Richard Barnes Mason

Infobox Governor
name = Richard Barnes Mason


order = flagicon|USA
office = Military Governor of California
term_start = 1847
term_end = 1849
lieutenant =
predecessor = Stephen W. Kearny
successor = Persifor Frazer Smith
birth_date = January 16, 1797
birth_place = Lexington, Virginia
death_date = death date and age|1850|7|25|1797|1|16
death_place = Jefferson Barracks, St Louis, Missouri
party =
spouse =
profession = Soldier
religion =

Richard Barnes Mason (January 16, 1797ndash July 25 1850) was a career general officer in the United States Army and the sixth military governor of California before it became a U.S. state.

Mason was born in Lexington, Virginia, the grandson of George Mason, one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was commissioned into the Army in 1817 and served in the 1st U.S. Infantry during the Black Hawk War. In 1833, he transferred to the United States Dragoons as its first major. During the Mexican-American War, he served in New Mexico Territory and California, eventually rising to the rank of colonel.cite journal |url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v019/v019p014.html |title=Chronicles of Oklahoma, |volume=vol. 19 |issue=No. 1 |pages=pp. 15–36 |journal=Oklahoma Historical Society |author=Caroyln Foreman |date=March 1941 |id=oclc|1554537 |accessdate=2007-05-17]

Following the war, he was appointed military governor of California, serving from May 31, 1847, until April 13, 1849. When gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill, Mason made a report of the finding to President James K. Polk.cite journal |url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v019/v019p014.html |title=Chronicles of Oklahoma, |volume=vol. 19 |issue=No. 1 |pages=pp. 15–36 |journal=Oklahoma Historical Society |author=Caroyln Foreman |date=March 1941 |id=oclc|1554537 |accessdate=2007-05-17]

Mason died at Jefferson Barracks, St Louis, Missouri, in 1850.cite journal |url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v019/v019p014.html |title=Chronicles of Oklahoma, |volume=vol. 19 |issue=No. 1 |pages=pp. 15–36 |journal=Oklahoma Historical Society |author=Caroyln Foreman |date=March 1941 |id=oclc|1554537 |accessdate=2007-05-17]

In 1882, the Post at Point San Jose in San Francisco, California was renamed Fort Mason in his honour, and served as an Army base for more than 100 years.cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/sg-foma.pdf |title=Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Fort Mason History Walk |pages=12 |publisher=National Park Service |accessdate=2007-12-18] There is also a Mason Street in downtown San Francisco.

References