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“…every city in the country.”

See “…more than three hundred thousand…,” above.

“…her Jefferson people…”

Shackelford, G. G., & Monticello Association of the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. (1984). Collected papers of the Monticello Association of the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. Charlottesville, Virginia: Monticello Association, p. 88.

“…convocations in Port Royal…”

Letter from Maria Mason to “Carry,” likely her sister Carolina Ramsay Randolph, November 6, 1871, held in the Special Collections department of Alderman Library at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“…not good at keeping house.”

Letter from Maria Mason to Charles Mason, Jr., April 19, probably 1864, in the possession of Angus Lamond, of Lynchburg, Virginia. Mr. Lamond is a descendant of the Mason family.

“…wealthier than most.”

R.G. Dun reports for Charles Mason of King George, Virginia:

“‘Farmer’ ’53 Entirely responsible a farmer, no trade. ’54 Very responsible but is not in trade.  ’55 A farmer and quite responsible. ’55 Is a farmer and fully responsible. ’57 Respected and very responsible. ’58 All right ’58 Perfectly good—a larger farmer. ’59 A wealthy farmer—sell him all you can. ’60 Farmer, very wealthy. Sell him all you can. ’61 Same. ’66 Rich indeed. ’66 Farmer and mill owner, perfectly solvent.”

The R.G. Dun & Co./Dun and Bradstreet Collections are held at the Baker Library/Bloomberg Center at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They cannot be photographed; researchers are permitted only to take notes on the materials.

“…long, thin hair that parted in the middle…”

The portrait of Maria Jefferson Carr Mason is in the possession of Angus Lamond, of Lynchburg, Virginia. Mr. Lamond is a descendant of the Mason family.

“Her back never touched…”

Shackelford, G. G., & Monticello Association of the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. (1984). Collected papers of the Monticello Association of the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. Charlottesville, Virginia: Monticello Association, p. 86.

“…food for their armies…”

See “…make food for southern soldiers…,” above.

“…members of the Signal Corps…”

See “… the Signal Corps…,” above.

Elizabeth Lee speculates that Charles Mason was likely involved in John Wilkes Booth’s escape from Washington, after murdering Lincoln in 1865. I did not include this episode because the evidence of Mason’s involvement was not overwhelming, but it’s very likely that Booth passed near the Alto plantation, and perhaps through it. If Charles Mason did assist in the escape, it’s very unlikely that Anarcha would have learned of it.

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. 164.

“…sometimes a hint about Delia.”

I am speculating in this passage that if news of Delia was traveling among the Maurys, then some of it might likely have gone to Charles Mason as well. Mason’s letter to James White is one of the few non-Maury letters held in the Maury collection at William and Mary College—if he was a regular correspondent, such news may have filtered through to Anarcha, and it was not uncommon for white letter-writers to include brief messages intended for “servants.”

“A spinning wheel…”

Letter from Ann Fontaine Maury to Ann Maury, December 5, 1861, from Old Mansion, held in the Maury Family materials at the Special Collections department of the Swem Library at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.

“…she could make pantaloons…”

Letter from Ann Fontaine Maury to Ann Maury, from Milton, NC, September 18, 1863, included in Intimate Virginiana.

Maury, A. (1941). Intimate Virginiana; a century of Maury travels by land and sea. Richmond, Va: Dietz Press, pp. 263-64.

 

“…exhibitions of tableaux…”

Letter from Ann Fontaine Maury to Ann Maury, December 15, 1862, from Milton, North Carolina, held in the Maury Family materials at the Special Collections department of the Swem Library at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.

“…Delia might need to be hired out…”

Letter from Ann Fontaine Maury to Ann Maury, from Milton, NC, September 18, 1863, held in the Maury Family Collection in the Special Collections department of Alderman Library at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“…made her feel like a shooting star.”

I have taken this away from a Maury and given it to Delia, who surely felt even more dislocated (see “…might need to be hired out…,” above).

Letter from an unknown Maury to Ann Maury, September 25, 1862, held in the Maury Family Collection in the Special Collections department of Alderman Library at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“…general who was afraid to fight…”

See “…Lincoln had replaced his top general…,” above

“This general had attended weddings…”

See “…many military weddings,” above.

This is General Ambrose Burnside, who was given command of the Army of the Potomac, briefly, after McClellan was replaced. It was Burnside who was in command for the Battle of Fredericksburg, which was fought soon after he took charge, and is described in greater detail below.

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. 153.

“Yankee guards…”

I am assuming that if Burnside arranged protection for Wiley Roy Mason, he likely would have done so for Charles Mason, as well.

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.