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105-463: In 1757 the land was purchased by George Mason . About 1825 his grandson built Huntley , on a hill overlooking the property. Huntley is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Another grandson held Okeley Manor which is now the northwest portion of the park. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area was used for dairy farming. In colonial times, this land was part of

210-580: A vestryman at Truro Parish, where he served between 1749 and 1785. He took a position among the officers of the Fairfax County militia, eventually rising to the rank of colonel. The county court heard civil and criminal cases, and also decided matters such as local taxes. Membership fell to most major landowners. Mason was a justice for much of the rest of his life, though he was excluded because of nonattendance at court from 1752 to 1764, and he resigned in 1789 when continued service meant swearing to uphold

315-797: A boycott of the stamps. With the courts and trade paralyzed, the British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 but continued to assert the right to tax the colonies. Following the repeal, a committee of London merchants issued a public letter to Americans, warning them not to declare victory. Mason published a response in June 1766, satirizing the British position, "We have, with infinite Difficulty & Fatigue got you excused this one Time; do what your Papa and Mamma bid, & hasten to return your most grateful Acknowledgements for condescending to let you keep what

420-444: A constitution he could not support. Even while a member, he often did not attend. Joseph Horrell, in a journal article on Mason's court service, noted that he was often in poor health and lived the furthest of any of the major estateholders from the Fairfax County courthouse, whether at its original site near today's Tyson's Corner or later in newly founded Alexandria . Robert Rutland, editor of Mason's papers, considered court service

525-482: A copy of a Philadelphia resolution to Mason, asking his advice on what action Virginia should take. It is unknown who adapted that text for use in Virginia (Broadwater concludes it was Mason) but Mason sent Washington a corrected draft on April 23, 1769. Washington took it to Williamsburg, but the governor, Lord Botetourt , dissolved the legislature because of the radical resolutions it was passing. The Burgesses adjourned to

630-454: A few points. The entire convention considered the document between June 26 and 28, and it was signed on June 29. Richard Henry Lee wrote the day prior to the constitution's passage by unanimous vote, "I have had the pleasure to see our new plan of Government go on well. This day will put a finishing hand to it. 'Tis very much of the democratic kind." When the convention chose Patrick Henry as Virginia's first post-independence governor, Mason led

735-404: A journal article on the relationship between Mason and Washington, suggests that Mason cultivated the friendship more than Washington. Mason sent many more letters and gifts and stayed more often at Washington's residence at Mount Vernon , though this might be explained in part by the fact that Mount Vernon was located on the road from Gunston Hall to Alexandria . Henriques suggests that as Mason

840-420: A law accepted by that person or by elected representatives. If accused, a person had the right to a speedy and local trial, based on an accusation made known to him, with the right to call for evidence and witnesses in his favor. When the convention began to debate the declaration, it quickly bogged down on the first sentence of Article 1, which some feared would imply that slaves were their masters' equals. This

945-455: A major influence on Mason's later thinking and writing, but Horrell denied it, "if the Fairfax court provided a course for Mason's early training, he chiefly distinguished himself by skipping classes." Alexandria was one of the towns founded or given corporate status in the mid-18th century in which Mason had interests; he purchased three of the original lots along King and Royal Streets and became

1050-473: A major slaveholder, he opposed the slave system in Virginia. He believed that slave importation, together with the natural population increase, would result in a huge future slave population in Virginia; a system of leased lands, though not as profitable as slave labor, would have "little Trouble & Risque [risk]". Little is known of Mason's political views prior to the 1760s, when he came to oppose British colonial policies. In 1758, Mason successfully ran for

1155-956: A municipal trustee in 1754. He also served as a trustee of Dumfries , in Prince William County , and had business interests there and in Georgetown , on the Maryland side of the Potomac River in present-day Washington, D.C. In 1748, he sought a seat in the House of Burgesses; the process was controlled by more senior members of the court and he was not then successful, but he later emerged victorious in 1758. On April 4, 1750, Mason married Ann Eilbeck, only child of William and Sarah Eilbeck of Charles County, Maryland . The Masons and Eilbecks had adjacent lands in Maryland and had joined together in real estate transactions; by his death in 1764, William Eilbeck

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1260-400: A name chosen pointedly by Mason to indicate that power stemmed from the people. The constitution provided for a popularly elected House of Delegates , chosen annually by men who owned or leased property, or who had fathered three or more Virginians. Most governmental power resided in the House of Delegates—the governor could not even veto a bill and could only act as head of the state militia on

1365-613: A nearby tavern and there passed a non-importation agreement based on Mason's draft. Although the resolution did not threaten to cut off tobacco, as Mason wanted, he worked in the following years for non-importation. The repeal of most of the Townshend duties made his task more difficult. In March 1773, his wife Ann died of illness contracted after another pregnancy. Mason was the sole parent to nine children, and his commitments made him even more reluctant to accept political office that would require him departing Gunston Hall. In May 1774, Mason

1470-402: A new, straighter river channel develops—and an abandoned meander loop, called a cutoff , forms. When deposition finally seals off the cutoff from the river channel, an oxbow lake forms. This process can occur over a time from a few years to several decades, and may sometimes become essentially static. Gathering of erosion products near the concave bank and transporting them to the convex bank

1575-542: A plan to redeem the notes with a tax on real estate. Mason was three weeks late in arriving at Richmond because of his illness, to the frustration of Washington, who had faith in Mason's knowledge of financial affairs. Washington wrote to Custis, "It is much to be wished that a remedy could be applied to the depreciation of our Currency ... I know of no person better qualified to do this than Colonel Mason". Mason retained his interest in western affairs, hoping in vain to salvage

1680-555: A river channel is straightened artificially to improve navigation or for flood alleviation. This occurred notably on the upper Rhine in Germany in the nineteenth century. An example of an entirely artificial waterway with oxbows is the Oxford Canal in England. When originally constructed, it had a very meandering course, following the contours of the land, but the northern part of the canal

1785-465: A significant influence on American political thought and events. The Virginia Declaration of Rights, which Mason principally authored, served as a basis for the United States Bill of Rights , of which he has been deemed a father. Mason was born in 1725 in present-day Fairfax County, Virginia . His father drowned when a storm capsized his boat while crossing the Potomac River in 1735 when Mason

1890-509: A single parent to nine children. Nevertheless, he was elected and journeyed to Richmond , which, being further inland than Williamsburg, was deemed better protected from possible British attack. When the Richmond convention began in July 1775, Mason was assigned to crucial committees, including one attempting to raise an army to protect the colony. According to Robert A. Rutland, "Sick or healthy, Mason

1995-538: A small force, and he and Mason purchased gunpowder for the company. Mason wrote in favor of annual election of militia officers in words that would later echo in the Virginia Declaration of Rights, "We came equal into this world, and equals shall we go out of it. All men are by nature born equally free and independent." Washington's election as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress created

2100-589: A source of income by leasing much of his land holdings to tenant farmers, and he diversified his crops to grow wheat for export to the British West Indies as Virginia's economy sank because of tobacco overproduction in the 1760s and 1770s. Mason was a pioneer in the Virginia wine industry. Along with Thomas Jefferson , Mason and other Virginians subscribed to a scheme for growing wine grapes in America developed by Filippo Mazzei . Mason greatly ultimately expanded

2205-413: A spoon. The dense particles quickly sweep into a neat pile in the center of the bowl. This is the mechanism that leads to the formation of point bars and contributes to the formation of oxbow lakes. The primary flow of water in the bowl is circular and the streamlines are concentric with the side of the bowl. However, the secondary flow of the boundary layer across the floor of the bowl is inward toward

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2310-687: A tobacco wharf at Alexandria, funds they felt should be raised through wharfage fees. He also played a major role as the Burgesses deliberated how to divide Prince William County as settlement expanded; in March 1759, Fauquier County was created by legislative act. In this, Mason opposed the interest of the family of Thomas, Lord Fairfax , who wanted existing counties expanded instead, including Fairfax. This difference may have contributed to Mason's decision not to seek re-election in 1761. Mason biographer Jeff Broadwater notes that Mason's committee assignments reflected

2415-601: A vacancy in Fairfax County's delegation to the third Virginia Convention. In May 1775, Washington wrote from Philadelphia , urging that the vacancy be filled. By this time, blood had been shed between American patriot militias and the British Army at the Battles of Lexington and Concord , which launched the American Revolutionary War . Mason attempted to avoid election on the grounds of poor health and his obligations as

2520-719: A year before Mason died. Obscure after his death, Mason later came to be recognized in the 20th and 21st centuries for his contributions to Virginia and the early United States. Mason was born in present-day Fairfax County , in the Colony of Virginia , in British America , on December 11, 1725. Mason's parents owned property in Mason Neck, Virginia and a second property across the Potomac River in Maryland , which had been inherited by his mother. Mason's great-grandfather George Mason I

2625-495: Is because rivers with high sinuosity have larger meanders, and greater opportunity for longer lakes to form. Rivers with lower sinuosity are characterized by fewer cutoffs and shorter oxbow lakes due to the shorter distance of their meanders. Oxbow lakes serve as important wetland ecosystems. In the United States, oxbow lakes serve as the primary habitat for water tupelo and the iconic bald cypress . The numerous oxbow lakes of

2730-411: Is dealing with non-native invasive plant species. Japanese stiltgrass is a continuing concern as it grows well and covers the forest floor. The park has undertaken initiatives, such as boot cleaning sites at trailheads to limit seeds being spread, to attempt to combat it. George Mason IV George Mason (December 11, 1725 [ O.S. November 30, 1725] – October 7, 1792)

2835-437: Is the work of the secondary flow across the floor of the river in the vicinity of a river bend. The process of deposition of silt, sand and gravel on the convex bank is clearly illustrated in point bars . The effect of the secondary flow can be demonstrated using a circular bowl. Partly fill the bowl with water and sprinkle dense particles such as sand or rice into the bowl. Set the water into circular motion with one hand or

2940-450: Is your own." The Townshend Acts of 1767 were Britain's next attempt to tax the colonies, placing duties on substances including lead and glass, which provoked calls from the northern colonies for a boycott of British goods. Virginia, more dependent on goods imported from Britain, was less enthusiastic, and as local planters tended to receive goods at their river landings, a boycott would be difficult to enforce. In April 1769, Washington sent

3045-532: The Amazon River are a favorable habitat for the giant river otter . Oxbow lakes may also be suitable locations for aquaculture . Oxbow lakes contribute to the health of a river ecosystem by trapping sediments and agricultural runoff, thereby removing them from the main river flow. However, this is destructive of the oxbow lake ecosystem itself. Oxbow lakes are also vulnerable to heavy metal contamination from industrial sources. Oxbow lakes may be formed when

3150-720: The Continental Army . But Mason could not avoid election to the Committee of Safety , a powerful group that took over many functions in the governmental vacuum. Mason proffered his resignation from this committee, but it was refused. Illness forced Mason to abstain himself from the Committee of Safety for several weeks in 1775, and he did not attend the fourth convention, held in December 1775 and January 1776. With independence from Britain widely accepted as necessary among prominent Virginians,

3255-475: The General Assembly , "I know of no person better qualified ... than Colonel Mason, and shall be very happy to hear he has taken it in hand". Despite his involvement in western real estate, Mason saw that land was being cleared and planted with tobacco faster than the market for it could expand, meaning that its price would drop even as more and more capital was tied up in land and slaves. Thus, although

Huntley Meadows Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-502: The Mason-Dixon line (not named for George Mason), the 1780 settlement of the boundary dispute with Pennsylvania, was unfavorable to Virginia, he voted for it enthusiastically. Also in 1780, Mason remarried, to Sarah Brent, from a nearby plantation, who had never been married and was 52 years old. It was a marriage of convenience, with the new bride able to take some of the burden of parenting Mason's many children off his hands. Following

3465-554: The Rio Grande are called resacas . In Australia , oxbow lakes are called billabongs . An oxbow lake forms when a meandering river erodes through the neck of one of its meanders . This takes place because meanders tend to grow and become more curved over time. The river then follows a shorter course that bypasses the meander. The entrances to the abandoned meander eventually silt up, forming an oxbow lake. Because oxbow lakes are stillwater lakes, with no current flowing through them,

3570-694: The Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia , citing health and family commitments. In 1787, Mason was named one of his state's delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, his only lengthy trip outside Virginia. Many clauses in the Constitution were influenced by Mason's input, but he ultimately did not sign the final version, citing the lack of a bill of rights among his most prominent objections. He also wanted an immediate end to

3675-527: The Treaty of Paris in 1783, which established an sovereign United States and largely ended armed hostilities, life along the Potomac River returned to normal. In December 1783, Madison returned to Gunston Hall after returning from the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia . In 1781, the Articles of Confederation had tied the states in a loose bond, and Madison sought a more sound federal structure, seeking

3780-529: The Virginia Declaration of Rights , 1776. That convention, in May 1776, unanimously instructed Jefferson and other Virginia delegates to Congress to seek "a clear and full Declaration of Independency". At the same time, the convention resolved to pass a declaration of rights. Ill health delayed Mason's arrival until May 18, 1776, after the vote, but he was appointed to a committee led by Archibald Cary , which

3885-548: The slave trade and a supermajority requirement for navigation acts , fearing that restrictions on shipping might harm Virginia. He failed to attain these objectives in Philadelphia and later at the Virginia Ratifying Convention of 1788. His prominent fight for a bill of rights led fellow Virginian James Madison to introduce the same during the First Congress in 1789; these amendments were ratified in 1791,

3990-469: The American Declaration of Independence . From the first article, cataloguing the rights of man, Mason derived the following articles, which make clear that the role of government is to secure and protect those rights, and if it fails to do so, the people have a right to amend or abolish it. Property could not be taken for public use without the owner's consent, and a citizen could only be bound by

4095-528: The Central Wetland has been in the design phase for several years. The restoration is meant to manage and preserve the wetland structure and biodiversity through various natural resource challenges. Major components include: a small concrete dam, access road, shallow wetland pools, dead tree placement within the wetland, and expansion of nearby park meadows with soil excavated from the project. Nearly three million dollars from voter approved bonds will be spent by

4200-576: The Colony. His son, George Mason II (1660–1716), was the first to move to what in 1742 became Fairfax County, then at the frontier between English and Native American controlled areas. George Mason III (1690–1735) like his father and grandfather served in the House of Burgesses and also as county lieutenant . George Mason IV's mother, Ann Thomson Mason, was the daughter of a former Attorney General of Virginia who immigrated from England. Colonial Virginia at

4305-421: The Committee of Safety and elsewhere in defending the Fairfax County area. Most of the legislation Mason introduced in the House of Delegates was war related, often aimed at raising the men or money needed by Congress for Washington's Continental Army. The new federal and state governments, short on cash, issued paper money. By 1777, the value of Virginia's paper money had dropped precipitously, and Mason developed

Huntley Meadows Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

4410-448: The County on these improvements. Huntley Meadows Park has over 3.8 miles (6.1 km) of maintained trails. Near the wetland areas these trails are over boardwalks (no pets permitted on boardwalk). There are many watch areas and benches along the maintained Heron, Deer and Cedar trails. Bird and wildlife watching is the main activity. There are multiple observation towers and stations along

4515-450: The House of Burgesses assembled, Mason was initially appointed to a committee concerned with raising additional militia during that time of war. In 1759, he was appointed to the powerful Committee on Privileges and Elections. He was also placed on the Committee on Propositions and Grievances, which mostly considered local matters. Mason dealt with several local concerns, presenting a petition of Fairfax County planters against being assessed for

4620-466: The House of Burgesses when George William Fairfax , holder of one of Fairfax County's two seats, chose not to seek reelection. Also elected were Mason's brother Thomson for Stafford County , George Washington for Frederick County , where he was stationed as commander of Virginia's militia during the French and Indian War , and Richard Henry Lee , who worked closely with Mason through their careers. When

4725-418: The House of Delegates, a letter filled with advice as that body's 1783 session opened. Oxbow lake An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off , creating a free-standing body of water. The word "oxbow" can also refer to a U-shaped bend in a river or stream, whether or not it is cut off from the main stream. In South Texas , oxbows left by

4830-591: The North American colonies, Mason came to support the colonial side, using his knowledge and experience to help the revolutionary cause, finding ways to work around the Stamp Act of 1765 and serving in the pro-independence Fourth Virginia Convention in 1775 and the Fifth Virginia Convention in 1776. Mason prepared the first draft of the Virginia Declaration of Rights in 1776, and his words formed much of

4935-492: The Ohio Company's claims, was widely applauded as a defense of the rights of Americans against royal decrees. Involvement with the Ohio Company also brought Mason into contact with many prominent Virginians, including George Washington , his Fairfax County neighbor. Mason and George Washington were friends for many years until they finally broke over their differences regarding the federal constitution . Peter R. Henriques, in

5040-530: The Ohio Company's land grant. He and Jefferson were among the few delegates to be told of George Rogers Clark 's expedition to secure control of the lands north of the Ohio River. Mason and Jefferson secured legislation authorizing Governor Henry to defend against unspecified western enemies. The expedition was generally successful, and Mason received a report directly from Clark. Mason sought to remove differences between Virginia and other states, and although he felt

5145-689: The Resolves, appointing Mason and Washington to a special committee in the emergency. According to early Virginia historian Hugh Grigsby, at Alexandria, Mason "made his first great movement on the theatre of the Revolution". Washington took the Resolves to the Virginia Convention in Williamsburg. Although delegates made some changes, the adopted resolution closely tracked both the Fairfax Resolves and

5250-413: The advice of his Council of State, whose members were elected by the legislature. The draft was considered by the committee, and it issued a report on June 24, at which time Jefferson's preamble and several amendments authored by him were included—George Wythe, who advocated for Jefferson's draft before the committee, found discussion far enough advanced that members were only willing to yield to Jefferson on

5355-404: The bend than on the inside. A pressure gradient toward the convex bank provides the centripetal force necessary for each parcel of water to follow its curved path. The boundary layer that flows along the river floor does not move fast enough to balance the pressure gradient laterally across the river. It responds to this pressure gradient, and its velocity is partly downstream and partly across

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5460-471: The boundaries of Gunston Hall estate, so that it occupied all of Dogue's Neck, which became known as Mason's Neck. One project that Mason was involved in for most of his adult life was the Ohio Company , in which he invested in 1749 and became treasurer in 1752—an office he held forty years until his death in 1792. The Ohio Company had secured a royal grant for 200,000 acres (81,000 ha) to be surveyed near

5565-541: The capital, Williamsburg , had limited economic activity when the legislature was not in session. Local politics was dominated by large landowners, including the Masons. The Virginia economy rose and fell with tobacco , the main crop, which was raised mostly for export to Great Britain . In 1736, Mason began his education with a Mr. Williams, who was hired to teach Mason for the price of 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of tobacco per annum. His studies began at his mother's house. But

5670-412: The center. The primary flow might be expected to fling the dense particles to the perimeter of the bowl, but instead the secondary flow sweeps the particles toward the center. The curved path of a river around a bend makes the water's surface slightly higher on the outside of the bend than on the inside. As a result, at any elevation within the river, water pressure is slightly greater near the outside of

5775-536: The colonies was received. The Sugar Act of 1764 had its greatest effect in New England and did not cause widespread objection. The Stamp Act the following year affected all 13 colonies, as it required revenue stamps to be used on papers required in trade and in the law. When word of passage of the Stamp Act reached Williamsburg, the House of Burgesses passed the Virginia Resolves , asserting that Virginians had

5880-572: The committee of notables sent to inform Henry of his election. There was criticism of the constitution—Edmund Randolph later wrote that the document's faults indicated that even such a great mind as Mason's was not immune from "oversights and negligences": it did not have an amending process and granted two delegates to each county regardless of population. The 1776 constitution remained in force until 1830, when another convention replaced it. According to Henry C. Riely in his journal article on Mason, "The Virginia Constitution of 1776, whatever may have been

5985-453: The convention approved the Declaration of Rights, Mason was busy at work on a constitution for Virginia. He was not the only one occupying himself so; Jefferson sent several versions from Philadelphia , one of which supplied the constitution's preamble . Essex County 's Meriwether Smith may have prepared a draft, but the text is unknown. As an original writing in Mason's hand is not known,

6090-532: The convention on June 12, 1776. There later was a flurry of contradictory statements from convention members (including Mason) about who composed which articles. Randolph credited Henry with Articles 15 and 16, but Article 16 (dealing with religious freedom), had been written by Madison. Mason had imitated English law in drafting language requiring toleration of those of minority religions, but Madison insisted on full religious liberty, and Mason supported Madison's amendment once made. The committee draft, likely for

6195-635: The convention were Henry, George Wythe , and a young delegate from Orange County , James Madison . Mason was elected for Fairfax County, though with great difficulty. That all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent natural Rights, of which they cannot by any Compact, deprive or divest their Posterity; among which are the Enjoyment of Life and Liberty, with the Means of acquiring and possessing Property, and pursuing and obtaining Happiness and Safety. George Mason, draft of Article 1 of

6300-552: The donation of 1,261 acres (510 ha) to the citizens of Fairfax County, "exclusively for public park or public recreation purposes in perpetuity." Under the Federal Legacy of Parks Program, the County paid only one dollar for the land. In 1992 the Fairfax County Park Authority , with financial assistance from Ducks Unlimited , purchased an additional 165 acres (67 ha) of adjacent wetland and upland. After

6405-430: The entire lake gradually silts up, becoming a bog or swamp and then evaporating completely. When a river reaches a low-lying plain, often in its final course to the sea or a lake , it meanders widely. In the vicinity of a river bend, deposition occurs on the convex bank (the bank with the smaller radius). In contrast, both lateral erosion and undercutting occur on the cut bank or concave bank (the bank with

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6510-457: The esteem his colleagues held him in, or at least the potential they saw. Broadwater did not find it surprising that Mason did not seek re-election, as he did not attend the sessions between 1759 and 1761. Although the British were victorious over the French in the war, King George III 's government felt that the North American colonies were not paying their way, since little direct tax revenue from

6615-605: The extensive property holdings of George Mason IV. Thomson Francis Mason , a grandson of George Mason, built a summer residence on the property in 1825. The house, now known as Historic Huntley, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Virginia Landmarks Register , and the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites. Mason family ownership lasted into the early 1900s, with sections of

6720-486: The extent to which the final draft was written by him is uncertain. On June 22, 1776, however, William Fleming sent Jefferson a copy of the draft before the Cary Committee, telling him "the inclosed [ sic ] printed plan was drawn by Colo. G. Mason and by him laid before the committee". Mason had submitted his plan sometime between June 8 and 10, 1776. It named the new state the "Commonwealth of Virginia",

6825-409: The federal government turned the land over to Fairfax County in 1975, beavers quickly returned to the area and began to change how water flowed through the land. Biodiversity in what is now referred to as the Central Wetland rapidly increased and a boardwalk was opened in 1982 to allow visitors the opportunity to closely observe the largest habitat of its kind in the region. Over 200,000 people now visit

6930-413: The fifth convention, to meet in May 1776 at Williamsburg, would need to decide how Virginia would be administered henceforth, as the royal government was dead in all but name. Accordingly, the convention was seen as so important that Lee arranged for his temporary recall from Congress to be a part of the convention, and Jefferson tried but failed to arrange to leave Congress as well. Other notables elected to

7035-604: The following year, he boarded with a Mrs. Simpson in Maryland, and Williams continued as his teacher through 1739. By 1740, Mason was at Chopawamsic , under the tutelage of a Dr. Bridges, likely Charles Bridges , who helped develop the British schools run by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge , and arrived in British America in 1731. Mason and his brother Thomson likely utilized John Francis Mercer 's library, one of

7140-672: The forks of the Ohio River in present-day Pittsburgh . The challenges of the French and Indian War , Revolutionary War , and competing claims from the Province of Pennsylvania eventually led to the collapse of the Ohio Company. Although the company failed, Mason acquired considerable western lands independently. His defense against the Pennsylvania claims, Selections from the Virginia Charters , written in 1772, originally intended to promote

7245-519: The governor, Lord Dunmore , dissolved the legislature rather than accept it. Mason may have helped write the resolution and likely joined the members after the dissolution when they met at Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg. New elections had to be held for burgess and for delegate to the convention which had been called by the rump of the dissolved House of Burgesses, and Fairfax County's were set for July 5, 1774. George Washington planned to run for one seat and tried to get Mason or Bryan Fairfax to seek

7350-533: The great work, I have Sanguine hopes it will be framed so as to Answer it's [ sic ] end, Prosperity to the Community and Security to Individuals". Mason, working in a room at the Raleigh Tavern, drafted a declaration of rights and plan of government, likely to prevent frivolous plans with no chance of adoption from being put forward. Edmund Randolph later recalled that Mason's draft "swallowed up all

7455-404: The greater radius). Continuous deposition on the convex bank and erosion of the concave bank of a meandering river cause the formation of a very pronounced meander with two concave banks getting closer. The narrow neck of land between the two neighboring concave banks is finally cut through, either by lateral erosion of the two concave banks or by the strong currents of a flood . When this happens

7560-465: The ground he was not a lawyer; most of the work fell to Jefferson (returned from Philadelphia), Pendleton, and Wythe. Illness caused by a botched smallpox inoculation forced Mason to miss part of the legislature's spring 1777 session; in his absence delegates on May 22 elected him to the Continental Congress. Mason, who may have been angry that Lee had not been chosen, refused on the ground that he

7665-443: The inclusion of his anti-slavery views. George Washington or George William Fairfax, the burgesses for Fairfax County, may have asked Mason's advice as to what steps to take in the crisis. Mason drafted an act to allow for one of the most common court actions, replevin , to take place without the use of stamped paper, and sent it to George Washington, by then one of Fairfax County's burgesses, to gain passage. This action contributed to

7770-472: The land being sold for family farms. In the late 1920s, entrepreneur Henry Woodhouse reassembled the parcels, purchasing 1,500 acres (610 ha) from 10 landowners. He dreamed of transforming Hybla Valley's dairy farms into the George Washington Air Junction , which he claimed would be the largest airport in the world. After he lost nearly all of the property, the federal government acquired

7875-578: The land. The land was bought by the federal government in 1941. From 1943 to 1953, the Bureau of Public Roads tested asphalt road surfaces. The Virginia National Guard 's Battery D, 125th Gun Battalion provided anti-aircraft protection for the nation's capital from 1950 to 1959. And the Navy conducted highly classified radio communication research from 1958 to 1971, before declaring the land surplus around 1971. In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed papers authorizing

7980-447: The largest in Virginia at the time. Conversations with Mercer and book-lovers who gathered around him could have continued his education informally. The obligations and offices that came with being one of the largest local landowners descended on Mason as they had previously on his father and grandfather. In 1747, Mason was named to the Court of Fairfax County, Virginia , and was elected as

8085-399: The most part written by Mason, received wide publicity (the final version much less so) and Mason's words "all men are born equally free and independent" were later reproduced in state constitutions from Pennsylvania to Montana; Jefferson tweaked the prose and included the sentiments in the Declaration of Independence. In 1778, Mason wrote that the Declaration of Rights "was closely imitated by

8190-559: The night; the two men rode together to Alexandria the following day. The 24 propositions that made up the Resolves protested loyalty to the British Crown but denied the right of Parliament to legislate for colonies that had been settled at private expense and which had received charters from the monarch. The Resolves called for a continental congress. If Americans did not receive redress by November 1, exports, including that of tobacco, would be cut off. The freeholders of Fairfax County approved

8295-470: The other United States". This was true, as seven of the original states, and Vermont, joined Virginia in promulgating a bill of rights. Four in addition specified rights that were protected, within the body of their constitutions. Feelings were so strong in Massachusetts that voters there in 1778 rejected a constitution drafted by a convention, insisting that a bill of rights had to come first. Even before

8400-493: The other, but both men declined. Although the poll was postponed to July 14 because of poor weather, Washington met that day with other local leaders (including, likely, Mason) in Alexandria and selected a committee to draft a set of resolutions, which Washington hoped would "define our Constitutional Rights". The resulting Fairfax Resolves were largely drafted by Mason. He met with Washington on July 17 at Mount Vernon and stayed

8505-505: The park every year, seeking wildlife observation, exercise, and relaxation. The staffed visitor center offers many exhibits on the park's human and natural history as well as educational programs for all ages. A nonprofit organization, Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, provides significant support to the park. In addition to its dedication to the protection of park resources, the organization also helps provides funding for programs, internships, and equipment. A wetland restoration project for

8610-651: The park. About 100,000 years ago the land was on a western meander of the Potomac River. About 30,000 years ago the river straightened to its present course leaving an oxbow lake . The lake filled in creating Huntley Meadows and Hybla Valley . Many plant and flower species are in Huntley Meadows—over 600 species have been identified—including 300 species of wildflowers. There are over 200 species of birds, 30 of mammals, 50 of reptiles and amphibians, 50 of dragonflies and damselflies. Like many parks, Huntley Meadows

8715-589: The proper balance between federal and state rights. He found Mason willing to consider a federal tax; Madison had feared the subject might offend his host and wrote to Jefferson of the evening's conversation. The same month, Mason spent Christmas at Mount Vernon (the only larger estate than his in Fairfax County). A fellow houseguest described Mason as "slight in figure, but not tall, and has a grand head and clear gray eyes". Mason retained his political influence in Virginia, writing Patrick Henry, who had been elected to

8820-452: The question raised long afterwards as to the contribution of other great leaders, stands, on the authority of Jefferson, Madison, and Randolph—to mention only the highest authority—as his creation." Mason devoted much effort during the American Revolutionary War to safeguarding Fairfax County and the rivers of Virginia, since the British several times raided areas along the Potomac. Control of

8925-592: The rest". The Virginia Declaration of Rights and the 1776 Constitution of Virginia were joint works, but Mason was the main author. Mason likely worked closely with Thomas Ludwell Lee ; the earliest surviving draft shows the first ten articles in Mason's handwriting, with the other two written by Lee. The draft for the Declaration of Rights drew on Magna Carta , the English Petition of Right of 1628, and that nation's 1689 Bill of Rights . Mason's first article would be paraphrased by Jefferson soon after in drafting

9030-441: The river toward the convex bank. As it flows along the floor of the river, it sweeps loose material toward the convex bank. This flow of the boundary layer is significantly different from the speed and direction of the primary flow of the river, and is part of the river's secondary flow . River flood plains that contain rivers with a highly sinuous platform are populated by longer oxbow lakes than those with low sinuosity . This

9135-661: The rivers and of Chesapeake Bay was urgent as Virginians tried to obtain hard currency by trading tobacco to the French and other European nations. The export of tobacco, generally via the West Indies, allowed Mason and others to obtain, via France and Holland, British-made items such as cloth, clothing patterns, medicines, and hardware. Mason served as a member of the House of Delegates from 1776 to 1781, his longest continuous political service outside Fairfax County, which he represented in Richmond. The other Fairfax County seat turned over several times—Washington's stepson Jackie Custis

9240-455: The same rights as if they resided in Britain, and that they could only be taxed by themselves or their elected representatives. The Resolves were mostly written by a fiery-spoken new member for Louisa County , Patrick Henry . Mason slowly moved from being a peripheral figure towards the center of Virginia politics, but his published response to the Stamp Act, which he opposed, is most notable for

9345-528: The scheme for non-exportation of tobacco Mason had proposed some years earlier. The convention elected delegates to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, including Lee, Washington, and Henry, and in October 1774, Congress adopted a similar embargo. Much of Mason's efforts in 1774 and 1775 was in organizing a militia independent of the royal government. Washington by January 1775 was drilling

9450-577: The states "should compel their ablest men to attend Congress ... Where is Mason, Wythe, Jefferson, Nicholas, Pendleton, Nelson?" Washington wrote to Mason directly: Where are our men of abilities? Why do they not come forth to serve their Country? Let this voice my dear Sir call upon you—Jefferson & others—do not from a mistaken opinion that we are about to set down under our own Vine and our own fig tree let our heretofore noble struggle end in ignomy. In spite of Washington's pleas, Mason remained in Virginia, plagued by illness and heavily occupied on

9555-503: The text adopted by the final Revolutionary Virginia Convention. He also wrote a constitution for the state; Thomas Jefferson and others sought to have the convention adopt their ideas, but Mason's version was nonetheless adopted. During the American Revolutionary War , Mason was a member of the powerful House of Delegates of the Virginia General Assembly , but to the irritation of Washington and others, he refused to serve in

9660-453: The time had few roads, and boats carried most commerce on Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries, including the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. Most settlement took place near the rivers, through which planters could trade with the world. Colonial Virginia initially had few towns, since estates were largely self-sufficient and could obtain what they needed without the need to purchase locally. Even

9765-616: The trails. The park is well known in the region for nature photography by professionals and hobbyists. Photos taken at the park have won awards including the grand prize for the 2019 Audubon Photography Awards and judges choice for the North American Nature Photography Association Showcase 2020. The public Facebook group Huntley Meadows Park Photography has over 6,400 members as of January 2022. Various naturalist talks, school education programs, self-guided tours and even artistic performances are part of

9870-610: Was a Cavalier who was born in 1629 in Pershore , Worcestershire, England. Militarily defeated in the English Civil War , Mason and other Cavaliers emigrated to the American colonies in the 1640s and 1650s. Mason I settled in present-day Stafford County, Virginia , where he was awarded land as a reward for bringing his family and servants to the Colony of Virginia, under headright , which awarded 50 acres for each person transported into

9975-409: Was about nine years old. His mother managed the family estates until he came of age. In 1750, Mason married, built Gunston Hall , and lived the life of a country squire , supervising his lands, family, and slaves . He briefly served in the House of Burgesses and involved himself in community affairs, sometimes serving with his neighbor George Washington . As tensions grew between Great Britain and

10080-552: Was an American planter , politician, Founding Father , and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, where he was one of three delegates who refused to sign the Constitution . His writings, including substantial portions of the Fairfax Resolves of 1774, the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, and his Objections to this Constitution of Government (1787) opposing ratification, have exercised

10185-403: Was elected late in the war—but Mason remained the county's choice throughout. Nevertheless, Mason's health often caused him to miss meetings of the legislature, or to arrive days or weeks late. Mason in 1777 was assigned to a committee to revise Virginia's laws, with the expectation that he would take on the criminal code and land law. Mason served a few months on the committee before resigning on

10290-616: Was in Williamsburg on real estate business. Word had just arrived of the passage of the Intolerable Acts , as Americans dubbed the legislative response to the Boston Tea Party , and a group of lawmakers including Lee, Henry, and Jefferson asked Mason to join them in formulating a course of action. The Burgesses passed a resolution for a day of fasting and prayer to obtain divine intervention against "destruction of our Civil Rights", but

10395-653: Was needed at home and did not feel he could resign from the General Assembly without permission from his constituents. Lee was elected in his place. This did not end the desire of Virginians to send Mason to the Continental Congress. In 1779, Lee resigned from Congress, expressing the hope that Mason, Wythe, or Jefferson would replace him in Philadelphia. General Washington was frustrated at the reluctance of many talented men to serve in Congress, writing to Benjamin Harrison that

10500-407: Was needed for his ability." Mason sponsored a non-exportation measure; it was passed by a large majority, though it had to be repealed later in the session to coordinate with one passed by Maryland. Despite pressure from many delegates, Mason refused to consider election as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in place of Washington after the Congress elected Washington commanding general of

10605-436: Was older, intellectually superior, and the owner of a flourishing plantation as Washington was struggling to establish Mount Vernon, and it would not have been in the future president's character to seek a close relationship with Mason. Washington, however, had deep respect for Mason's intellectual abilities, and sought Mason's advice on several occasions, writing in 1777 when learning that Mason had taken charge of an issue before

10710-476: Was one of the wealthiest men in Charles County . At the time of his marriage, Mason was living at Dogue's Neck, possibly at Sycamore Point. George and Ann Mason had nine children who survived to adulthood. Ann Mason died in 1773; their marriage, judging by surviving accounts, was a happy one. Mason began to build his home, Gunston Hall , in or around 1755. The exterior, typical of local buildings of that time,

10815-512: Was probably based on architectural books sent from Britain to America for the use of local builders; one of these craftsmen, perhaps William Waite or James Wren , constructed Gunston Hall. Mason was proud of the gardens, which still surround the house. There were outbuildings, including slave quarters, a schoolhouse, and kitchens, and beyond them four large plantations, forests, and the shops and other facilities that made Gunston Hall mostly self-sufficient. Mason avoided overdependence on tobacco as

10920-412: Was resolved by the convention adding the words "when they enter into a state of society", thus excluding slaves. Mason spoke repeatedly in the five days of debate, using oratory one hearer described as "neither flowing nor smooth, but his language was strong, his manner most impressive, and strengthened by a bit of biting cynicism when provocation made it seasonable". The Declaration of Rights was passed by

11025-415: Was to compose a declaration of rights and constitution. Mason was skeptical that the thirty-person Cary Committee could collectively compose anything worthwhile, but he was surprised at how quickly it moved—though his membership had a role in that speed. On May 24, convention president Edmund Pendleton wrote to Jefferson about the committee's deliberations, "as Colo.[nel] Mason seems to have the ascendancy in

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