Contents |
John Mercer
John was born c. 1764, a son of Robert Mercer Jr. (died after 19 February 1767) and Mary Unknown (not Sarah Beeston).[1]
It is inferred with a possible range of: after 1760 to before1769. If in 1760, John would have been old enough to sign the pledge of allegiance in 1778, which he did not do, and he was obviously living when his father wrote his 1769 will.
John's father died before 19 February 1767, when he was only about three years old.[1] According to his father's will, John's guardian was to be, if his mother died, John Bolton.[2]
John married 11 October 1793 at Cecil County, Maryland to Rebecca Davis. Sometimes the date 26 September 1793 is given as the marriage date, perhaps the date of intention.[3]
Rebecca died in late November, 1802, just months after the deaths of her two young sons, John and James.[4] Dysentery is thought to be a contributing cause in these three tragic deaths. John was left with an infant daughter, Harriet, and Ann and William, six and eight years old.[4]
Children of John and Rebecca (all born at Sassafras Neck, Cecil County, Maryland):
The Anglican Church was the official church in the area from 1692 to 1776. Cecil County has two parishes, St. Mary Anne's and St. Stephen's. St. Stephen's was also known as the North Sassafras Parish in its early history. Earlier generations were found in St. Stephen's records, however John's, Rebecca's, nor their children's records were not found at either parish in Cecil County.
The Mercers and Davises descended from prominent families that began receiving land grants from the British Crown as early as the 1600s. There were kinfolk all across the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.[4]
John Mercer had three plantations at Sassafras Neck, including The Rounds.
According to Mercer family researcher, Roger Hughes, "Records show the Walker branch of President George W. Bush?s family, which settled in central Illinois, included slave owners.[4]
Will written 30 Oct 1818, and a codicil dated 1 May 1819, lists and names three children. Shows Harriet was under 21 when the codicil was written as John specifically states that all the real and personal estate that he had "willed and devised to his daughter Harriet, shall go to his son William D. Mercer, and held by him until Harriet shall arrive to the age of twenty-one years." The descendants of John Mercer mentioned in his will are son William Mercer, daughters Harriet Mercer and Ann Davis and grandson David Davis.[5]
John died in October 1820 at Sassafras Neck, or Rounds, Cecil County, Maryland.[6]
The Mercers were fourth great-grandparents of the president and grandparents of Davis.[4]
In 1800, living in Bohamia, Cecil, Maryland[7]
In 1810, living in Cecil, Maryland[8]
[source: Alice Cates] His guardian was to be, if his mother died, John Bolton, according to his father's will. The only John Bolton in the area seems to be John Bolton, merchant, of Chestertown, Kent, MD. This John Bolton was born in Philadelphia of an English father. An Ancestral File entry indicates John Bolton's sister, Ann, was married to a John Mercer, but I think this was Robert.[2]
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
John is 24 degrees from Zendaya Coleman, 26 degrees from Sting Sumner, 12 degrees from Josh Brolin, 20 degrees from Timothée Chalamet, 19 degrees from José Ferrer, 17 degrees from Frank Herbert, 16 degrees from Richard Jordan, 20 degrees from David Lynch, 18 degrees from Virginia Madsen, 21 degrees from Charlotte Rampling, 29 degrees from Patrick Stewart and 20 degrees from Denis Villeneuve on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
Categories: Cecil County, Maryland, Slave Owners | Estimated Birth Date