Lieut. Francis MASON

5 - 1648  (164 years)

• Name	Francis MASON
  Title	Lieut.
  Prefix	Lieut.
  Birth	c.1584/5	England   [1]
  	The Muster Roll of the Inhabitants of the Virginia Colony in 1624/1625 notes Francis' age as 40, suggesting a birth date of 1584 or 1585.
  Gender	Male
  birth2 (conflicting)	1594/5  [2]
  	In a deposition made by Francis before the Lower Norfolk County Court on 10 Jan 1637/8, he stated that he was "aged 42 years or thereabouts". And in a deposition made before the same court on 19 July 1641, he stated that he was "age 46 years". The depostion statements suggest a birth year of 1594 or 1595.
  Immigration	1613	Virginia Colony   [1]
  	In 1613 Francis arrived in the Virginia Colony aboard the ship John and Francis.
  Division of lands	Before 1626	Corporation of Charles City, Virginia Colony   [3, 4, 5]
  	Francis was offered the rights to 50 acres of land in the Corporation of Charles City, south of the James River, according to the rules for the division of land as set forth by the Virginia Company of London's "Great Charter of Privileges, Orders and Laws" of 1618. The actual date of his patent is unknown. It is known that most of the privately held land within the Corporation of Charles City had been alloted prior to 1624. And although Francis' name appears on a 1626 list of thirty-six patent holders within the "Corporacon of Charles Cittie", he did not settle in the area.
  anecdote	13 Oct 1626	Corportation of James City, Virginia Colony   [6]
  	The General Court of Virginia meeting at James City on 13 October 1626 granted passes for travel to England to Mr. William Gainye, William English, Thomas Spileman and Francis Mason.
  land patent	Before 19 Nov 1635	Elizabeth City Co, Virginia Colony   [7, 8]
  	Francis' ownership of land in Elizabeth City County prior to 19 November 1635 is proved by the description in Capt. Thomas Willoughby's patent of that date: "Upon the "Hither" Cr. between Francis Mason & his own land". And a 4 July 1636 patent to William Julian in the same area notes "W. upon a Cr. joyning to Francis Mason". In 1636, the geographical area of Elizabeth City County that lay south of the James River was spit off to form New Norfolk County. It, in turn, was divided into the counties of Upper Norfolk and Lower Norfolk in 1637. By 1637, the name of the location of Francis' pre-1635 patent had evolved from Elizabeth City County to Lower Norfolk County.
  appointment	15 May 1637 and 4 Oct 1641	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [9]
  	Francis served as a member of the first Court held in Lower Norfolk County. This Court met on 15 May 1637. Francis continued as a Court Commissioner until his death. On three occasions the court sessions were held at his home. The only interruption to his service on the Lower Norfolk County Court was from March 1646/7 through March 1647/8 when he served as High Sheriff for the county. On 4 October 1641, Francis was one of three men appointed as tobacco viewers [inspectors] for the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River.
  land patent	31 Aug 1642	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [10, 11]
  	Francis made application before the 5 July 1642 Quarter Court for Certificates of Importation due him for the transportation of twenty-five persons out of England and into the Colony. Among those named as headrights were himself, his deceased wife Mary, his deceased daughter Anne, Alice Ganey & Margerie Ganey. Six weeks later, on 31 August 1642, Francis patented 1250 acres of land at Hoggpen Point in Lower Norfolk County.
  land patent	29 Sep 1643	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [12, 13, 14]
  	Francis made application at the 17 July 1643 session of the Lower Norfolk County Court for Certificates of Importation due him for the transportation of 4 persons into the Colony. Two months later, on 29 September 1643 he patented 200 acres in Lower Norfolk County at Lynnhaven, 50 acres of which lay "upon an Island called hogg Island in Little Creeke". Francis re-patented this same 200 acre tract on 22 March 1645.
  appointment	5 Mar 1646/47	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [15]
  	On 5 Mar 1646/7 during the Quarter Court in Lower Norfolk Co, VA, Sir William Berkley, Knt. Governor of the Colony of Virginia appointed Francis as High Sheriffe of Lower Norfolk Co.
  OFFH	1 Aug 1648	Elizabeth River Parish, Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [16]
  	Francis served a term as an Elizabeth River Parish Vestryman, as noted in the list of those attending a parish meeting on 1 August 1648.
  Death	Between 16 Aug 1648 and 7 Nov 1648  [17, 18]
  	Francis died after 16 August 1648, when he witnessed a deposition made by Richard Conquest in Lower Norfolk County Court, but before 7 November 1648, when his widow, Alice, and his son, Lemuel, entered into an agreement with James Thelaball concerning the disposition of certain properties and goods that would fall to Thelaball as Francis Mason's son-in-law.
  Petition for Administration	15 Nov 1648	Lower Norfolk Co, Virginia Colony   [19]
  	On 15 November 1648, "Alice Mason widdow & relict of Mr. ffrancis Mason decd, & Lemuel Mason" petitioned the Lower Norfolk County Court for a commision of administration on Francis' estate. Francis died intestate.
  letters of admin	22 Nov 1648	James City Co, Virginia Colony   [20]
  	Letters of Administration on Francis' estate were granted to Alice and Lemuel on 22 November 1648 by the Governor & Captain General of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley at James City. The document was recorded in the Lower Norfolk County records on 2 December 1648.
  Person ID	I11132	mason
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Family 1	Mary (UNKNOWN)   d. Before 7 Feb 1624/5
  Marriage	Before 16 Feb 1623/24  [10, 21]
  	Francis listed his deceased wife Mary Mason as a headright on his 1642 land patent application. The couple had married before 16 February 1623/4 when they were enumerated in the "List of Names of the Living in Virginia" as Francis Mason and Mary Mason.
  Children	1. Ann MASON,   b. England d. Before 16 Feb 1623/4, Virginia Colony   2. Francis MASON,   b. Between 16 Feb 1623/4 and 7 Feb 1624/5, Virginia Colony
  Family ID	F578	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

  Family 2	Alice GANEY,   b. c. 1599, England d. After 17 Nov 1653 (Age 54 years)
  Marriage	Before 7 Feb 1624/5  [22, 23]
  	The couple had married prior to 7 February 1624/5, when they were listed as Francis Mason and Alice Mason in the "Muster of the Inhabitants of the Virginia Colony". Margaret Ganey Cheesman's January 1679/80 will lends substantial evidence to support the marriage of her sister Alice Ganey to Francis Mason.
  Children	1. Elizabeth MASON,   b. Virginia Colony d. c.1708   2. Col., Norfolk Co, VA militia. Lemuel MASON,   b. c. 1629, Virginia Colony d. Between Sep 1701 and Jul 1702 (Age 72 years)
  Family ID	F579	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Jul 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S4361] John Camden Hotten, editor, Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, Who Went From Great Britain To The American Plantations 1600 - 1700, ((1874, Rpt. Baltimore: GPC, 1986)), p. 251. [S74] Alice Granbery Walter, abstractor & compiler, Walter, Lower Norfolk County Virginia Court Records Book "A" 1637 - 1646 & Book "B" 1646 - 1651/2, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1994)). Book A, p. 6 ([f. 3a] and p. 67 [f. 43a]. [S1815] Alexander Brown, Brown, The First Republic in America, ((Boston & New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co, 1898)), p. 618. . [S4361] John Camden Hotten, editor, Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, Who Went From Great Britain To The American Plantations 1600 - 1700, ((1874, Rpt. Baltimore: GPC, 1986)), pp. 267-268. [S5151] Emily J. Salmon & Edward D. C. Campbell, Jr, editors, Salmon & Campbell, The Hornbook of Virginia History, ((Richmond: Library of Virginia, 1994)), p. 13., ISBN 0-88490-178-5. [S176] Henry Read McIlwaine, McIlwaine, Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia, ((Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library, 1979)), p. 121., ISBN 0-88490-077-0. [S174] Capt. Thomas Willowbye, Virginia land patent, 19 November 1635. [S1818] William Julian, Virginia land patent, 4 July 1636. . [S74] Alice Granbery Walter, abstractor & compiler, Walter, Lower Norfolk County Virginia Court Records Book "A" 1637 - 1646 & Book "B" 1646 - 1651/2, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1994)). Book A, p. 1 [f. 1], p. 39 [f. 25a], p. 65 [f. 42a], p. 89 [f. 55] and Book A, p. 84 [f. 52a]. [S4390] Lieut. Francis Mason, certificate of importation application (1642), Norfolk Co, VA Minute Book A, p. 165. [S4798] Francis Mason, Virginia land patent, 31 August 1642. . [S1819] Lt. Francis Mason, Virginia land patent, 29 September 1643. [S1820] Lt. Francis Mason, Virginia land patent, 22 March 1645. [S74] Alice Granbery Walter, abstractor & compiler, Walter, Lower Norfolk County Virginia Court Records Book "A" 1637 - 1646 & Book "B" 1646 - 1651/2, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1994)). Book A, p. 138 [f. 30a]. [S4353] Francis Mason, appointment (1646/7), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds B, f. 37. [S4354] Francis Mason, vestryman (1648), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds B, f. 82. [S1816] Alice Mason & Lemuel Mason - James Thelaball, estate agreement (1651/2), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds "C", f. 1. [S74] Alice Granbery Walter, abstractor & compiler, Walter, Lower Norfolk County Virginia Court Records Book "A" 1637 - 1646 & Book "B" 1646 - 1651/2, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1994)). Book B, p. 97 [f. 102]. [S4355] Francis Mason, petition for administration (1648), Norfolk Co, VA Wills & Deeds B, f. 90. [S74] Alice Granbery Walter, abstractor & compiler, Walter, Lower Norfolk County Virginia Court Records Book "A" 1637 - 1646 & Book "B" 1646 - 1651/2, ((Baltimore: GPC, 1994)). Book B, pp. 89-90 [ff. 96a-97]. [S4361] John Camden Hotten, editor, Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, Who Went From Great Britain To The American Plantations 1600 - 1700, ((1874, Rpt. Baltimore: GPC, 1986)), p. 188. [S4361] John Camden Hotten, editor, Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, Who Went From Great Britain To The American Plantations 1600 - 1700, ((1874, Rpt. Baltimore: GPC, 1986)). p. 251. [S4378] Margaret Cheesman will (1680), London, England, PCC (PROB 11/363 [92 Bath]).