George Mason Biography

George Mason was an American statesman. He was the son of George Mason III, a wealthy plantation owner, and Ann Thomson Mason. His father drowned in the Potomac River when he was ten. He grew up with his uncle John Mercer. He inherited a major portion of his father’s land. He was a neighbour of George Washington. He started his political career as justice of the Fairfax County court. He lost the County election for House of Burgesses. He lobbied for settlement to the west of the Appalachians, and acted as a supply agent for troops commanded by George Washington. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and was also a trustee of the city of Alexandria, Virginia. He is importantly remembered for the drafting of the Fairfax Resolves that challenged Parliament’s authority over the colonies, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the Virginia Constitution. He held a large number of slaves, but while agreeing that it was morally wrong, he did not want to abolish slavery completely. He was against the import of slaves, and the spreading of slavery to other states. He declined to sign the proposed Constitution as it did not include these two clauses. He was invited to become one of Virginia’s senators, but refused choosing to retire to his mansion.