray French
• Descendants of Col. George MASON

George Mason IV wrote the first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, in which he asserted "That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights....among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." This document was the first in America to call for freedom of the press, tolerance of religion, proscription of unreasonable searches, and the right to a fair and speedy trial.
Mason was vocal member of the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia during 1787, but his concern regarding the amount of power being given to the federal government and the Convention's unwillingness to abolish the slave trade led him to become one of the three dissenters who refused to sign the Constitution. His defense of individual liberties, however, reverberated throughout the colonies and a public outcry ensued. As a result, at the first session of the First Congress, Madison took up the cause and introduced a bill of rights that echoed Mason's Declaration of Rights. The resultant first 10 amendments to the Constitution, also called the Bill of Rights, pleased Mason, who said, “I have received much Satisfaction from the Amendments to the federal Constitution, which have lately passed…” Invited to become one of Virginia's senators in the First US Senate, Mason declined and finally was able to retire to Gunston Hall, where he remained until his death on October 7, 1792.

Burial record:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68284796/george-mason

George Mason II was born 1690 in Accokeek, Stafford Co, Colony of Virginia and died in 1716 in Port Tobacco, Charles Co., Maryland, the son of George Mason I (1629-1686) and Mary French.

George II was married three times:

1) Mary Fowke (m) 1688

• 1a) George III (1690-1735)
• Nicholson (1694-1715)
• French (1695-1748)
• Ann Fowke (1698-? )
• Mary (1700-? )
• Sempha Rosa
• Ann Field (1703-1761)
• Elizabeth (1704-? )

2) Elizabeth Waugh (m) 1706

• 2a) Catherine (1707-1750

3) Sarah Taliaferro (m) 1710

• 3a) Gerad
• Thomas
• Francis (1711-? )
• Sarah (1715-? )

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_II

excerpts from: Chart #EE, Edward French, Pershore, Worcestershire, England, compiled by Mara French

Children of George Mason, and Mary French,

• 1 Sarah Mason, b. ca. 1670 in Stafford Co., VA.
• 2 Mary Mason.
• 3 Elizabeth Mason.
• 4 George Mason II, born around 1660 in Norfolk Co., VA, or on the Accokeek Plantation, Stafford Co., VA.

He married first, 1688, to Mary Fowke, the daughter of Gerard Fowke (of Staffordshire, England) and Ann Thorowgood (of Kicostan, Hampton Co., VA).

George died 1716 in Stafford Co., VA].

George married second Elizabeth Waugh, married third Sarah Taliaferro.

• TITLE: Col.
• RESIDENCE: Stafford Co. VA and Charles Co. MD
• BIRTH: 1660, Accokeek Plantation, Stafford Co.Virginia
• DEATH: 10 Nov 1716, Port Tobacco, Charles Co.MD or Dogues Neck,Fairfax Co. VA [S1670]
• BURIAL: Stafford Co. VA

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mysouthernfamily/...

For a well researched & documented paper written by Robert Morgan Moxley about the George Mason family of VA, explaining their Colonial Plantations, the many generations & family connections; check out the Gunston Hall website:

http://www.gunstonhall.org

Click on the George Mason Tab, Land Holdings category, then the article: The Colonial Plantations of George Mason.