Okeley Manor

Okeley Manor was a historic plantation and residential estate in Fairfax County, Virginia. It was established on land connected to the Mason family estate at Gunston Hall after the death of George Mason in 1792. Around 1817, Thomson Mason divided part of the inherited property into two plantations: Dogue Run farm, assigned to his son Richard Chichester Mason, and Hunting Creek farm, assigned to his elder son Thomson Francis Mason. Richard C. Mason developed Dogue Run farm and constructed the residence known as Okeley Manor, where he and his family were living by the early 1830s. Richard Chichester Mason was a prominent Alexandria physician and a member of the extended Mason family, one of the principal landholding families of Northern Virginia. Okeley Manor therefore functioned not as a commercial brand but as a private plantation residence and agricultural estate. The property formed part of a broader network of Mason family holdings in the region, including land associated with Gunston Hall and the Mount Vernon area. During the American Civil War, Mason served with the Confederate States Army in Richmond despite his advanced age. The Okeley Manor residence was used as a hospital during the conflict. When Mason returned to the property at the age of 72, he found that the house had been destroyed by fire. The building was reportedly burned to limit the spread of smallpox. Mason also found that other occupants had taken possession of the property during the wartime disruption. By 1880, Mason's son Beverley Randolph Mason had recovered the land and was living in a house he had built on a nearby hill. Beverley Randolph Mason, who was born at Okeley Manor in 1834, maintained the family's connection with the property. His daughter Susan Josephine Beverley Mason was also born there in 1888. The Mason family's ownership of the original Gunston Hall land parcel ended when Beverley's descendants sold Okeley in 1916. During the early twentieth century, the two parcels derived from the original Mason holdings continued to be used for farming. After the land was later reassembled and used for light industrial purposes, much of it was transferred by the United States Department of the Interior to Fairfax County in 1975 for park purposes. The area is now associated with Huntley Meadows Park, a public natural area with wetland access, a boardwalk, walking routes, and bicycle paths. The original manor house no longer survives, and Okeley Manor is best understood as a historic place and former estate rather than an active commercial organization.

Okeley Manor emerged from the division of inherited Mason family property in Fairfax County, Virginia. After George Mason died on 7 October 1792, his son Thomson inherited part of the Gunston Hall estate. Around 1817, Thomson reorganized the land into two plantations. Dogue Run farm was allocated to his son Richard Chichester Mason, while Hunting Creek farm, located near Mount Vernon, went to Richard's elder brother Thomson Francis Mason. Richard Chichester Mason developed Dogue Run farm as his family residence. The mansion called Okeley Manor had been built by Mason, and the family was living there sometime before 1834. Mason was a physician associated with Alexandria and belonged to a prominent Northern Virginia family whose properties linked the estate to the wider Mason landholding network. The Civil War brought a major interruption to the property's residential and agricultural use. Mason served the Confederacy in Richmond, although he was substantially older than most soldiers. During the war, the manor house was used as a hospital. When Mason returned at age 72, the residence had been burned to the ground as a measure intended to prevent the spread of smallpox. The property had also been occupied by people other than the Mason family during the wartime period. Mason's son Beverley Randolph Mason later regained control of the land. By 1880, he was living in a house that he had built on a hill at the property. Beverley was born at Okeley Manor on 1 September 1834, and his daughter Susan Josephine Beverley Mason was born there on 17 January 1888. These family events document the estate's continuing role as a Mason residence in the nineteenth century. The family's ownership of the original Gunston Hall-derived land ended in 1916, when Beverley Randolph Mason's descendants sold Okeley. The land remained agriculturally useful during the early twentieth century. In a later phase, the two original parcels were reassembled and used for light industrial purposes, illustrating the transition of the area from plantation agriculture to other forms of land use. In 1975, the United States Department of the Interior sold much of the land to Fairfax County for park purposes. The property is now part of the landscape associated with Huntley Meadows Park. Public amenities include a boardwalk through wetland areas and walking and bicycling routes. The manor building itself was destroyed during the Civil War, so the historical importance of Okeley Manor rests on its archaeological, genealogical, agricultural, and regional associations rather than on a surviving principal house.

• 1975

  Much of the land becomes public park property

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  The United States Department of the Interior sold much of the reassembled property to Fairfax County for park purposes. The land is now part of the area associated with Huntley Meadows Park.

• 1916

  Mason family ownership ends

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  Beverley Randolph Mason's descendants sold Okeley, ending Mason ownership of the original Gunston Hall land parcel.

• 1888

  Susan Josephine Beverley Mason is born at the estate

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  Susan Josephine Beverley Mason was born at Okeley Manor on 17 January 1888.

• 1880

  Beverley Randolph Mason recovers the property

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  By 1880, Beverley Randolph Mason had recovered the land and was living in a house he built on a hill at the property.

• 1860

  The manor is used as a Civil War hospital

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  During the American Civil War, Okeley Manor served as a hospital before the residence was burned to prevent the spread of smallpox.

• 1834

  Beverley Randolph Mason is born at Okeley Manor

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  Richard Chichester Mason's son Beverley Randolph Mason was born at Okeley Manor on 1 September 1834.

• 1817

  Dogue Run farm is created

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  Thomson Mason divided part of the inherited property into Dogue Run farm for Richard Chichester Mason and Hunting Creek farm for Thomson Francis Mason.

• 1792

  Mason inheritance establishes the property's broader land context

  [1]Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org

  Following George Mason's death on 7 October 1792, Thomson Mason inherited part of the Gunston Hall estate, including land that was later reorganized into the plantations associated with Okeley Manor.

Historic plantation estate and Mason family residence; not an active commercial brand.

1. 1Okeley Manoren.wikipedia.org