Miss Polly Vans was Mary Vans, daughter of Hugh and Mary Pemberton
Vans, and aunt of Caty Vans. She was born in 1733. We have some
scattered glimpses of her life. She joined the Old South in 1755. In
the _Boston Gazette_, of April 9, 1770, we read, "Fan Mounts mounted
by Mary Vans at the house of Deacon Williams, in Cornhill." We hear
of her at Attleborough with Samuel Whitwell's wife when the gates of
Boston were closed, and we know she married Deacon Jonathan Mason on
Sunday evening, December 20, 1778. She was his second wife. His
first wife was Miriam Clark, and was probably the Mrs. Mason who was
present at Mrs. Whitwell's, and died June 5, 1774. Mary Vans Mason
lived till 1820, having witnessed the termination of eight of the
pastorates of the Old South Church. Well might Anna term her "a
Sister of the Old South." She was in 1817 the President of the Old
South Charity School, and is described as a "disinterested friend,
a judicious adviser, an affectionate counsellor, a mild but faithful
reprover, a humble, self-denying, fervent, active, cheerful
Christian." Jonathan Mason was not only a deacon, but a prosperous
merchant and citizen. He helped to found the first bank in New
England. His son was United States Senator. Two other daughters of
Hugh Vans were a Mrs. Langdon, of Wiscasset, Maine, and Mrs. John
Coburn.