John Y. Mason
John Y. Mason | |
|---|---|
| 19th United States Minister to France | |
| In office January 22, 1854 – October 3, 1859 | |
| President | Franklin Pierce James Buchanan |
| Preceded by | William Cabell Rives |
| Succeeded by | Charles J. Faulkner |
| 16th and 18th United States Secretary of the Navy | |
| In office September 10, 1846 – March 4, 1849 | |
| President | James K. Polk |
| Preceded by | George Bancroft |
| Succeeded by | William Ballard Preston |
| In office March 26, 1844 – March 4, 1845 | |
| President | John Tyler |
| Preceded by | Thomas Walker Gilmer |
| Succeeded by | George Bancroft |
| 18th United States Attorney General | |
| In office March 5, 1845 – October 16, 1846 | |
| President | James K. Polk |
| Preceded by | John Nelson |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Clifford |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia | |
| In office March 3, 1841 – March 23, 1844 | |
| Appointed by | Martin Van Buren |
| Preceded by | Peter Vivian Daniel |
| Succeeded by | James Dandridge Halyburton |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1831 – January 11, 1837 | |
| Preceded by | James Trezvant |
| Succeeded by | Francis E. Rives |
| Member of the Virginia Senate representing Southampton County | |
| In office 1826–1831 | |
| Preceded by | Edmund Ruffin |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing Southampton County | |
| In office 1823–1826 Serving with Henry Briggs, Carr Bowers | |
| Preceded by | John C. Gray |
| Succeeded by | John Denegre |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing Greensville County | |
| In office 1819–1821 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Young Mason April 18, 1799 Hicksford, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | October 3, 1859 (aged 60) |
| Resting place | Hollywood Cemetery Richmond, Virginia |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (AB) Litchfield Law School |
John Young Mason (April 18, 1799 – October 3, 1859) was an attorney, planter, judge and politician from Virginia. Mason served in the U.S. House of Representatives after serving in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, then became the United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (1841-1843), but resigned that position to hold important executive and diplomatic offices in the administrations of Presidents John Tyler, James K. Polk, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan before his death in Paris, France shortly before the American Civil War, including as the 16th and 18th United States Secretary of the Navy, the 18th Attorney General of the United States and United States Minister to France.