Slaves of George Mason IV, Virginia
Location: Charles City, Charles City County, Virginia, United States
Surnames/tags: Mason Slavery Black_Heritage
Gunston Hall, Fairfax County, Virginia
The purpose of this page is to record the enslaved held by George Mason IV and family and to try and connect them to their descendants.
Slaves
The following bios are annotated from The Enslaved of Gunston Hall. Some of them were not listed in his will of 1773.
- Ancilla and Bridget may have been sisters. In 1760, they were sold to Ann Thompson Mason, the wife of George Mason III, and they served her until she died just two years later. They spent the rest of their lives under the ownership of George Mason IV. They are not mentioned in the will of George Mason IV, so it is not known what happened to them.
- Liberty - was born around 1747. He was a skilled carpenter. He was originally held by William Eilbeck, George's grandfather. After George Mason’s death, he was enslaved to George Mason V. Liberty may have been related to the enslaved carpenters who built Gunston Hall.
- Priss was born enslaved in 1758. She was the child companion of George and Ann Eilbeck Mason’s daughter, Sarah Mason. At the age of seven, Priss became the property of three-year-old Sarah Mason.
- Nace was skilled at handling and breaking horses. Nace had substantial responsibilities. He was described as a “black overseer."The position of overseer was normally held by white men.
- Sampson was enslaved by George Mason’s wife’s family, the Eilbecks. He was born in 1762 on their Mattawoman Plantation, located in southern Maryland. His mother was Bess, who gave birth to at least seven enslaved children. A 1662 Virginia law made enslavement a hereditary institution that passed through the maternal line.
List of Named Slaves from Will
In the Will of George Mason IV, Charles County, Maryland which was written in 1773[1] he listed enslaved persons by name that he bequeathed to his children. He also listed enslaved persons given to his children by their grandfather, William Eilbeck and grandmother, Sarah (Edgar) Eilbeck
Bequeathed from his father, George Mason IV
- Aleck, enslaved person
- Bob, enslaved person
- Dunk, enslaved person
- Yellow Dick, enslaved person
- Bob, son of Occoquan Nell, enslaved person
- Peter, son of Great Sue, enslaved person
- Judy, enslaved person
- Lucy, enslaved person
Bequeathed from his grandfather, William Eilbeck
- Dick, enslaved person
Bequeathed from his grandmother, Sarah (Edgar) Eilbeck (1706-1780)
Bequeathed from her father, George Mason IV
- Bess, daughter of Chloe, enslaved person
- Frank, child of Bess, enslaved person
- Priss, daughter of Jenny, enslaved person
- Nell, daughter of Occoquan Nell, enslaved person
Bequeathed from her grandfather, William Eilbeck
- Penny, enslaved person (girl)
Bequeathed from his father, George Mason IV
Bequeathed from his grandfather, William Eilbeck
- Cupid, enslaved person (lad)
Bequeathed from her father, George Mason IV
Bequeathed from her grandfather, William Eilbeck
- Priss, enslaved person (girl) (15 yrs old)
Bequeathed from his father, George Mason IV
Bequeathed from his father, George Mason IV
Mary Mason
Bequeathed from her father, George Mason IV
- Ann, daughter of Nell, enslaved person
- Nell, daughter of Nell, enslaved person
- Little Jenny, daughter of Jenny
Bequeathed from her grandfather, William Eilbeck
- Nan, enslaved person (girl)
Elizabeth Mason
Bequeathed from her father, George Mason IV
- Vicky, daughter of Occuquan Nell
- Sarah, daughter of Great Sue
- Rachel, daughter of Beck
William Mason
Bequeathed from his father, George Mason IV
Bequeathed from his grandfather, William Eilbeck
- Cato, enslaved person
Sources
- ↑ Maryland, Charles County, wills: "Maryland, Charles County, wills"
Catalog: Maryland, Charles County, wills MD Charles County Wills 1791-1801 T2721/C681-12, AK 11, 1 Jan 1791–31 Dec 1801
Film number: 105435311 > image 113 of 661
FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C397-5SGC-W (accessed 12 October 2023)
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