GEORGE AMASON
BIOGRAPHY and GENEALOGY
Sumter County, Alabama
b. ca. 1820
George Amason was a planter and a native of this State, details of his birth and ancestry are not available. He was a bachelor who represented Sumter County in the house, 1847.
Garret says of him in “Public men of Alabama,” p. 498, that he was “a bachelor, rather young on the list, had a well-set figure, a pleasant face, and was always ready for fun and waggery. He did not legislate a great deal—that is, he did not go much into the details of business; but was generally on hand when voting was to be done.
He was a Democrat of old stripe, without disguise, although he made no noise about his politics. He was a genial companion with those of kindred taste and a little bluff for some circles; so between the two he circulated out-doors, and at the corners, and in the offices of the Capitol.
I heard an amusing incident-connected with one of his visits to Mobile which illustrates his character. Being in the city to to dispose of his crop of cotton, he visited the theater, and noticed, among other things new to him, the quizzing (opera) glasses that were used from different parts of the house, and they all seemed to center upon him. He was somewhat annoyed, and returning the next night, it was repeated quite extensively, so much so that he determined to take a part in the business.
The third night he returned, carrying with him a tin trumpet about six feet long, bought for the purpose; and when the quizzing glasses were used to improve the vision of their owners, Mr. Amason deliberately raised his long trumpet, and placing the small end to his eye, he turned it about on the audience, esp on the quarter where the glasses were most abundant, and completely vanquished the crowd of quizzers. He died in the zenith of his manhood many years ago.”
SOURCES
- History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume 3 By Thomas McAdory Owen, Mrs. Marie (Bankhead) Owen
- Reminiscences of Public Men in Alabama: For Thirty Years, with an Appendix By William Garrett 1872
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