MY PATERNAL

Mason (Marson)

ANCESTORS

Description: Mason_EN copy

Family History

Origins of the Surname

Variations of

The Surname

Direct Ancestors

Family Location Information

Source Documents

Website Resources

Family Images Gallery

Contact Information

Description: Family Tree (20 grey) 121x92

Mason

Family History

Description: Family Tree (20 grey) 121x92

John Marson was probably born in or near Fredrick, Virginia about 1650. The ability to exist in mid 17^th century in America was very brutal and the requirement to maintain anything but the most basic records was nearly nonexistent. Therefore, we don’t know very much about him and nothing about whom he married. His final Will and Testament written in 1726 indicates some or all of his remaining children. His will states he was, "aged in years" thus speculating that perhaps, in those days, he might have lived to a ripe old age of 70? His Will lists these children as his heirs: James, John, Mary- wife of Simon Bosard, Sara – wife of John French. John Marson did purchase property from a Thomas Olive and according to Sign Posts, Place Names in History of Burlington County, NJ by Henry H Bisbee: "Masons Creek is one of the earliest English-named streams in Burlington County. It was named in 1687 after John MARSON, who purchased one-hundred acres from Thomas Olive in 1689. ..."

Mary Marson or Mason appears to have been born in Virginia abt 1695. It may have been that John Marson picked up his family and emigrated to New Jersey in the mid 1680’s or earlier. We do know that Mary married Simon Bozorth abt 1712 in Evesham Township and had some 9 children over the next 24 years. The wills & inventories of John Marson, Simon Bozorth, and Mary Bishop Bozorth (daughter-in-law of Simon & Mary) all provide a bit more color to the picture of these ancestors in the very early years of this country.

Mason

Origins of the Surname*

MASON

1. English and Scottish: occupational name for a stonemason, Middle English, Old French mas(s)on. Compare Machen. Stonemasonry was a hugely important craft in the Middle Ages.

2. Italian (Veneto): from a short form of Masone.

3. French: from a regional variant of maison ‘house’.

Origins English, French, Italian

Spelling variations include: Mason, Masson and others.

First found in Kent on the Isle of Thanet where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Anne Mason who settled in Virginia in 1635; also: Charles in 1637; Edward in 1648; Francis in 1613; Henry in 1646; John in 1622; Marmaduke in 1774; Mary in 1623.

Motto: Dum spero spero Motto Translated: While I have breath I have hope. Crest: A mermaid with comb and glass proper. Coat of Arms: Gold with a blue lion rampant.

MARSON

1. English: variant of the habitational name Marston. The two forms seem to have been used interchangeably.

2. French: habitational name from places so called in Marne and Meuse, or from Marçon in Sarthe.

Origins English

Spelling variations include: Marston, Marsden, Marson and others.

First found in Leicestershire where they were seated from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: John and William Marston settled in Salem in 1630; Thomas and Mrs Marsden and children settled in Boston in 1769.

Crest: A greyhound. Coat of Arms: Black with a silver fess between three silver fleur de lis.

*Although the Domesday Book compiled by William the Conqueror required surnames, the use of them in the British Isles did not become fixed until the time period between 1250 and 1450. The broad range of ethnic and linguistic roots for British surnames reflects the history of Britain as an oft-invaded land. These roots include, but are not limited to, Old English, Middle English, Old French, Old Norse, Irish, Gaelic, Celtic, Pictish, Welsh, Gaulish, Germanic, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.

Throughout the British Isles, there are basically five types of native surnames. Some surnames were derived from a man's occupation (Carpenter, Taylor, Brewer, Mason), a practice that was commonplace by the end of the 14th century. Place names reflected a location of residence and were also commonly used (Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale) as a basis for the surname, for reasons that can be easily understood. Nicknames that stuck also became surnames. About one-third of all US surnames in the United States are Patronymic in origin, and identified the first bearer of the name by his father (or grandfather in the case of some Irish names). Acquired ornamental names were simply made up, and had no specific reflection on the first who bore the name. They simply sounded nice, or were made up as a means of identification, generally much later than most surnames were adopted.

Source: http://www.obcgs.com/LASTNAMES.htm

* Many German names have their roots in the Germanic middle ages. The process of forming family names began around the year 1100 and extended through 1600. All social classes and demographic strata aided in the development of names. First Names (Rufnamen) identified specific persons. Over time the first name began to be applied to the bearer's whole family. At first through verbal usage, family names (Familiennamen) were later fixed through writing. Until the 17th century, first names played a more important role. The earliest family names derived from the first name of the first bearer (Patronym). Later names derived from the place of dwelling and location of the homestead. If a person of family migrated from one place to another they were identified by the place they came from. Of more recent origin are names derived from the vocation of profession of the first bearer. These names comprise the largest group and the most easily recognizable, for they tell what the first bearer did for a living. Another group are names derived from a physical or other characteristic of the first bearer. Finally, there are names that tell you the state or region a first bearer and his family came from; the age old division in tribes and regions (low German, middle German and upper German) is often reflected in names.

Mason

Variations of

the Surname

The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may have been misspelled. This is especially true when searching census documents.

The Soundex system was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname. Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research.

Soundex Code for Mason = M250

Soundex Code for Marson = M625

Source: Surname Resources at ROOTSWEB

Description: looking from tree 2

Searching for more Information about this and other surnames?

Then take a look at our:

SURNAME LOCATOR RESOURCES WEBPAGE

Description: looking from tree 3

Mason

Direct Ancestors

Additional information about my DIRECT ANCESTORS and their

families may be reviewed by clicking on the name LINK(s) below.

NAME

BIRTH / DEATH / LOCATIONS

John Marson

b. abt1650 near Fredrick, VA.

m. abt 1675 prob. in VA.

d. abt 1726 Evesham Twp, Burlington Co., NJ.

Mary Mason

b. abt 1695 in VA.

m. Simon Bozorth abt. 1712 in Evesham Twp., Burlington Co., NJ.

d. abt 1749 in Evesham Twp., Burlington Co., NJ.

The following LINK will take you to a complete listing

of individuals in my database with this surname.

BPQR Surname Locator

Free Genealogy Surname

Search Help from Google

This free genealogy site to help you get the best genealogy searches from Google™ by using your family tree, for your research. It will create a series of different searches using tips or "tricks" that

will likely improve your results. The different searches will give you many different ways of using Google and the Internet to find ancestry information about this or any other Surname.

Description: World 1(lt

Mason

Family Location Information

Description: World 1(lt

Researching the locations where my ancestors lived has provided me with valuable evidence needed to fill-in the gaps in my family trees. It has also led me to many interesting facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group. The names of states and counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the persons in the “Direct Ancestors” list (see above) were born, married, and/or died.

COUNTRY

STATE

COUNTY / SUBDIVISION

UNITED STATES

New Jersey

Burlington County

Virginia

Fredrick

Use this LINK to find out more about the locations listed above.

ANCESTRAL LOCATIONS

Description: Resources 2 blue cropped

Mason

Source Documents

Description: Resources 2 blue cropped

The documents and headstones contained within the “Source Documents Archives” have been located during my research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the database of this family’s record.

Most of these documents can be considered as primary or secondary evidence. Primary evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question, usually in an original document or record. Secondary evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there is a greater chance of error. Examples of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents. Published genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence.

Classifying evidence as either primary or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value. This is especially true of secondary evidence. Thus it is always a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they have in its accuracy?

SOURCE: Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2^nd edition, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

You are welcome to download any of the documents contained within this archive.

Should you encounter a problem obtaining a copy you may get in touch with

us via the contact information found at the end of this page.

Description: Documents 1a