“Not Satisfied with the Provisions Made for Her”: Elizabeth Mary Ann Barnes Hooe, the Mason Family, and the Transfer of Property in Early Virginia
Historians of early America have often argued that inheritances were integral for elite families to retain their economic and social standing, particularly in Virginia. As a way of reinforcing this existing historiography, the purpose of the “Not Satisfied with the Provisions Made for Her” digital history project is to track how one individual, Elizabeth Mary Ann Barnes Hooe (1768-1814), used the legal system to protect and enhance her inherited wealth, which she in turn passed down to her children from marriages to George Mason V and George Graham. Elizabeth’s story is told through legal documents that she and other members of her family filed through the Fairfax County Court, namely in the form of wills, deeds, and agreements.
This exhibit was researched and created by David Armstrong in consultation with George Oberle on behalf of the Center for Mason Legacies. Special thanks to Georgia Brown and Sammi Brice at the Fairfax County Historic Records Center and Kate Steir at Gunston Hall for their expertise and encouragement in this project.