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“…not one of them.”

The 1870 Census Report for King George County, Virginia, lists Anarcha’s entire family as being of mixed race, “M,” for mulatto (the columns are age, gender, race). The 1860 Slave Schedule for King George County, Virginia indicates that all of the enslaved people belonging to Charles Mason were “B,” for black. Having examined many census documents—although, admittedly, I have not spent a lifetime doing so—this stood out to me as an anomaly. It’s possible that it’s merely a sidestepping of detail on the part of the census taker (which would not be a surprise), but it’s in keeping with other documents related to Lorenzo Jackson and Charles Mason, which appear below.

“…a boy when Lorenzo was born…”

Charles Mason’s birth is uncertain; he is listed as 50 years old in the 1860 Census. Lorenzo is listed as 55 years old in the 1870 Census (See “…Lorenzo and his daughter…,” above). I am being somewhat speculative in imagining the relationship between Lorenzo Jackson and Charles Mason, but the documents support a very close relationship (see “…one of his master’s favorites…,” above).

“…they played the games…”

See “…played games together…,” above.

“…died when she gave birth…”

Lee, E., The Last Hope: Lies, Truths and Legends of John Wilkes Booth’s 34-Hour Escape Through King George County, Virginia (2019), North Carolina: Lulu Press, p. 154.

“…fighting the war in Richmond.”

The Civil War papers of Charles Tayloe Mason, Jr., are held at the Virginia Historical Society.

https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/collection/data/36039973

“…in the house with both Charles Masons…”

The “free man of color” living with Charles Mason and his son in 1840 is unidentified. As noted above, I am speculating that this is Lorenzo, which is in keeping with “…one of his master’s favorites…,” above, and the age of the individual is correct, as well. I find it unusual that a “free man of color” would be living with his enslaver—particularly when there were other enslaved people living on the same property—and this suggests that Charles Mason and Lorenzo Jackson may have been related by blood.

Slave Schedule, King George County, Virginia, 1840, available on Ancestry.com.

Lee, E., The Last Hope: Lies, Truths and Legends of John Wilkes Booth’s 34-Hour Escape Through King George County, Virginia (2019), North Carolina: Lulu Press, p. 154.

“…Forest Hill…”

Lee, E., The Last Hope: Lies, Truths and Legends of John Wilkes Booth’s 34-Hour Escape Through King George County, Virginia (2019), North Carolina: Lulu Press, p. 154.

“…to the current missus…”

Lee, E., The Last Hope: Lies, Truths and Legends of John Wilkes Booth’s 34-Hour Escape Through King George County, Virginia (2019), North Carolina: Lulu Press, p. 155.

“…possibly they were half brothers…”

See “…in the house with both Charles Masons…,” above. I am speculating that it was Maria Mason who made Lorenzo leave Charles Mason’s home; in any event, there is no “free man of color” living with the Masons as of 1860.

“…treated Lorenzo better…”

See “…one of his master’s favorites…,” above.

“…ride south to Bowling Green…”

See “…if Lorenzo could get a horse…,” above.

“…Anarcha was of little value…”

Letter from Charles Mason to James T. White, Old Mansion, December 11, 1864, held in the Maury Family materials at the Special Collections department of the Swem Library at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Maury, A. (1941). Intimate Virginiana; a century of Maury travels by land and sea. Richmond, Va: Dietz Press, p. 293.

“…make food for southern soldiers…”

Lee, E., The Last Hope: Lies, Truths and Legends of John Wilkes Booth’s 34-Hour Escape Through King George County, Virginia (2019), North Carolina: Lulu Press, p. 156.

“…shot off his horse…”

Letter from Charles Mason to “Dear Sir,” June 8, 1861, held in the Archives & Records Management departmet of Preston Library at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.