JAMES MASON

JAMES MASON

James Mason was born in 1752 in Hyde County, North Carolina. John married Charity Swindell (who was born in 1755) in 1768. They went on to have 11 children as noted. James passed away after October 22, 1822 the same year Charity did. James was 70 and Charity was 67 at their passing.

Children

(1) Allen, (2) Caffee , (3) Eleanor, (4) Isabel, (5) Kesiah 1787-1819 (6) Wright, (7) James Jr., (8) Caleb, (9) John, (10)THOMAS 1780-1814 (11) Henry 1791-1815 (See more information under Henry-Pension of War of 1812)

Side note: Charity's parents were father Caleb and mother Kesiah---both names are used in naming their children. Also, Thomas is James Sr. grandfather's name.

I'm honest with you that I have a LOT more names that go farther back in our Mason line but I only have documentation that definitely puts us back this far. For example the information I have on James parents (John and Sarah Sparrow) - some of the information just doesn't line up....yet. So before I share anymore I will build more information. If you are investigating our genealogy and want the info I have past this contact me and I'll share that with you.

Documentations we can find:

• American Genealogical Biographical Index Heads of families at the first Census North Carolina by US Bureau of the Census James Mason is listed in Hyde County, North Carolina

• 1786 North Carolina Compiled Census in Hyde County Township Gibbs district

• US and International Marriage Records James born in 1752 married Charity 1768

• We find an 1800 and 1810 census which lists free white males and females. James family is listed.

• We were blessed to find James will in the probate records. It is as follows:

JAMES MASON WILL

I James MASON Sr. of the County of Hyde and State of North Carolina,

Being in perfect mind and memory. I make this my Last will and testament to be in full force Declaring all other Will made by me Null and Voyd: I will and Bequeath as follows this:

1st -I will and Bequeath unto my Loving wife Charity MASON one third part of all my house hold furniture in doors and one third part of all my stock and one third of Everything Else that I own of any kind to be laid off and Valued by two men all my property and the widow to have one third of the property after Being value by these two men in any property she may most need or choose to make up her part first; It is my Request and Choice that John L. Swindell and Samuel Topping Should Value all my Estate and lay off one third part to my Loving wife Charity MASON in any thing she may want first. Therefore I James MASON Sr. do hereby Authorize the Said John L. Swindell and Samuel Topping to lay off and value my Estate agreeable to the words of this my Last will Test. 

2nd I will & Bequeath unto my Daughter Issabella Gibbs & Bartee Gibbs one Shilling to be paid out of my Estate.

Item 3d I will and Bequeath unto my Son James MASON one Shilling to be paid out of my Estate.

Item 4th . I will and Bequeath the other two thirds or Balance of my propert not given to my wife unto the Children as follows Namely Allen , John and Coffee &Caleb MASON and John Sawyer and Moses Hudson to be Equally divided between the Last Six Named Sons and sons in Law-- I constitute and Appoint my Loving Son Allen MASON my Lawful Executor to this my Last will & testament to act and do agreeable to the words of this my Last Will ??Witness there of I JamesMASON Sr. have hereunto set my hand and Seal to this my Last Will and testament October 22, 1822.

James (his mark) MASON

In presence of us Saml Topping Coffee MASON (mark)

PENSIONS FOR WAR OF 1812

I've included the following information on Thomas brother Henry as it holds interesting information. He was 24.

HENRY MASON (1791-1815)

Henry MASON, the son of James Mason, was enlisted into the army on 27 June, 1812 by Capt. W. Blount. He was 21 (b.c. 1791), 5’11” tall, with light hair, eyes and complexion. He was a farmer from Hyde Co., NC. He enlisted for 5 years and was made a Sergeant. He was sent to Ft. Johnson and later died in the General Hospital on James Island on 17 February 1815. Letter of Administration to the estate of Henry MASON was granted to James Mason with John Mason and Coffey Mason his sureties in May 1815 Hyde County Court. What his estate may have been, other than the land grant mentioned below, is not clear. There are no estate papers and there is no evidence he owned property or was married. In May 1836 Hyde County Court Minutes: “Satisfactory evidence was addressed in court to prove that John Mason, Allen Mason, James Mason, Isabel Gibbs, Kisiah Hutson, and Elinor Sawyer, the brothers and sisters heirs at law to Henry MASON, late soldier in the 18th.... “ This was part of an application sent to Washington for a land bounty for 160 acres in Conway County in Arkansas.

The grant reads:

Andrew Jackson President of the United States

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETINGS: KNOW YE, That in pursuances of the Acts of Congress appropriating and granting Land to the late Army of the United States passed on and since the sixth day of May, 1812, John Mason brother and the other heirs at law of Henry Mason having deposited in the General Land-Offiec a Warrant in their favor, numbered 26816 there is granted unto the said John Mason brother and heirs at law of Henry Mason late a sergeant of Captain Blounts Company in the Eighteenth Regiment of Infantry a certain tract of land containing One hundred and Sixty acres being the South East Quarter of Section Twenty Four of Township North in Range Sixteen West in the Tract appropriated (by the Acts aforesaid) for Military Bounties, in Arkansas. To have and to hold the Quarter Section of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said John Mason brother and the other heirs at Law of Henry Mason and to their heirs and assigns forever. In Testimony whereof, I have caused these Letters to be made patent, and the Seal of the General Land-Office to the hereunto affixed. Given under my Hand in the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eigthteen hundred and thirty six and of the Independence of the United States of America the sistieth.

By the President, (signed Andrew Jackson) By (signed A.J. Donelson) Commissioner of the General Land-Office

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The heirs of Henry Mason, John Mason, Allen Mason, Kizian Hutson, Elinor Sawyer, and Isabella Gibbs, sold this land to Dorset Mason, their nephew.

Contributed by Ina Mason Carpenter

I find it interesting that James would be my 5^th Great Grandfather. Now if you do the math by this time just in adults that brings us to 64 adults in my life...that does not take into account their children and their children's children. Do you get the picture what has gone on before us and will after us?

Next I'll share information with you on the Wolford (MaMason's family line) Family!!