Agile kirkland biography of george mason

Mason, George; ; judge and statesman; member Va. Convention, and when he drafted Va. Declaration of Rights and a good part of Va. Constitution, also as a member; did not sign Constitution and opposed ratification due to fear of inadequate limits on Federal power to prevent its becoming tyrannical; urged addition of "Bill of Rights;" was one of principal slave-owners including Washington and Jefferson who deplored existence of slavery and favored abolition, with compensation by government to owners of freed slaves.

When the boy was 10 years old his father died, and young George's upbringing was left in the care of his uncle, John Mercer.

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The future jurist's education was profoundly shaped by the contents of his uncle's volume library, one-third of which concerned the law. Mason established himself as an important figure in his community. As owner of Gunston Hall he was one of the richest planters in Virginia. In he married Anne Eilbeck, and in 23 years of marriage they had five sons and four daughters.

In he acquired an interest in the Ohio Company, an organization that speculated in western lands. When the crown revoked the company's rights in , Mason, the company's treasurer, wrote his first major state paper, Extracts from the Virginia Charters, with Some Remarks upon Them. During these years Mason also pursued his political interests. He was a justice of the Fairfax County court, and between and Mason was a trustee of the city of Alexandria.

In he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. When the Stamp Act of aroused outrage in the colonies, George Mason wrote an open letter explaining the colonists' position to a committee of London merchants to enlist their support.