Hi Lana,
Please keep me posted on what you find. My FPOC was Rev. Frank L Mason who was from Stony Creek or Parham's Store. He attend the Richmond Seminary now VUU. He graduated in or around 1887. Most of his churches were in Sussex County. He lived in Sussex on Green Church Rd and then in Emporia. He was killed in a train/auto accident in 1923. He married Virginia Charity.

On the 1870 census his father is listed as Richard Mason, but I think that was an error. Richard/Robert was literate and I have a copy of his will dated 1903. There is a Frances Mason listed who I have not been able to find. I assume she may have been a sister or daughter by a prior marriage. Robert/Richard married Susan Goodwyn Stith. Family history says he bought her freedom. The Goodwyn name is also one connected to Dinwiddie County. I think they might have married sometime between 1855 and 1860, but have not been able to find any records of this. According to Susan's death certificate, her father was Robert Goodwyn. I have found a Robert Goodwyn living in Petersburg, but cannot make the connection.

Hope this gives you some background on my Mason connection to Petersburg as well. I also am related to the Davis family from Petersburg.

Also, Susan Goodwyn Stith has a son, Richard Stith. Richard Stith had a son, named Jesse who would have been Robert Mason's step-grandson and my grandfather.

Linda