James Mercer (1713 - 1790)

Born 1713 in Norfolk County, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1790 at about age 77 in Wilkes County, Georgia

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Biography

James was born in 1713, in Norfolk Counts’, Virginia. He was the third of four Sons of Joseph Mercer and Amy Ives . He was first married to Ann (Jones?). He moved to Currituck, North Carolina between 1735 and 1739.

In 1748 he married Sarah Simmons, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Simmons. He was living in Tyrwell District North Carolina in 1758 and at that time was in the Colonial Militia. The family was living in Halifax County North Carolina m 1766. It is not clear whether or not Tyrwell District fell in Halifax County the family moved to Wrightsboro, Georgia, Wilkes County on December 7, 1773.

At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, James was living in Burke County Georgia, January 3, 1775.

During the hostilities, James had moved to Richmond County Georgia, February 5, 1782. In the fall of 1783, he moved back to Wilkes County and lived with his oldest son, the Reverend Silas Mercer. James was a minister of the Church of England and in all probability was also a planter. However, the Church of England sided with the King during the Revolution and, therefore, virtually fell apart in many communities. On August 11, 1786, James joined Phillips Mill Baptist Church in Washington, Georgia. His son Silas was the pastor there, and a few years later Silas’s son Jesse became the minister.

At age 77, James died in Wilkes County Georgia in 1790, and was buried on Silas’s farm, seven miles south of Washington, Georgia. Although his children most surely followed the Episcopal Church in early life, all became highly active in the Baptist faith. His eldest son, Silas, as stated, was the pastor of Phillips Mill Baptist Church, as well as a Major Chaplain, during the Revolutionary War. His son, Thomas, was also a Baptist minister in Wilkes and Hancock Counties in Georgia, and later in Amite County Mississippi. His daughter, Vashti, married a Baptist minister, the Reverend George Franklin. Two of his sons, Jacob and John, were highly active in starting new Baptist churches throughout Georgia.

The following will give chronological information on James’s activities.

Courtesy of Don Mercer, Houston, Texas. 110 Leaves of the Tree

James Mercer 1713-1790

1713Norfolk Co., Va. — James Mercer born. (Memoir of Elder Jesse Mercer by Mallory)

1733Norfolk Co., Va. TithablesJoseph Messer, his son James & Negro Hannah

7-10-1735Norfolk Co., Va. C/M, p. 13 — The Estate of Joseph Mercer, deceased, having lodged in the office, judgments granted Richard Ball for 2# 19S 2 p, to Joseph Mercer for the sum of 2# , to William Parr 13# , to James Mercer 2# , to Nicholas Black 2# 19p and order against the Estate granted John Corphew. The Judgment bills taken for the Estate of Joseph Mercer this day returned to the office and ordered to be lodged in office.

6-10-1735Norfolk Co., Va. Tithables — Joseph Mercer and his brother James — 2.

7-10-1735Norfolk Co., Va. Tithables — James Mercer.

2-25-1739/40Currituck Co., N.C. — Jurymen: James Mercer, Jeremiah Mercer.

ca. 1738Norfolk Count); VA — James Mercer marries the first time, possibly Ann Jones, daughter of John and Ann Jones of Princess Anne Co., VA (See John Jones Will dated 9-23-1739 (B. 5, p. 419) and Edward Jones Will dated 1-21-1739/40 (B. 5, p. 476, Princess Anne Count~~ Va.).)

10-5-1748Currituck Co., N.C. — James Mercer witnesses Will of Thomasia Stevens. (Grimes Abstracts of Will of North Carolina, p. 361).

Ca. 1748Currituck Co., N.C. —James Mercer marries Sarah Simmons, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Nicholson Simmons. (Memoirs of Elder Jesse Mercer by Mallory states she was his second wife.)

Feb. 1755Currituck Co., N.C. — Thomas Simmons’ Will mentions sons Thomas, Samuel, Sampson, Edom, Caleb and Asalel Simmons, daughters Many Morris, Elizabeth Muncrief and Sarah Mercer — only one cow and calf to be taken out and given to her. Wife Sarah. W: Benjamin Prescott, Benjamin Cowell and Elizabeth Cowell. (Book 9, Folio 64.) (Probated 9-1755.)

1758Tyrrell District, NC. — James Mercer and his second Cousin James Mercer were members of Captain John Woodhouse’s Company, Colonial Militia.

1766-1772Halifax Co., N.C. — James Mercer Family lived next to Neighbors Wm. Green, Sr. & all went to Georgia to Together. (Wm. Green, Dr. Rev. R-4279.)

9-6-1767Currituck Co., NC. — James and Silas Mercer, Planters Sell 100 acres to David Cook for 76# on Currituck Road Near landing on Benjamin Portwood’s fence and along James Dunlap line to an oak branch known by the name Of Tanyan, to the swamp along Michael O’Neal’s line With house. Outhouses, orchards, garden, woods and Water rites. W: Asalel Simmons, Isaac Cook, John Cowell. ~DB2—p. 10.)

10-16-1773Currituck Co., NC. — Jeremiah Mercer, Sr. deeds land to Jeremiah Mercer. Jr. land given by his father Thomas Mercer on 7-8-1742 on James Mercer line. (DB 2, p. 476.)

12-7-1773Wrightsborough, Ga. — James Mercer of North Carolina , a wife, 2 sons and 5 daughters from 13 years to 3 months old — 150 acres on first branch that makes into Harden’s creek, where he is camped. (Early Records of Georgia — Wilkes County by Davidson. Vol. 1, p. 21.)

1-3-1775Burke Co., Ga. Little Ogechee Christ Church Parish - John McLean Will — Wife Elizabeth, sons John, Josiah, Andrew and Jercey McLean, daughter Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Creighton, daughter Margaret, Executor James Read. W: I. & Tabitha Baillou, James Mercer. Probated 2-20-1775.

2-5-1782Richmond Co., Ga. — On Tuesday, the Executive Council has ordered that his Honor the Governor be requested to order the Commissary to furnish Mr. James Mercer with fifteen bushels of corn, and that Thomas Mercer, his son, be exempt from militia duty in order to attend to the family of his father, they being in great distress. (Revolutionary Records of Georgia, Vol. II, p. 316.) Note Church of England fell apart during the Revolution, and he had no job.

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1-10-1783Richmond Co., Ga. — On Friday, the Georgia House of Assembly received a petition from a number of inhabitants of the County of Richmond (Columbia County was formed later from Richmond. the original old St. Paul’s Parish) in behalf of James Mercer and his distressed family. The petition was granted (Revolutionary Records of Georgia by Chandler, Vol. III, p. 203.)

Fall 1783Burke Co., Ga. — John Mercer, youngest son of James Mercer stated that his aged father and family had removed from Wilkes County and settled on Brier Creek and Silas Mercer, eldest son of James Mercer, came down the ensuing fall after his six-year absence in North Carolina and Virginia spreading the Baptist doctrine, to see about his father and his family and took them back to live on his farm in Wilkes Co., Ga. (Memoirs of Elder Jesse Mercer by Mallory)

3-31-1784Wilkes Co., Ga. — James Mercer with a Certificate from Elijah Clarke prays for land in Washington Count\~ Georgia. (Georgia Roster of the Revolution by Knight. p. 18.) This is evidence that at advanced age he participated in the Revolution.

2-26-1785Richmond Co., Ga. — Rhoda Mercer, daughter of James Mercer, received a land grant of 200 acres bounded S Jackson, W Charles Smitherlin, NW Wm. Tindall, NE Isaac Lou; other vacant. (Book GGG, 125.)

8-9-1785Wilkes Co., Ga. Phillips Mill Baptist Church organized with Silas and Dorcas Mercer and Elizabeth Muncrief, Sr.,* three of the sixteen charter members. (Minutes of Phillips Mill Baptist Church.)

9-9-1785Wilkes Co., Ga. — Jacob Mercer received by experience. (Ibid.)

4-10-1786Wilkes Co., Ga. Thomas and Annis Mercer received by letter. (Ibid.)

7-8-1786Wilkes Co., Ga. — Temperance Mercer received by letter. (Ibid.)

8-11-1786Wilkes Co., Ga. — James Mercer, Nancy Ozburn, Jael Mercer received by letter. (Ibid.)

8-12-1786Wilkes Co., Ga. — Elizabeth Muncrief, Jr. and Sarah Mercer received by letter. (Ibid.)

The Mercer Family 113

2-10-1787Wilkes Co., Ga. — Rhoda Mercer and Lydy Derricott received by letter.

7-7-1787Wilkes Co., Ga. — Jesse Mercer received by experience. (Ibid.

9-12-1789Wilkes Co., Ga. Agreed to hear Jesse Mercer’s call to the Ministry at next conference. (Ibid.)

1789Wilkes Co., Ga. — Memoirs of Elder Jesse Mercer by Mallory states that young Jesse Mercer preached his first sermon to his grandmother in her house a few yards away from his Father Silas Mercer’s home. Memoirs also states James Mercer was a High Churchman in Virginia and North Carolina before going to Georgia and was highly opposed, after training Silas in that Church, to his conversion to the Baptist religion that was sweeping the South; however, in old age James Mercer and his wife were converted to the Baptist religion. The 1786 entries in the Phillips Mill Minutes may be their joining the church. However, they had a son James and a daughter Sarah of age to profess their faith and bring their letters to this newly established church.

1790Wilkes Co., Ga. — James Mercer died at age 77 and was buried on his son Silas’s plantation, 7 miles south of Washington, Ga.

3-10-1797Wilkes Co., Ga. — Sarah Mercer was dismissed by letter.

8-11-1797Wilkes Co., Ga. — since our last meeting Elizabeth Muncrief has died.

4-17-1798Wilkes Co., Ga. — Sarah Mercer is received by letter.

• Elizabeth Simmons (sister of Sarah Simmons Mercer) married W Alex. Muncrief (1715-1765), a Baptist minister.

114 Leaves of the Tree

Marriage

Abt. 1738

Abt. 1772

NSDAR Patriot Record

James Mercer 1713-1790

James Mercer is NSDAR Patriot #A077467 on DAR #762233 application.

James Mercer provided Patriotic Service in Burke County, Georgia as listed in Candler, Rev. Records of Georgia, Vol. 2, page 203, 330. His property was destroyed by the British and the Tories. James Mercer was living in North Carolina at the time. James Mercer was High Churchman, Church of England and in Norfolk County, Virginia, Currituck County, North Carolina and Wilke and Burke Counties in Georgia. He marries Ann Jones, the daughter of John and Ann Jones of Princess Anne County, Viriginia. James' second wife is Sarah Simmons, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Nicholson Simmons in 1748. In 1758, James joins the Colonial Militia with his first cousin named James. They were members of John Woodhouse's Company. After the failure of the Church of England in the Colonies, James' family were in need. The Executive Council ordered the commissary to provide James with fifteen barrels of corn, and that his second oldest son, Thomas, be exempt from militia duty. Silas, the oldest son, came back from Georgia to see about his aging father and the family. Silas then took his father back to his farm in Wilkes County, Georgia. In 1786 James and Sara were converted from the Anglican Church of England to the Baptist Faith and joined the Phillips Mill Baptist Church.

Sources

• History of Wilkinson County by Victor Davidson, Orlando Public Library, pgs 455-460
• http://whittenfamily.homestead.com/JamesMercer1713LeavesOfTree.html

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159923210
• Virginia, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890
• Georgia, Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992: Author: Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Sumter County); Probate Place: Sumter, Georgia
• NADAR Patriot Record #A077461