Armistead Thomson Mason

Armistead Thomson Mason
United States Senator
from Virginia
In office
January 3, 1816 – March 4, 1817
Preceded by William Branch Giles
Succeeded by John Wayles Eppes
Personal details
Born (1787-08-04)August 4, 1787
Armisteads, Louisa County, Virginia
Died February 6, 1819(1819-02-06) (aged 31)
Bladensburg dueling grounds, Bladensburg, Maryland
Political party Democratic-Republican Party
Spouse(s) Charlotte Eliza Taylor
Children Stevens Thomson Mason
Residence Selma, Leesburg, Virginia
Alma mater The College of William & Mary
Occupation lawyer, planter
Religion Episcopalian

Armistead Thomson Mason (August 4, 1787 – February 6, 1819),[1][2] the son of Stevens Thomson Mason,[1][2] was a U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1816 to 1817. Mason was also the youngest person to ever serve in the US Senate at the age of 28 and 5 months even though the age of requirement for the US Senate in the constitution is 30 years old.

Early life and education

He was born at Armisteads in Louisa County, Virginia, graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1807 and engaged in agricultural pursuits until he became colonel of Virginia Volunteers in the War of 1812 and subsequently brigadier general of Virginia Militia.

Political career

He was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Branch Giles, despite being constitutionally underage for the office. Mason served from January 3, 1816, to March 4, 1817. He then moved to Loudoun County, Virginia where he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Fifteenth Congress (1817). It was a bitter campaign that gave rise to several duels: Mason himself was later killed in a duel with his second cousin, John Mason McCarty, at Bladensburg Duelling Field, Maryland, as a result of this campaign. He is buried in the churchyard of the Episcopal Church at Leesburg, Virginia.[1][2]

Marriage and children

Mason married on 1 May 1817 to Charlotte Eliza Taylor (died 1846) at Dr. Charles Cocke's in Albemarle County, Virginia.[1][2] The couple had one son:[1][2]

Relations

Armistead Thomson Mason was the grandnephew of George Mason (1725–1792);[1][2] grandson of Thomson Mason (1733–1785);[1][2] son of Mary Elizabeth "Polly" Armistead Mason (1760–1825) and Stevens Thomson Mason (1760–1803);[1][2] nephew of John Thomson Mason (1765–1824);[1][2] second cousin of Thomson Francis Mason (1785–1838) and James Murray Mason (1798–1871);[1][2] brother-in-law of William Taylor Barry (1784–1835); brother of John Thomson Mason (1787–1850);[1][2] uncle of Stevens Thomson Mason (1811–1843);[1][2] and first cousin of John Thomson Mason, Jr. (1815–1873).[1][2]

Ancestry

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Armistead Thomson Mason". Gunston Hall. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Mason family of Virginia". The Political Graveyard. June 16, 2008. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
United States Senate
Preceded by
William B. Giles		 U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Virginia
January 3, 1816 – March 4, 1817
Served alongside: James Barbour		 Succeeded by
John W. Eppes

External links

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