Richard Barnes Mason
Encyclopedia
Richard Barnes Mason was a career general officer in the United States Army
and the fifth military governor of California before it became a U.S. state
.
, Virginia
. He was the youngest son of George Mason V
and his wife Elizabeth "Betsey" Mary Ann Barnes Hooe and the grandson of George Mason
, one of the founding fathers of the United States
.
during the Black Hawk War
. In 1833, he transferred to the United States Dragoons
as its first major
. During the Mexican-American War, he served in New Mexico Territory
and California, eventually rising to the rank of colonel
.
Following the war, he was appointed military governor of California, serving from May 31, 1847, until April 13, 1849. When gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill
, Mason made a report of the finding to President James K. Polk
.
Mason died at Jefferson Barracks
, St Louis, Missouri, in 1850.
was renamed Fort Mason
in his honour, and served as an Army base for more than 100 years. There is also a Mason Street in downtown San Francisco.
(1725–1792); son of George Mason V
(1753–1796); brother of George Mason VI
(1786–1834); grandnephew of Thomson Mason
(1733–1785); first cousin once removed of Stevens Thomson Mason
(1760–1803), John Thomson Mason
(1765–1824), and William Temple Thomson Mason
(1782–1862); first cousin of Thomson Francis Mason
(1785–1838) and James Murray Mason (1798–1871); second cousin of Armistead Thomson Mason
(1787–1819), John Thomson Mason
(1787–1850), and John Thomson Mason, Jr. (1815–1873); and second cousin once removed of Stevens Thomson Mason
(1811–1843).
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the fifth military governor of California before it became a U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
.
Early life
Mason was born at Lexington Plantation, Fairfax CountyFairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He was the youngest son of George Mason V
George Mason V
George Mason V of Lexington was a planter, businessman, and militia leader. Mason was the eldest son of United States patriot, statesman, and delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, George Mason IV....
and his wife Elizabeth "Betsey" Mary Ann Barnes Hooe and the grandson of George Mason
George Mason
George Mason IV was an American Patriot, statesman and a delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention...
, one of the founding fathers of the United States
Founding Fathers of the United States
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution by signing the United States Declaration of Independence, taking part in the American Revolutionary War, establishing the United States Constitution, or by some...
.
Military career
Mason was commissioned into the Army in 1817 and served in the 1st U.S. InfantryU.S. 1st Infantry Regiment
The 1st Infantry Regiment draws its lineage from a distinguished line of post Revolutionary War Infantry Regiments and is credited with thirty-nine campaign streamers....
during the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
. In 1833, he transferred to the United States Dragoons
U.S. 1st Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Cavalry Regiment is a unit in the United States Army which has its antecedents in the early 19th Century in the formation of the United States Regiment of Dragoons. To this day, the unit's Special Designation is "First Regiment of Dragoons".-Origins:The "United States Regiment of Dragoons"...
as its first major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
. During the Mexican-American War, he served in New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
and California, eventually rising to the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
Following the war, he was appointed military governor of California, serving from May 31, 1847, until April 13, 1849. When gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill
Sutter's Mill was a sawmill owned by 19th century pioneer John Sutter in partnership with James W. Marshall. It was located in Coloma, California, at the bank of the South Fork American River...
, Mason made a report of the finding to President James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
.
Mason died at Jefferson Barracks
Jefferson Barracks Military Post
The Jefferson Barracks Military Post, located on the Mississippi River at Lemay, Missouri, which is just south of St. Louis, Missouri,was, at first owned land by the DeGamache's then borrowed by military leaders, but after war, the land was not returned. It was an important and highly active U.S....
, St Louis, Missouri, in 1850.
Honours
In 1882, the Post at Point San Jose in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
was renamed Fort Mason
Fort Mason
Fort Mason, once known as San Francisco Port of Embarkation, US Army, in San Francisco, California, is a former United States Army post located in the northern Marina District, alongside San Francisco Bay. Fort Mason served as an Army post for more than 100 years, initially as a coastal defense...
in his honour, and served as an Army base for more than 100 years. There is also a Mason Street in downtown San Francisco.
Marriage and children
Mason married Elizabeth Margaret Hunter on 28 January 1836. Richard and Elizabeth had three daughters:- Emma Twiggs Mason Wheaton (17 October 1836–16 February 1864)
- Elizabeth Mary Ann Sally Mason (20 August 1838–19 November 1912)
- Alice Graham Mason (c. 1843–10 February 1847)
Relations
Richard Barnes Mason was a grandson of George MasonGeorge Mason
George Mason IV was an American Patriot, statesman and a delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention...
(1725–1792); son of George Mason V
George Mason V
George Mason V of Lexington was a planter, businessman, and militia leader. Mason was the eldest son of United States patriot, statesman, and delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, George Mason IV....
(1753–1796); brother of George Mason VI
George Mason VI
George Mason VI was a prominent Virginia planter. Mason was the eldest son of planter and businessman George Mason V and grandson of United States patriot, statesman, and delegate from Virginia to the U.S...
(1786–1834); grandnephew of Thomson Mason
Thomson Mason
Thomson Mason was a prominent Virginia lawyer, jurist, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Mason was a younger brother of George Mason IV, United States patriot, statesman, and delegate from Virginia to the U.S...
(1733–1785); first cousin once removed of Stevens Thomson Mason
Stevens Thomson Mason (Virginia)
Stevens Thomson Mason was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, a member of the Virginia state legislature and a Republican U.S. Senator from Virginia .-Early life and military career:...
(1760–1803), John Thomson Mason
John Thomson Mason
John Thomson Mason, Jr. was a U.S. Congressman from Maryland, representing the sixth district from 1841 to 1843.-Early life and education:...
(1765–1824), and William Temple Thomson Mason
William Temple Thomson Mason
William Temple Thomson Mason was a prominent Virginia farmer and businessman.-Early life:William Temple Thomson Mason was born on 24 July 1782 at Raspberry Plain. "Temple", as he was known by his family, was Thomson Mason's third child and youngest son with his second wife Elizabeth Westwood Wallace...
(1782–1862); first cousin of Thomson Francis Mason
Thomson Francis Mason
Thomson Francis Mason was a prominent jurist, lawyer, councilman, judge, and the mayor of Alexandria, District of Columbia between 1827 and 1830.-Early life and education:...
(1785–1838) and James Murray Mason (1798–1871); second cousin of Armistead Thomson Mason
Armistead Thomson Mason
Armistead Thomson Mason , the son of Stevens Thomson Mason, was a U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1816 to 1817.-Early life and education:...
(1787–1819), John Thomson Mason
John Thomson Mason (1787–1850)
John Thomson Mason was an American lawyer, United States marshal, Secretary of Michigan Territory from 1830 through 1831, land agent, and an important figure in the Texas Revolution.-Early life and education:...
(1787–1850), and John Thomson Mason, Jr. (1815–1873); and second cousin once removed of Stevens Thomson Mason
Stevens T. Mason
Stevens Thomson Mason , also known as Stevens T. Mason, Tom Mason, The Boy Governor, and lesser known nicknames Young Hotspur and The Stripling, was the territorial governor of the Michigan Territory, and later the first Governor of the state of Michigan. Mason guided the Michigan Territory into...
(1811–1843).
Ancestry
Research resources
- Guide to the Richard Barnes Mason Papers at The Bancroft Library