Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/306

 MASON

MASON

ber of the convention of 1787 that framed the Federal constitution. He favored the election of representatives by the people ; the election of a President for seven years, making him ineligible for re-election ; opposed making slaves equal to freemen as a basis of representation ; opposed property qualification for voters ; advocated the emanci{)ation of slaves or power to prevent its increase and limitations of the powers of both congress and the executive. He was a member of the Virginia convention to pass upon the adop- tion of the Federal constitution submitted to the ratification of the states, which instrument as drawn up he had refused to sign, and he vigor- ously stated his reasons for its rejection unless amended. He was elected the first U.S. senator from Virginia, but declined the office, and he re- turned to his estate, Gunston Hall, where he en- gaged in agriculture up to the time of his death. His statue, with those of Jefferson, Henry and other notable Virginians, form the group that surrounds Crawford's colossal statue of Washing- ton on the Capitol grounds, Richmond, Va. He is the author of : Extracts from tJte Virginia Charters, with some Remarks upon TJiem. Kate Mason Rowland prepared his life which was pub- lished in two volumes (1892). He died at Gunston Hall. Va., Oct. 7, 1792.

MASON, George Champlin, author, was born in NewjKjrt, R.I., July 17, 1820 ; son of George Champlin and Abby Maria (Mumford) Mason ; gnmdson of Benjamin and Margaret (Champlin) Mason and of Benjamin B. Mumford, and a de- scendant of John Howland of the Mayflower; of the Grants of Grant, Scotland, and of the Neaua and Ayraulta (Huguenots) of France. He was educated in Newport and was employed in a dry-goods establishment in New York city, 1S3V41, leaving in 1841 on account of ill* health. He studied art in Rome, Florence and Paris, 1844- 40, and on Ins return to the United States devoted himself to landscape painting of architectural subjects in Newport. He was married, Aug. 10, 1848, to Frances Elizabeth, daughter of Seth Hope Dean of Newport. After 1858 he confined himself to architectural drawing, and made ar- chitecture his profession. He was a director of the Redwood library at Newport, 1858-94, and a trustee of the Newport hospital, 1873-94. He editetl the Newport Mercury, 1851-58, and was a correspondent of the Providence Journal over the signature " Aquidneck," 1854-94, and of the New York Evening Post, 1876-94. He is the author of : Neivport and its Environs (1848) ; Pen and Pencil Sketches of Newport (1854); The Application of Art to Manufactures, illustrated (1858) ; George Ready, a story (1858) ; Reunion of the Sons and Daughters of Neicport (1859) ; Newport and Its Cottages (1875) ; Tlie Old Home Altered (187a^ :

The Life and Works of Gilbert Stuart (1879) ; Reminiscences of Newport (1884) ; Annals of Red- wood Library (1891) ; Annals of Trinity Church (1st ser., 1890; 2d ser., 1894). He died in Phila- delphia, Pa., Jan. 30, 1894.

MASON, Harriet Lawrence, author, was born in Keene, N.H., Sept. 15, 1862; daughter of An- drew R. and Lucy (I^awrence) Mason ; grand- daughter of John and Hannah (Woodward) Law- rence and of Joseph B. and Harriet (Ormsby) Mason, and a descendant of Hugh Mason, who settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1630, and was a brother of Capt. John Mason of Pequot war fame. She was graduated from the State Normal school, Plymouth, N.H., in 1882; was instructor at Hampton, Va., 1883-84, and at Bradford, Pa., 1884-90. She received a certificate for junior and senior English in RadclifTe college, 1890-91 ; was appointed instructor in the English language and literature at Drexel institute, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1893, and was advanced to the professorship of English language and literature there, 1901. She is the author of : Ainerican Literature : a Laboratory Method (1891) ; Students^ Readings and Questions in English Literature (1898) ; Syn- onyms Discriminated (1898).

MASON, James Brown, representative, was born in Thompson, Conn., in 1774; son of John and Rose Anna (Brown) Mason and a descendant of Samson Mason, an officer in Cromwell's army, who came to America in 1650, and settled first in Dorchester, Mass., afterward at Rehoboth and finally in Swansea. James was graduated at Brown university in 1791, and was licensed to prac- tise medicine. He removed to Charleston, S.C., where he practised, 1795-98, and engaged in busi- ness with his brother-in-law, John Brown, at Prov- idence, 1798-1819. He was a representative in tlie Rhode Island legislature several years and served as speaker, 1812-14, and was a Federal represen- tative in the 14th and 15th congresses, 1815-19. He was a trustee of Brown university, 1804-19. Ho was twice married : first in South Carolina, and secondly, July 16, 1800. to Alice, daughter of John and Sarah (Smith) Brown of Rhode Island. He died in Providence, R I., Sept. 6, 1819.

MASON, James Murray, senator, was born at Analosta, Fairfax county, Va., Nov. 8, 1798 ; son of Gen. John and Anna Maria (Murray) Mason and grandson of George and Ann (Eilbeck) Majjon. He was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, A.B., 1818, A.M., 1821, and at the- College of William and Mary, LL.B., 1820. He was- a lawyer in Winchester, Va., 1820-61 ; a repre- sentative in the house of delegates, 1826-32 ; dele- gate to the Virginia constitutional convention of 1829; presidential elector, 1833, voting for Jackson and Van Buren ; and representative in the 25th congress, 1837-39. He was a U.S. senator t<> ^11-