Santa's List

By Frank Barker
 
Plantation Christmas ‘twas a dark and stormy night, but Santa was able to talk with many of his young friends, warmed by a crackling fire in the Gunston Hall schoolhouse.

After talking to Santa, the children were encouraged to put quill to paper and write a letter to Santa to remind the jolly old elf about what their wishes were for Christmas. Here, unedited, are the results of that writing assignment. Names have been converted to initials to preserve Santa/client confidentiality.

Dear Santa,

May I please have a real wooden bat.

 RC

Dear Santa,

 I would really like a hamster and a puppy.

MT

Dear Santa,

I would like Skylanders Trap Team

Sincerely,

T

Dear Santa,

For Christmas I like combat boots, a LifeProof case, and a sweater.

Sincerely,

NB

Dear Santa,

cash  skateboard

Dear Santa,

I want a Barbie please and a ferrat, apple tree, chocolate candy, toys

RL

Dear Santa,

I would lik a $100,000 dollars. [She started the negotiations at $1 million—SC ]

JC

Dear Santa,

American Girl doll

Love,

R

Dear Santa,

I really want another American Girl doll Isabelle

Love,

K

Dear Santa,

I would like a Bill of Rights, and then perhaps I will endorse this Constitution.

GM

Dear Santa,

Blocks

Hot Wheels

Books

S

Dear Santa,

 I want blocks.

Love,

J

Dear Santa,

Please give me candy

Candy

Candy!

G

Dear Santa,

MICNPEIA

SUCPFEMPKER

T

Dear Santa,

I would like a 3DS, a Mip, a Sphero, Crazy Cart, Vectron Wave from Air Hogs, and a Dino Zoomer.

Yours truly,

GW

Dear Santa,

Can I please have your signature saying I can get my ears pierced, if not a hamster (boy) please!

KC

Dear Santa,

Elmo

Books

E

Dear Santa,

I want smelly markers and a casel

Dear Santa,

Siihg soing brd for chrismis

K

Dear Santa,

I would like a Derek Jeter rookie card and a Mariano Rivera rookie card.

From

N

Dear Santa,

Can you brin me inething

G

Dear Santa,

May I have Spiderman and Ninja Turtle for Christmas?

D

Dear Santa,

I would Sofia the first dress and book and a Doc McStuffins book.

From,

E

Dear Santa,

A skatbord and a viteyo gam

Anonymous

Dear Santa,

Air hogs Skylander Trap Team

A

Dear Santa,

I cant wait until you com to my house!

Love A

Dear Santa,

I would really like nailpolish (in verius colors), a new phone case (in varius colors, and styles), and a pomsky. [Santa had to do research to learn that a pomsky is a dog with a Pomeranian father and a husky mother. Who knew?—SC ]

Love,

KW

Dear Santa,

I want a blue skateboard for xmas.

Anonymous

Dear Santa,

Pokemon card

H

Dear Santa,

I don’t know what I want, but I think you will know best. Maby I want the newist warrior cat books. Pleas give my little sister a rainbow armadillo webkins.

Love,

AH

Dear Santa,

I would like a camra and a rotin log. Doll cloth. A yelo camra

Anonymous

Dear Santa,

I would love to have Skylanders for Christmas.

From,

EK

Dear Santa,

Streat hocky and 22 chickens

yoour

friend

K

On December 21, 1773, George Mason also wrote a letter from Gunston Hall, not to Santa, but to his friend and neighbor George Washington, just up the river at Mount Vernon. He closed the letter:

“I heartily wish Mrs. Washington & you a merry Christmass, & many, very many, happy New-Years; and am, very sincerely, Dr Sir yr. affecte, & obdt. Servant. G. Mason”

We here at Gunston Hall wish you the same.

Farewell to October

By Frank N. Barker

Assistant Education Coordinator

“We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it.”

George Mason, 1775

October 7, 1792—George Mason died at Gunston Hall. He was buried in the family burial ground, a few hundred yards from the mansion. Col. Mason lies next to his first wife, Ann Eilbeck Mason. 

Why were George Mason and other family members buried at home and not in a church cemetery?

While towns such as Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Alexandria had churchyard cemeteries, it was impractical for most people to be buried there unless they lived (and died) in town, close to the church. In the 18^th century South and Mid-Atlantic region, the rise of the plantation system spread out the population geographically. Towns were far apart, large church parishes were often centered around a single church, and roads were often bad. As plantations became a self-sufficient way of life, they also became a self-sufficient way of death.

Family members who died were prepared for burial by other family members. The coffin was made at the plantation. The corpse would lie in state in the house until the funeral. Burials were done quickly as bodies were not embalmed.

Family cemeteries were often enclosed by a fence or wall; sometimes slaves were buried in the family cemetery, but outside the wall or fence. According to custom, people were usually buried lined up from east to west. Graves were often marked with both headstones and footstones; some with large stone tablets or statues. Engraved gravestones could be homemade, purchased locally, or, sometimes, purchased in England. Often elaborate epitaphs and poems were carved into the stones.

Did George Mason and his familiy celebrate Halloween?

Possibly. European immigrants to America brought a variety of Halloween traditions with them. In the New England colonies, their Puritan backgrounds limited such pagan celebrations, but in the southern colonies, customs of different European ethnic groups and, even those of American Indians, blended into Halloween and harvest celebrations.

Public events could include dances, story-telling where neighbors would share stories of the dead, fortune-telling, ghost stories and mischief-making. Whether such customs occurred with the Mason family of devout Anglicans living at Gunston Hall is unknown.

More widespread celebrations of Halloween wouldn't be common until the middle of the 19th century and its enormous influx of European immigrants.

In the year that George Mason died 

• The U.S. postal service was created; postage was 6 cents to 12 cents, depending on distance.
• Oranges were introduced to Hawaii.

·         Congress established the Philadelphia Mint.

• The United States authorized $10 Eagle, $5 half-Eagle and $2.50 quarter-Eagle gold coins and silver dollars, quarters, dimes and half-dimes.
• George Washington used a presidential veto for the first time, vetoing a bill designed to apportion representatives among the several states.
• France declared war on Austria.
• The U.S. established a military draft.
• The Columbia River was discovered and named by American explorer Capt. Robert Gray.
• A toilet that flushed itself at regular intervals was patented.
• 24 merchants formed the New York Stock Exchange at 70 Wall Street.
• Kentucky was admitted as the 15th state in the union.
• Columbus Day was first celebrated on the 300^th anniversary of the discovery of America.
• President Washington laid the cornerstone of the Executive Mansion (White House).
• George Washington was re-elected president.
• In Vienna, 22-year old Ludwig Von Beethoven received his first lesson in music composition from Franz Joseph Haydn.

 Important October events in George Mason’s lifetime

• Oct. 4, 1787—A broadside with George Mason's “Objections” to the proposed U.S. Constitution was printed in Philadelphia.
• Oct. 7, 1765—Nine American colonies sent a total of 28 delegates to New York City for the Stamp Act Congress. The delegates adopted the “Declaration of Rights and Grievances.”
• Oct. 11, 1759—Mason Locke Weems was born. This future parson at Pohick Church is better known as the biographer who created the story about George Washington cutting down his father's cherry tree.
• Oct 17, 1781—General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown, essentially ending hostilities of the American Revolution.
• Oct. 19, 1782—George Mason quit his seat in the House of Delegates, “from a Conviction that I was no longer able to do any essential Service. Some of the public Measures have been so contrary to my Notions of Policy and of Justice, that I wished to be no further concern'd with, or answerable for them; and to spend the Remnant of my Life in Quiet & Retirement.”
• Oct. 24, 1788—American poet Sarah Josepha Hale was born. Her most famous work? “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
• Oct. 25, 1760—George III ascended to the British throne after the death of King George II, his grandfather.
• Oct. 27, 1757—William Mason, George and Ann Mason’s fourth child is born. Their third child, also named William, had died that August. 
• Oct. 25, 1787—The first of the Federalist Papers were published in the New York Independent. The series of 85 essays, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, were published under the pen name “Publius.”

Gunston Hall Empty Mansion Photo Contest

By Lacey Villiva
Education Manager

As our readers may be aware, we are currently in the process of replacing our 80+ year old slate roof with a more period appropriate cedar roof.  During this process all of the furnishings had to be removed for their protection, and as a result, we are currently allowing photography in the Mansion.  From August through September, we ran a photo contest, and received 118 submissions from 21 photographers.  It is our great pleasure to announce the winners of our Empty Mansion Photo Contest.

In third place, is a photo by Hannah Wheeler, titled "Past Perspective #5.

In second place, is a photo by Lillis Werder, titled "Golden Hour at Gunston Hall."

And in first place, is a photo by Lael Voeller, titled "Mansion After a Rainstorm."  Lael is a local resident, and recieved her prize here at Gunston early this week.


 
If you haven't already seen the rest of the photo collection, please check the pictures out on our website or Facebook page.