Mason, John, 1586–1635, founder of New Hampshire

Mason, John, 1586–1635, founder of New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E).
..... Click the link for more information. , b. England. After serving (1615–21) as governor of Newfoundland, he and Sir Ferdinando Gorges Ferdinando Gorges, 1630–1718, in 1677 finally sold to Massachusetts all rights to Maine for £1,250.

Bibliography

See J. P. Baxter, ed., Sir Ferdinando Gorges and His Province of Maine (3 vol., 1890, repr. 1967); H. S.
..... Click the link for more information. received (1622) a patent from the Council for New England for all the territory lying between the Merrimack and Kennebec rivers. In 1629 they divided the grant, Mason taking as his share an area 60 mi (95 km) deep between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers, which he named New Hampshire. This grant was confirmed to him when the Council for New England surrendered its charter in 1635. Attempts by his heirs to make good their claims to this land led to long litigation. The inhabitants were finally compelled to recognize the Mason rights, which were sold (1746) by one of Mason's descendants to a group of 12 Portsmouth men, who became known as the

Masonian Proprietors. They issued settlement permits and land titles in the undeveloped parts of Mason's grant. The grant was redefined by the state in 1788.

Bibliography

See J. W. Dean, ed., Captain John Mason (1887, repr. 1972).

Mason, John, c.1600–1672, American colonial military commander

Mason, John, c.1600–1672, American colonial military commander, b. England. He was an army officer before emigrating (c.1630) to Massachusetts and then (1635) to Windsor, Conn. When the Pequot Pequot (pē`kwŏt), Native North Americans whose language belongs to the Algonquian branch of the Algonquian-Wakashan linguistic stock
..... Click the link for more information. threatened to wipe out the new colonies on the Connecticut River, he and John Underhill Underhill, John, c.1597–1672, military commander in the American colonies, b. England. In 1630 he accompanied John Winthrop (1588–1649) to Massachusetts Bay, and in 1637 he distinguished himself as a commander with John Mason (c.
..... Click the link for more information. led an expedition (1637) against them with the aid of other Native Americans under Uncas Uncas (ŭng`kəs), c.1588–c.1683, chief of the Mohegan .
..... Click the link for more information. and Miantonomo Miantonomo (mēăn'tənō`mō, mīăn'–), d.
..... Click the link for more information. and virtually destroyed the tribe. After this campaign—generally called the Pequot War—Major Mason was a distinguished political leader in Connecticut until his death.

Bibliography

See his narrative of the Pequot War in A Brief History of the Pequot War (1736, repr. 1971); biography by L. B. Mason (1935).

Mason, John (c. 1600–72) soldier, public official; born in England. He emigrated to Massachusetts around 1633. Commanding militia, Mason broke the power of the Pequot Indian tribe in 1637 with an attack on an encampment at Mystic, Conn., in which more than 600 Pequots, including women and children, were slaughtered. He later served as a magistrate and as deputy governor of Connecticut.