Mason Family Cemetery at Okeley Plantation

MASON FAMILY CEMETERY AT OKELEY PLANTATION
Was south of South King's Hwy (Route 633), about 100 yards from its intersection with Telelegraph
South Alexandria, Virginia USA

Original Information from Volume 5 of the Gravestone Books

Okeley Plantation was built in the 1830s by Richard Chichester Mason (1793-1869),* son of Thomson Mason (1759-1820) and his wife Sarah McCarty Chichester, and grandson of George Mason IV of Gunston Hall (q.v.). Okeley (or Oaklay) was located south of South King’s Highway (Route 633), about 100 yards from the highway’s intersection with Telegraph Road (Route 611).

An undated survey on file in the Virginia Room of the Fairfax City Regional Library states that there were “two disturbed graves and one headstone” in the cemetery at Okeley. The inscription on the one extant gravestone read: “Margaret T. Mason, 1882-1884.” The surveyor identified Margaret as the great granddaughter of George Mason (IV of Gunston Hall).

The gravestone for Margaret T. Mason (1882-1884) was found during construction of the Deer Run Crossing housing development adjacent to Huntley Meadows Park in 1981, according to a 1991 letter from the Fairfax County Park Authority on file in the Virginia Room. The stone “was excavated and scarred by vandalism during construction,” the letter states. The letter identifies Margaret T. Mason as the daughter of Beverly Randolph Mason, a great grandson (sic) of George Mason IV.

When the gravestone was found, the Park Authority contacted the Mason family who asked that the Park Authority preserve and maintain the gravestone. In order to protect the marker, the gravestone was removed from Deer Run Crossing and turned over to the Collections Section of the Division of Historic Preservation, Fairfax County Park Authority, according to the 1991 letter.

No Updates from Volume 6 of the Gravestone Books

* Mason family birth and death dates, as well as family relationships, from a family tree published by The Board of Regents of Gunston Hall in 1970.


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Here follows an excerpt from the Find A Grave website:


Richard C. Mason, grandson of George Mason IV, built "Okeley Plantation" circa 1830; it was burned during the Civil War.

Dr. Richard Chichester Mason, born on May 7, 1793, at Gunston Manor in Fairfax County, Virginia, was a prominent figure deeply rooted in the influential Mason family. He was the son of Thomson Mason (1759-1820) and Sarah McCarty Chichester, and the grandson of George Mason IV, a Founding Father and author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. The Mason family's legacy in Virginia was extensive, and Richard grew up in the shadow of this distinguished lineage. Gunston Hall, the family's ancestral home, was not only a symbol of the family's wealth and status but also a place where the principles of governance and liberty were discussed, shaping Richard's worldview from a young age.

In the early 1830s, Richard Mason built Okeley Plantation, a significant estate located in Fairfax County, Virginia. Okeley was situated south of South King's Highway (Route 633), near Telegraph Road (Route 611), in the South Alexandria area. The plantation embodied the grandeur and importance of Virginia's plantation culture, a way of life that was deeply ingrained in the state's history and economy. Okeley served as a residence for Mason and his family and was a testament to his place in Virginia's social and political elite. However, the plantation was not spared from the ravages of the Civil War, and it ultimately burned down during the conflict, a fate that befell many estates in the South during this turbulent period.

Richard Mason's connection to George Mason IV, one of the most prominent patriots in American history, further solidified his standing in Virginia society. George Mason IV is best known for his authorship of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, a document that heavily influenced the U.S. Bill of Rights. Growing up as part of this illustrious family meant that Richard inherited not only land and wealth but also the values and responsibilities associated with being a Mason. The legacy of Gunston Hall, where Richard was born, would have left a deep impression on him, connecting him to the ideals of liberty, property, and the civic duty that characterized his grandfather's life.

After the Civil War, remnants of the Mason family's life at Okeley Plantation were left behind. The Mason Family Cemetery at Okeley was one of the few lasting pieces of the once-grand estate. Located about 100 yards from the intersection of South King's Highway and Telegraph Road, the cemetery housed graves of family members, although by the 20th century, only traces of the graves remained. An undated survey, housed in the Virginia Room of the Fairfax City Regional Library, documented the existence of "two disturbed graves and one headstone" at the cemetery. This lone headstone bore the inscription "Margaret T. Mason, 1882-1884," marking the short life of a child and providing a rare glimpse into the cemetery's history.

Margaret T. Mason, whose gravestone was found in the Mason Family Cemetery, was a great-granddaughter of George Mason IV. Her stone was uncovered during the construction of the Deer Run Crossing housing development in 1981, adjacent to Huntley Meadows Park. The discovery of this gravestone offered a poignant reminder of the Mason family's enduring presence in the area, even as their physical legacy at Okeley had been largely erased by time and development. The gravestone was damaged and scarred by vandals during the construction process, a sad reflection of the way history can sometimes be disregarded in the face of modern development. However, efforts were made to preserve this small piece of the Mason family's history. The Fairfax County Park Authority took charge of the gravestone, with the Mason family's approval, and turned it over to the Collections Section of the Division of Historic Preservation.

The story of Okeley Plantation and the Mason Family Cemetery is emblematic of the complex history of Virginia's plantation society. The plantation, like many others in the South, represented both the wealth and status of its owners and the darker legacy of slavery that underpinned its operation. The destruction of Okeley during the Civil War mirrors the destruction of many elements of the antebellum South, as the war irrevocably changed the region's economy, social structure, and physical landscape. The scattered remnants of the Mason family's legacy, such as the gravestone of Margaret T. Mason, serve as tangible reminders of a bygone era.

Richard Chichester Mason's life spanned an era of profound change in American history. Born into the wealth and privilege of Virginia's planter aristocracy, he witnessed the decline of that society over the course of his lifetime, culminating in the Civil War and the eventual destruction of his plantation. He passed away on July 22, 1868, in Alexandria City, Virginia, and was laid to rest in the Mason Family Cemetery, where generations of his family had been buried. His death marked the end of an era for both his family and the world they inhabited.

Despite the physical losses, the legacy of Dr. Richard Chichester Mason and his family continues to live on through historical records, documents, and the preservation efforts of local authorities. The Mason family's impact on Virginia, and the nation as a whole, remains significant, with Gunston Hall serving as a lasting symbol of their contributions to American history. The discovery and preservation of the gravestone of Margaret T. Mason illustrate the ongoing efforts to remember and honor the Mason family, ensuring that their contributions to the development of Virginia and the nation are not forgotten. Through these small but important historical remnants, the Mason family's story endures, offering a window into the complex and often tumultuous history of the American South.