Lt. Francis MASON, Sr.

Abt 1584 - 1648  (~ 64 years)

• Name	Francis MASON
  Title	Lt.
  Suffix	Sr.
  Birth	Abt 1584	England
  Gender	Male
  AFN	99GX-GM
  Death	Between 10 Aug 1648 and 15 Nov 1648	Lower Norfolk County, VA
  Notes	(1) Source: Mark Freeman . (2) Torrence, Robert McIlvaine, Torrence and Allied Families, Philadelphia, PA: Wickersham Press, 1938, pp. 334-336: [Note by compiler: Information from the Torrence book should be viewed with caution, since it contains some errors relating to the MASON and allied families.] Lieutenant Francis Mason was the first of his line in America. He came in the ship "John & Francis" in 1613, accompanied by his wife Mary and daughter Anne. He was born circa 1584, according to a deposition made by him in 1624, when he said he was 40. He died before November 7, 1648. In 1624-25, he is listed among the inhabitants of Elizabeth City, with his wife Alice and son Francis, born in Virginia. Lieutenant Francis Mason made it appear to this Court that there is due him 1250 acres for transporting those whose names are hereunder written, which land is already surveyed. (followed by twenty five names, including his own, those of his wife Mary and his daughter Ann, and that of Alice Ganey). Lieutenant Francis Mason married, first, in England, Mary. He married, second, in Virginia, 1624-25, Alice, whose surname may have been Ganey, as Alice Ganey was in the list of headrights. Alice came to America in 1622 in the ship "Margett & John." She was born in 1598. Further reason for believing that his second wife was Alice Ganey, is found in the will of Margaret Cheeseman, widow, which was probated at St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, County Surrey, England, July 21, 1680. In it, she bequeathed to the children of "my loving kinsman, Mr. Lemuel Mason, the elder, in Virginia; to cousin Elizabeth Thelabald (sister of Lemuel); to god-daughter Margaret Mason, who lives with me, executrix, in trust for her father Lemuel; to my kinswoman, Ann Ganey." [Note by compiler: See the information relating to Margarett CHEESEMAN or CHEESMAN elsewhere in this database, including the text of her will.] Mrs. Ann Ganey was living with Francis Mason in Virginia in 1624. The Masons were closely connected with the Hancocks, the Ganeys, and Thomas Lee. Lieutenant Francis Mason, 1250 acres, last August, 1642, p. 816, beginning at Hoggpen Point, near land of Captain Thomas Willoughby, 'near the house of Marrace' & adjoining land of Downeman, now in tenure of said Mason. Transporting 25 persons: Francis Mason, Mary Mason, his wife, Anne Mason, Alice Ganey, Margery Gun, Theo. Walters, Merra Willow, Mark Lineer, Anthony Ribone, Jno. Johnson, Marke Proveso, Jno. Kingsbury, Nicholas Knowles, Jane Rabbish, Elias Harris, Richard Martin, Jno. Middleton, Alice Jenkins, Richard Morris, Woodham Tuck, Henry Jackson, Jno. Shaw, Edward Wheeler, Jno. Arris, Robert Hall." (151 Lt. Francis Mason, New Norfolk, Sept. 29, 1643, page 945.) . . . Lieutenant Francis Mason, born 1534; died 1648; came to Virginia in 1613, with his wife Mary, and daughter Ann; married, second, Alice, surname unknown; left a daughter Elizabeth, who married James Thelaball, and sons Lemuel and James. This James Mason had a son Francis Mason, born in Surry County in 1647. This son, Francis Mason, was a Justice; Major of Militia; Burgess in 1692; married, in 1673, Elizabeth Binns, who by a former marriage, had a son James Binns. Francis Mason was a member of the Assembly from Surry, April 16, 1691. Lieutenant Francis Mason patented 1250 acres in Lower Norfolk at Hoggpen Point, 31 August, 1642. On 29 September, 1642, he acquired 200 additional acres, renewing the patent 22 March, 1645. He sold land to William Downman between 1646 and 1651. He held the following offices: Justice of the Peace of Lower Norfolk, 11 July, 1637; Church Warden; Vestryman, Elizabeth River, 15 July, 1640; and Sitting Justice of Lower Norfolk, 16 July, 1642. His death occurred prior to November 15, 1648, as indicated by the following: "9 November, 1648, Alice Mason, relict of Francis Mason, deceased, and Lemuel Mason, conveyed land to Mr. James Thelaball, 15 November, 1648. His widow, and son Lemuel, petitioned to administer his estate, and letters were granted. Alice Mason's will bears date 15 September, 1702; proven 1706. Children of Lieutenant Francis and Mary Mason, at least, two: i. ANN MASON, who came to America with her parents on the ship "John and Francis" in 1613. ii. FRANCIS MASON, JR., born in Virginia; name does not appear in Norfolk County records after 1642; is believed to have gone to Surry County, where he and his half-brother James Mason probably were the ancestors of the Surry branch. Children of Lieutenant Francis and Alice (Ganey?) Mason, three: [Note by compiler: The following children are not necessarily listed in birth order.] iii. ELIZABETH MASON, married James Thelaball. . . . iv. COLONEL LEMUEL MASON, married Ann Sewall. v. JAMES MASON, married, name unknown, and removed to Surry County, Virginia, where their son was born. (3) Pecquet du Bellet, Louise, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol. II, Lynchburg, VA: J.P. Bell Company, 1907, p. 615: THE LOWER NORFOLK MASONS. [Notes with respect to the Early Representatives.] The following is copied from the Baltimore Sun of April 9, 1905: Two depositions, from Lieut. Francis Mason, are quoted. Concerning his age, the statement that he was 42 in 1637 and, therefore, born in 1595, is generally accepted. Another that he was 40 in 1628, or seven years older. Holten is on record that the emigrant came over on the "John and Francis," with his wife, Mary, and daughter, Ann. in 1613. The first date would have made him 18; the latter, therefore, seems the more probable. A son, Francis, was born in Virginia, but Mr. Ellis, in the "Virginia Historical Magazine," Volume II, was of the opinion that both his son and daughter died in early infancy, thus finding no relationship between the Surry and Norfolk families. In the year 1623, ten years after emigration, Lieut. Francis Mason's wife was Alice, the mother of a son and daughter, Lemuel and Elizabeth, and when he died, in 1648, his wife, Alice, and son, Lemuel, administered on his estate. He was magistrate, justice and vestryman of Lower Norfolk. His second wife came to Virginia in 1622, in the "Margaret and John." She was born 1626 (1626) (Dep.).
  Person ID	I18840	Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family 1	Mary DICKMAN,   b. Bef 1591, England
  Marriage	17 Aug 1606	England
  Children	1. Ann MASON,   b. Between 1610 and 1623, England d. Abt 1650, York County, VA (Age ~ 40 years)   2. Francis MASON, Jr.,   b. Bef 1624, Elizabeth City, VA d. Aft 1642 (Age > 20 years)
  Family ID	F8408	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family 2	Alice GANEY,   b. Abt 1596, England d. Aft 17 Nov 1653 (Age ~ 57 years)
  Marriage	Between 1624 and 1625	VA
  Children	1. Elizabeth MASON,   b. Abt 1625, VA d. Aft 12 Dec 1702, Norfolk County, VA (Age ~ 77 years)   2. Burgess James MASON,   b. 1626, Elizabeth City, VA d. 1678, VA (Age 52 years)   3. Col. Lemuel MASON, Sr.,   b. Abt 1628, VA d. Bef 15 Sep 1702, Lower Norfolk County, VA (Age ~ 74 years)   4. Alice MASON,   b. Abt 1630, VA d. 1708, Lower Norfolk County, VA (Age ~ 78 years)
  Family ID	F8409	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	17 Apr 2024