John Young Mason

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.