JOHN MEASON d. 1761 JAN 1993 by Linda Sparks Starr per F. B._Kegley's Virginia Frontier_: First appears in then east- ern Brunswick Co. VA 1739 when he was granted land on Goose Creek a.k.a. Roanoke River. [Note: I'm not so sure it's the same person, but do believe Mason's Creek and Cove were named for him.] (Brunswick then included the area now Bedford Co. There is a "Toshes Village" in now Pittsylvania Co. VA which may give us an idea of his location in 1739 for this was part of "old" Brunswick Co. too. I'm sure the TOSH families are related if not in fact the same persons as those who settled in the valley of Goose Creek a.k.a. Roanoke River.) Kegley citations from Land Grant Bk: John Mason granted 130 A on branch of Goose Creek of Roanoke Bk 32, p711; 262 acres on Goose Creek Book 32, p 700; 176 acres between two mountains Book 32, p706. By 1 JUN 1750 he had rec'd grants for 730 acres and 550 acres on Bears Element and Wayua Creek south of Blue Ridge, Book 30, page 4. Also per Kegley: 10 OCT 1754 survey 200 acres on Meadow Run, branch of Back Creek of Roanoke; 150 acres on branch of Roanoke called Back Creek in South MT--the 2nd from Aug. Patent Bk. References to John MASON in Chalkley's _Chronicles of the Scotch Irish Settlement in VA_ in 3 vols--otherwise known as abstracts of Augusta Co. Court Records: vol 1: Order Book 1--19 NOV 1746 (p. 131) Road ordered from Ridge divid- ing waters of New River from waters of South Branch Roanoke to end in a road that leads over the Blue Ridge--James Campbell and Mark Evans overseers. Old Mr. Robinson and his sons, Thos. Wil- son and his two sons, Wm Beus and his brother, all the Ledfords, Samuel Brown, Henry Brown, Samuel Niely, James Burk, James Bean, Francis Estham, Ephraim Voss and servants, Francis Summmerfield, JOHN MASON, Tasker and Thomas TOSH, John and Peter Dill, Uriah Evan's sons, Mathuselah Griffiths and sons, John Thomas, Peter Kender. vol II Parish Vestry Book page 83--26 NOV 1751--orphan George Alexander bound to JOHN MAISON. page 85 26 NOV 1751--orphan Mary Alexander bound to JOHN MAISON vol III Will Book I: (p 155) 17 MAY 1749 James Robinson's inventory and appraisement by Ephraim Vause, JOHN MEASON, Richard Hall p 225 21 DEC 1749 Charles Hungate's appraisement by JOHN MASON, Tasker Tosh, William Armstrong p 239 11 SEP 1749 Mathusalem Griffie's will of Round oak ... 300 acres on MEASONS's Creek by the licks ... Teste Thomas Tosh, Tas- ker Tosh, Thomas Acres, proved 22 MAY 1750 p 266 27 DEC 1749 Simon Acre's appraisement by Erwin Patterson, Joseph Robinson, JOHN MESON p 297 26 FEB 1750 JOHN MASON and James McKachey's bond as ad- ministrators William Alexander with Erwin Patterson and Joseph Love. Will book 2: p 154 18 AUG 1756 JOHN MEASON's bond with William and John Robertson as admin Joseph Cummings from Bockstruck's Virginia's Colonial Soldiers: 1742 Augusta Militia Companies--Capt George Robinson's Co: [surnames only] McFeron, Shirley, Ranfro, Mannaughan, Coal, Draper, Roland, Smith, Kelly, Gaughagan, Hiles, Philips, Kindel, Looney, Joans, Askins, Curuthers, Kowen, Bradshay, Cost, Cravens, Dougherty, Acres, Hartford, TASKER TOSH, JOHN MEASON, Brown, Buak, Bean, Evans, Martin, Kinder, Walkins, Davis. [No Crawford, McKeachy, Alexander] from The Preston and VA Papers of the Draper Collection: 18 AUG 1759 Thomas Tosh receipt to Wm. Preston for 30s for labor at Fort Amherst; 29s on Col. Maury's account; and 30s on account of JOHN MASON 10 FEB 1759 JOHN MASON rec'd L7 1s 6d for provisions for Preston's Co. at Evans Mill 18 AUG 1759 30s to JOHN MASON for labor at Fort Amherst Several receipts signed by Tasker and Thomas Tosh for provisions (flour and beef) supplied rangers. per pages 52-53 of William McCauley's History of Roanoke Co., Salem, Roanoke City VA and Representative Citizens published 1902: (paraphrased) It is now impossible to identify the loca- tion of Mason's fort mentioned in the Proceedings of the Council of War held at Staunton as lying south of the Roanoke River. The most likely location is a farm south of the Franklin turnpike not far from the iron bridge across the Roanoke near Roanoke City. Mason's Creek, Mason's Fort and Mason's Knob ... may be named after a hunter and frontiersman by the name of Mason said to have lived in the Valley. John MASON wrote his will 12 OCT 1760 indicating he was very sick; however, the will wasn't probated [Augusta Co. Will Book 3, page 52] until 18 AUG 1761 suggesting he didn't die until the next summer. He named children and bequeathed son John a tract of 270 acres on Mason's Creek son James 150 acres on Back Creek son William 250 acres on Goosey Hill branch youngest son Josef home plantation of 155 acres mother Leah 25 in cash (probably pounds) dau Jannet a gray natural pacing mare dau Mary a young dapple grey mare dau Margaret a black mare Rest of estate, both real and movable, to be divided equally among the children William Boyd of the north fork of the Ottor River in Bedford Co. is named executor along with John's brother-in-law James McKeachy. Witnesses Magret Boyd and Wm. Ritchie. He signed the will John MEASON James McKeachy signed a seven hundred pound bond as executor of the estate John Mason 10 August 1761. His securities were: George Robinson, John Miller and James Bane. There is a note with the above will that Wm. Boyd of Bedford Co. made oath in that county according to law. Five pages of inventory were sub- mitted to court: Thomas Tosh, James Bein and Neal McNeal com- pleted the larger of two Jul 1762 and an undated additional one later. Neither inventory totaled the values given his posses- sions. per Chalkley--Order Book VII, p 359 17 NOV 1762 ... JOHN MASON's orphans to be bound out. [Mrs. Bushman (a well regarded researcher and Augusta Co. historian) said the order book was being restored in Richmond when I wrote for a copy of this cita- tion; she checked church warden records for guardian bonds for the above underage children, but none were found.) Now to major disagreements about John MASON. Let's begin with his eldest son John who was baptized by Rev. John Craig 7 MAR 1749 per page 479 Howard McKnight Wilson's _The Tinkling Spring: Headwater of Freedom_, Appendix F., Record of Baptisms, 1740-1749. I think this son John Jr. died by NOV 1761; others claim descent from him as their Rev. War ancestor. per Chalkley-- Order Book VII, page 140 20 NOV 1761, James McKeachy vs. JOHN MASON, eldest son and heir at law of JOHN MASON--abates by death of defendant. (Mrs. Bushman checked the minute book and found nothing further on this suit. She thinks because the defendant died, the suit was never recorded.) Just which John died? I think BOTH since the suit was filed three months after John Mason's will. I speculate that John Jr. and James McKeachy (as exec. of the will) disagreed on something like who should get what land. (As eldest son, without a will, John Jr. would have received everything for VA was still under primogenture law.) Perhaps John d. 1761 changed his mind, but not his will, in the time between the writing of the will and his death and promised his son John Jr. something more? Who knows. Others use this court record (and the following Kegley citation) to suggest that the John who d. 1761 was actually John Jr. son of John Sr. and he and James McKeachy were in disagreement on how to dispurse some land inherited by John Sr. That makes sense IF John III's name appeared in any subsequent court or tax records; I've found none and what few references cited by others were credited to James Mason rather than John by Lewis Preston Summers in his _Annals of Southwest VA 1769-1800_. I doubt, however, that any of us have gone to the actual records which may be the only way to settle this. Kegley in _VA Frontier_ page 570 is the citation used by others to "prove" John Jr. lived. "Across the ridge in Mason's Cove inter- est centers around the original grant to John Mason Sr. 176 acres devised by John Mason Sr., to John Mason, Jr. and sold by James Mason, the son of John Jr., to Jeremiah Pate of Bedford. To this was added 300 acres by patent, which with a surplus made an in- clusive survey of 508 acres." There are no dates in the above BUT Summers says there was an in- clusive survey made by James and William MASON in 1781; this James and William were undoubtedly sons of John Mason d. 1761 who were dividing the lands they inherited. John Mason baptized 1749 would have been 32 in 1781--not old enough to have a 21 year old son--and James and William were both of legal age. I haven't found just when Jeremiah PATE purchased the land from James Mason, but page 575 Kegley says Jeremiah PATE was making an inclusive survey including the 176 acres from James MASON and then dividing his land among his sons in 1806. Next disagreement concerns the surname for John Mason d. 1761's wife who is never mentioned in court records--he apparently never sold any of his land. In his will, John d. 1761 names his "brother-in-law" James Keachy (a.k.a. McKeachy, Kachey, McCagey- did court clerks ever have fun devising spellings for that name!) Most researchers take this to mean his wife was a sister of James McKeachy. She probably was--however, the term can also mean half-brother and step-brother so we have to be careful here. Meanwhile, still others say his wife was specifically LEAH McKEACHY and give his will as the citation. In his will he names "Leah" as his mother and gives her 25 (pounds) cash; they say "Leah" is his wife, "mother" just an endearment and use contem- porary examples of spouses calling each other "mother" and "dad". I say HOGWASH--although am nicer when writing to them. Since wills were formal documents, I think John would have specifi- cally said "wife" if "Leah" was other than his mother. Since she received a lump sum only, I think John knew she would be taken care of by someone--could that mean that James McKeachy is his half-brother? In his will, James Clark bequeathed his aged father so much each year until his father died. Also, wives were entitled by law to 1/3 of their husband's property; if his wife were alive when he died, I think she would be mentioned in court records somewhere. Elsewhere in Augusta Co. deed records "Mary Ann Crawford's line" and "the widow Baskin's corner" are mentioned. Husbands usually called upon sons to maintain their mother's upkeep during their life or widowhoods. Or the son receiving the plantation was usually told he wouldn't inherit until the mother's death or remarriage. Especially with young children in the household, I think John would have specified more than 25 cash for his wife's maintenance if she were alive. Where to look--MASON families of eastern VA--especially Brunswick, Lunenburg, Albemarle Counties. However, remember he was in Augusta Co. by 1740 so limit search for him to before then. The only MASON in Bedford records is a Gilbert, but John was in Augusta before Bedford Co. was formed. Look for any Leah who married a MASON. There's a possibility that he came out of MD for I ran across a Leah Mason 1780's in Maryland. The TOSHes may go back to Cecil Co. MD. "Leah" is un- usual, as is TOSH and PATE. [I've since traced TOSHes back to Lancaster Co. PA where their father and brother died early 1750s.] This is where we look to neighbors for help--most of which can be traced back to Lancaster Co. PA. However, since John lived in the Roanoke valley for almost ten years before he married (age of his first child when baptized), this isn't as valid as I first thought. Barring a second marriage for him with no children with his first wife, he didn't necessarily travel with his neighbors to the Roanoke valley. I've found nothing in Lancaster Co. PA for him other than one naturalization record in Philadelphia. With such a common name, it'll be nie on impossible to link that record to him. At this point I suggest looking for a MASON with wife Leah anywhere, but especially for one residing near a William CRAWFORD and possibly a BOYD family near the PATEs in eastern VA. [The following transcription by Linda Sparks Starr is true to original with the exception that paragraphing has been added for clarity and the lines drawn to show "nothing more on this line" have been deleted. This may be a copy of the original will for signatures appear to be from different hands. Note the dif- ferences in spelling of "Mason" throughout. LSS] According to Lyman Chalkley's Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in VA, vol. III, page 64, the will of John Mason is located in Augusta County, VA Will Book 3, page 52; page numbers do not appear on my copy from Court House researcher. IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. THE TWELTH DAY OF OCTOBER ANNO DOMINI 1760 I John Mason of Augusta County in the Colony of Vir- ginia, Farmer Being Very Sick and Weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given to Almighty God. Therefore know ing it is appointed unto all men Once to Die Do make and Ordain this my Last will and Testament; That is to Say into the hands of almighty God that Gave it and my Body I Recommend to the Earth; That is to Say to be Buried at the Discretion of my Executors nothing Doubting but at the General Resurrection I Shall Receive the Same age By the mighty power of God; As Touching Such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to Bless me in this Life I Give Devise and Dispose of the Same in the following manner and Form. First I Give and Bequeath unto my well Beloved son John Mason a tract of Land Lying on Mason's Creek 270 acres Itim I Give and bequeth unto my Son James Mason a piece of Land Lying on Back Creek 150 acres Itim I Give and Bequeth unto my Well Beloved Son William Meason 250 acres on Grassy Hill Branch Itim I Give and Bequeth unto my youngest Son Josef my Planta- tion Whereon I Live Containing 155 acres Itim I give and Bequeath unto my Dear Mother Leah the Sum of Twenty five in Cash Itim I Give and Bequeth unto my well beloved Daughter Jennet a Gray natural Paceing mare Itim I Give and Bequeath to my Daughter Mary a young Dapple gray mare Itim I give and Bequeth to my Daughter Margret a Black mare Itim It is my will That the Remainder of my Whole Estate both Real and Moove able be Equally Divided amongst my Children abovesaid Itim it is my Will to Make and Constitute William Boyd of North Fork of Otter river in Bedford County Together with my Brother in Law James Keachey [insert above line "my Sole Ex- ecutors of this my last w [above that] & Test" then back to line following "Keachy"] and I Do hereby Utterly Disallow; Revoke and Disannul All and Every Other former Testament; Wills; Leagasies; and Bequeths; and Exors Ratifyig and Confirming; This and no other to be my Last will TESTAMENT in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the Day and Year above Written SIGNED SEALED PUBLIŸHED PRONOUNCED N:B: the word knowing AND DECLARED by the Said John Mason Interlined as his Last will & Testament in N:B: also ye words Boyd & the Presence of us Sole Exors of this my last will & Testamt Interlined Magret Boyd John Meason Wm Ritchie At a Court held for Augusta County, August 10th 1761 This Last will and Testament of John Meason dec'd was proved by the oaths of the WitneŸses thereto subscribed and Ordered to be Recorded and on the motion of James McKachey one of the Exors (the other Executor Wm Boyd residing in Bedford County who made Oath accord ing to Law CertifiCate is granted him for obtaining a probate therof in due force he having with security entered into Bond. Test [The Adminstrator's Bond is a "fill in the blanks" form; italics represents the handwritten portion filled in by the clerks. LSS] KNOW all Men by these Presents, That We Jas Keechy [above the line also Jas McKeacy] Geo Robison John Miller & James Bane are held and firmly bound unto Jno Buchanan, Dan'l Smith, Israel Christian & Archb Alexander Justices in the Commission of the Peace for Augusta County; for, and in Behalf, of the Justices of the said County, and their Successors, in the Sum of Seven Hundred pounds ... Dated this ___?__ Day of August Anno Dom 1761. THE Condition of this Obligation is such, That if the above-bound James Keachy also Jas McKeachy Executor of the Last Will and Tes- tament of Jno Mason ... Sealed and Delivered James mcKeachey in the PreŸence of Pet. Hog Geo: Robinon John miller James Bane At a Court held for Augusta County August 10 1761 James McKachy with Geo Robinson Jno Miller & Jas Bane his Securities Acknow- ledged this their Bond which is ordered to be Recorded Test [There is no "heading" on the first page of the inventory sent to me; neither do I have a copy of the court ordered appraisement. This is the first inventory I've seen where woman's intimate clothes--bedgowns, peticoats and stays--were inventoried. LSS] œ S D To a Tankart 0 4 0 To Puter 1 2 0 To a pare of WiporŸ & old BraŸs 0 5 0 To Twoo old Gunbarls 0 6 0 To twoo Bibls 0 15 0 To a paire of Silver Buttons 0 2 6 To old Books 0 9 0 To Small Books 0 4 0 To a pare of mony wights 0 5 0 To twoo Books 0 2 6 To wooden Ware 0 3 0 To a old churn 0 2 6 To twoo pals 0 2 6 To a hanchef & hat and Stocke 0 11 0 To Sheepe 4 0 0 To a Lot of Smith Tools 10 0 0 To a Colter and Shire 0 14 0 To twoo Cows and Calves 4 0 0 To Carpenter Tools 0 10 0 To a wagon & gears 10 0 0 To a Sith and Tomahake 0 3 0 To a GrinŸtone 0 5 0 To a Bull 0 16 0 To twoo Calves 0 18 0 To a Brineld Stere 0 12 0 To a Brown Cow 1 16 0 To a Brown hefer 1 15 0 To a hefer 1 17 0 To a Bull 1 12 0 To a Cow and twoo Calves 2 10 0 To a Cow 2 5 0 To a Ront horŸe 6 0 0 To a Ront horŸe Ditto 6 0 0 To a gray stallion 6 0 0 To a gray Colt 6 0 0 To a mare and Colt 6 0 0 [next page] To a mare and Colt 8 0 0 To a mare and Colt 3 10 0 To a cote and jacket 1 10 0 To a Cote and jacket Ditto 1 15 0 To Scirt and Jacket 0 50 0 To a womans gret Cote & Dipor Jacket 0 12 0 To a gown and peticote 0 15 0 To a gown and peticote Ditto 1 7 0 To a Clocke and peticote 1 5 0 To Five paire of Stockins 1 0 0 To a Bedgown and BricheCout & cap 0 9 0 To old Stockins 0 0 6 To a bed gown & Apron and a pece of Cloth 0 9 0 To a shurt and TrowŸors 0 4 0 To a Piticote & a pice of cloth & napkin 0 5 0 To a pare of stays 0 3 0 To Cortins [curtains] 1 0 0 To a Bed tick and BolŸter 1 8 9 To a tablecloth and napkine 0 10 0 To a pillo and BolŸter 0 5 0 To twoo Bedticks 1 4 0 To a Blanket & sheets 0 10 0 To twoo sheets 0 12 0 To twoo Blankets & a Credle Blanket 0 12 0 To a pare of Duble Blankits 1 3 0 To a Bedquilt 0 13 0 To a paire of Duble Blankits 0 16 0 To a Do chiŸt 0 8 0 To a Axe 0 6 0 To twoo sadls 1 0 0 To a hoe 0 2 0 To a pote 0 18 0 [next page] To a pote 0 15 0 To twoo pots 0 12 0 To a pot Rocke and toangs 0 8 0 To a paire of britches 0 7 0 To a hat 0 3 0 To a gun and shotpoutch 3 15 0 To a hat 0 0 6 To a horse Colt 2 2 0 To a Gray Mare 2 10 0 To a Bay Mare 3 10 0 To twoo ChiŸts 0 14 0 To mall Rings 0 2 0 To a pare of low (?) Cards 0 1 0 To a Spaid 0 2 0 To a Branding Airon 0 2 0 To a Spining whell 0 10 0 To a Spining whell Ditto 0 6 0 To Cloth for a paire of Duble Blankits 1 0 0 To a Shovel 0 3 0 To a Stere 2 10 0 To Old playns and a aager 0 5 0 To a hown 0 2 0 To wooll 1 7 0 To wooll Ditto 0 17 6 To a table 0 7 0 To twoo Smoothing Irons 0 3 0 To a old hatchett & old (?) Cards 0 1 6 To a Gray Colt 2 0 0 To a mare and Colt 10 0 0 To a gray horŸe 8 0 0 [next page very faint] To a Cow and Calf 2 0 0 To a Sorall Mare 4 0 0 To a Darke Mare 2 10 0 To a Blacke Mare 7 0 0 To a Gray Mare 4 15 0 To a gray horŸe colt 3 0 0 To a Bay mare 4 0 0 To a gray colt 1 10 0 To a Bay Mare 2 10 0 To a Darke gray horŸe 11 0 0 This is to certify ___?__ we the Subscribers By order of Court hath apraiŸed ye above artickelŸ Being part of ye Estate of John MeaŸon DeceŸed as wittneŸs our hands this fifth Day AuguŸt 1762 having Been Duly [too faint to read] Law Thos Tosh James Bein Neal McNeal [separate page] The EŸtate of John MeaŸon To a Brodax 0 6 0 To a hefer 1 15 0 To a frow 0 3 0 To Sickls Six 0 7 6 To a Branding Iron 0 1 0 To a gray Stallon 2 ?? 0 To a mare 5 10 0 To a Bay filley 2 10 0 To a mare & Colt 4 0 0 To a gray Mare & Colt 3 10 0 [line drawn through] To a Bell [could be Bull or Boll] 0 4 6 To a gray Colt 3 0 0 To a Black ____?___ [looks like "Sporldine"] 4 10 0 To a gray Colt 4 10 0 To a colt 1 10 0 [hole in page]__colt 7 0 0 To a mare & colt 10 0 0 A true Copy of ye above apraŸment By ye SubŸcribers Thos Tosh Neill McNeilly James Bean At a Court __?___ held for Augusta County April 20th, 1763 This further appraisment of the Estate of John MaŸon dec'd being returned into Court is Ordered to be Recorded.