Temple Hall

Temple Hall was the home of William Temple Thomson Mason, son of Thomson Mason of Raspberry Plain and nephew of George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. The house was constructed about 1810 and was the centerpiece for the farm Mason established on property inherited from his father's vast estate. Mason and his wife, Ann Eliza Carroll of Maryland, raised ten children at Temple Hall. In addition to the Mason family, about twenty enslaved African-Americans resided on the property., Mason's farm was modestly successful. He cultivated orchards, raised corn, wheat and livestock., The house was a hub of Leesburg social activity and welcomed many distinguished guests. On August 9, 1825, President John Quincy Adams, former President James Monroe and the Marquis de Lafayette came to Temple Hall for the baptism of Mason's two youngest daughters., In 1857, Mason retired to Washington, D.C., and sold his farm to Henry A. Ball. With the outbreak of the Civil War, the Ball family found themselves living on the front line between two hostile nations. Two of Henry Ball's sons left the farm to join the Confederate Army. In 1862, Henry Ball was arrested for refusing to take an oath of allegiance to the Federal Government. He was released after spending nearly a year in the Old Capitol Prison., Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby visited Temple Hall on July 5, 1864, and dined with the Ball family. While at the house, Mosby received information that led to the raid on Mount Zion Church., Temple Hall remained in the Ball family until 1878 when it was sold at auction. In 1940, after a succession of owners, the property was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. James H. Symington. The Symingtons set about restoring the house and making improvements to the farm., In 1985, Temple Hall Farm was acquired by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority in order to preserve the land and give future generations the opportunity to appreciate the experience of an American working farm.