Architect and Master Carver
Architect: William Buckland Under the supervision of George Mason, William Buckland produced the designs for the elaborate interiors of Gunston Hall. Born in 1734 in Oxford, England, Buckland moved to […]
Tenant Farmers at Gunston Hall
Tenant farmers made up a large part of Virginia’s population during George Mason’s lifetime. Land was very expensive. While well-to-do families like the Masons owned tens of thousands of acres, […]
Indentured Servants at Gunston Hall
When English settlers arrived in the New World, they brought indentured servitude with them. Under this system, people worked for a set period of time as a payment for something. […]
Enslaved People at Gunston Hall
During the 18th century, the Masons kept hundreds of people enslaved at Gunston Hall. Some people such as Anthony and Sabrina were inherited by George. Ann likely brought several people […]
George Mason & Slavery
Through wills, letters, and archaeology, we’ve uncovered glimpses into the lives of the over 300 people enslaved by George Mason—individuals like James, his valet, and Nell, a midwife—though much of their story remains incomplete as we continue the search for answers.
George Mason’s Pursuit of Religious Liberty in Revolutionary Virginia
by Daniel Driesbach The contributions of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to religious liberty in Virginia and the new nation are exhaustively chronicled and rightly celebrated. George Mason (1725-1792), by […]
George Mason and the American Revolution
When tensions between Great Britain and the American colonies first began, George Mason was devoting his time to the operations of his plantation and to his land ventures with the […]
Mason and the Constitution
Objections to the Constitution In 1787, George Mason attended what we now call Constitutional Convention, a gathering of representatives from different states charged with revising the Articles of Confederation, the […]
The Virginia Declaration of Rights – Ratified Version
[Final Draft, 12 June 1776] A DECLARATION OF RIGHTS made by the Representatives of the good people of VIRGINIA, assembled in full and free Convention; which rights do pertain to […]
The Virginia Declaration of Rights – Committee Draft
Committee Draft, 27 May 1776 [Angle brackets < > in the text reflect the substantive changes from George Mason’s first draft] A DECLARATION of RIGHTS made by the representatives of […]
