Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/308

 MASON

MASON

started down the river, arriving at Saybrook, May 17, where Captain Underhill joined him with 20 men. This enabled Mason to send 20 of his own men to protect the women and children at Windsor, and the expedition proceeded on May 19 to the Narragansett country outside the Con- necticut boundary, although this was contrary to the iijstructions of the general court. Arriving on Saturday evening. May 20, they remained in their boats over the Sabbath, and were detained by a storm till Tuesday, when they landed at the foot of the hill overlooking Point Judith, where Mason called upon Canonicus, chief of the Narra- gansetts, for safe passage through his country in order to punish their common enemy, the Pequots. Here he received notice from Roger Williams of the arrival of Captain Patrick with 40 men from Massachusetts bay. Mason, however, impatient to take the Pequots by surprise, decided not to wait for Patrick's arrival, and he sent his boats to the mouth of the Pequot river and with 77 white men, 60 Mohegan and 200 Narragansett Indians, he t<x)k up the march, and the next day was joined by Uncas with 200 Niantic Indians. Mason surprised the Pequot fort, May 26, gained entrance to the camp with 16 men, while Captain Underhill, also with 16 men, effected an entrance on the other side. The remaining colonists with the friendly Indian allies formed a line that reached entirely around the fort and prevented the escape of the enemy. Captain Mason or- dered his men to apply the torch and in a few minutes the entire camp was on fire. In the confusion the 32 attacking colonists took their place with the other guards, and the Indians were Blain as they emerged from the fort. Only 7 Pequot warriors escaped and 7 were made pris- oners. The 300 Pequots occupying the other fort under Sassacus fled panic stricken and were mercilessly driven before the retiring colonists as far as Saybrook, the remnant escaping into New York. This decisive action put an end to Indian wars in New England for forty years. The gen- eral court of Connecticut, on Mason*s return to Hartford, made him chief military commander of the colony, with the rank of major, which was equivalent to major-general. His action in slay- ing the Pequots was approved by Roger Williams, who designated him a " blessed instrument of peace for all NewEngland." He removed to Say- brook when that fort passed to the control of the colony, and he was made captain of the fort and commander of the forces of the united colo- nies. In 1659 he settled in Norwich, which place he helped to found. He was a magistrate, 1643-68, and deputy governor, 1660-70. The com- monwealth erected a monument to his memory on Pequot Hill, Groton, Conn., surmounted by a heroic-size statue in bronze. It was unveiled

June 26, 1889. He wrote an account of the Pequot war, which was published by Increase Mather in his Relation of Troubles by the Indians (1677). He died in Norwich, Conn., Jan. 30, 1672.

MASON, John, clergyman, was born near Mid-Calder, Linlithgow, Scotland, in 1734. His father was a farmer, and both his parents died wlien he was a boy. He was brought up in the Associate or Secession church of Scotland; was graduated at Abernethy, 1753; pureued his theological studies there under the Rev. Alexan- der Moncrieff, and in 1754 could speak Latin flu- ently. He was assistant professor in logic and moral philosophy at Abernethy, 1758-61, and was ordained to the ministry of the Associate Reformed church in 1761 and was made pastor of the Scotch Presbyteriaii church in Cedar street. New York city, serving 1761-92. At his sugges- tion the synod in Scotland sent a number of clergy- men to America. His efforts to effect a union be- tween the Burgher and Anti-Burgher parties in America were successful, but caused liis name to be erased from the synod in Scotland. He also effected the unioti of the several presbyteries, June 13, 1782, and he served as the first moder- ator of the Associate Reformed church in the general synod of October, 1783. He was a chap- lain in the American army during the British occupancy of the city of New York; was a trustee of the College of New Jersey, 1779-85, and re- ceived the degree of D.D. from that institution in 1786. He was married, first, to Catherine Van Wyck of New York city, who died June 31. 1784, and, secondly, to Sarah Van Alstineof New York. He was a writer on ecclesiastical subjects. He died in Npw York city, April 19, 1792.

MASON, John Mttchell, educator, was born in New York city, March 10, 1770; son of the Rev. John and Catherine (Van Wyck) Mason. He was prepared for college under his father; was graduated at Columbia in 1789; was a student in the University of Scotland, 1791-92, and was recalled to the United States by the death of his father in 1792. He was licensed by the As- sociate Reformed Presbytery of Pennsylvania, Oct. 18, 1792, and installed as pastor of the Cedar Street church. New York city, assuccessor to his father, in April, 1793. He was married. May 13, 1793, to Ann, daughter of Abraham Lefferts of New York city. He visited Scotland in 1801, to obtain competent evangelical ministers for duty in the United States, and in September, 1802, proposed a theological seminary, subject to the direction of the Associate Reformed church, which movement resulted in the Union Theological seminary. He