George Mason Memorial

George Mason is said to be the forgotten founding father and is credited with writing our first Bill of Rights. He lived from 1725-1792. He was one of the three men who refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, which is interesting since he wrote the Virginia Bill of Rights that strongly influenced the writers of the Declaration. George Washington considered him a mentor and Thomas Jefferson described him as "the wisest man of his generation."

For being such an influential man in our history, his memorial is very simple - just him sitting on a bench with books by Locke, Cicero and Rousseau behind a small pool with flowers around it.

Daddy and me

"I recommend it to my sons.... never to let the motives of private interest or ambition to induce them to betray, nor the terrors of poverty and disgrace or the fear of danger or of death deter them from asserting the liberty of their country, and endeavoring to transmit to their posterity those sacred rights to which themselves were born." George Mason, March 1773

"All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent natural rights... among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." George Mason, May 1776

posted by Sarah