Accokeek (plantation) facts for kids
Accokeek was a large farm, called a plantation, built in the 1600s in Virginia, United States. It was located on Accokeek Creek in Stafford County. Sadly, this farm was built and run using the forced labor of enslaved people. Accokeek was the very first home for the important Mason family in Virginia, who became well-known politicians.
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What Was Accokeek?
How Accokeek Began
In 1653, the land where Accokeek would be built was first given to a person named John Withers. He then sold it to Colonel Valentine Peyton. Later, in 1662, Colonel Peyton sold this land to Captain George Mason I. He also sold an extra 500 contiguous acres (2.0 km2) of land that was next to it.
George Mason I and His New Home
Captain George Mason I (born in 1629) was the first important person in the famous Mason family in America. He made Accokeek his permanent home. It was located on a hill between what are now State Routes 608 and 621 in Stafford County, Virginia. He named his new farm "Accokeek." Later, its name was changed to "Rose Hill." When George Mason I started, his Accokeek plantation was about 650 acres (2.6 km2) in size. Over time, it grew much larger, reaching about 1,150 acres (4.7 km2).
A New Home for George Mason II
George Mason I's son, George Mason II, was born at Accokeek in 1660. After his father passed away, George Mason II sold Accokeek. He then moved to another plantation called Chopawamsic, which was located on Chopawamsic Creek.
