Mercer, James, 1736-1793

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James Mercer (February 26, 1736 – October 31, 1793), was an American lawyer, military officer, planter, jurist, and politician.

Born at his family's Marlborough plantation in Stafford County in the Colony of Virginia, Mercer received a private education suitable as well as access to his father's library, if not the best, then one of the best in the area. Mercer traveled to Williamsburg for higher education under prominent lawyer George Wythe and others, and graduated from the College of William and Mary about 1755. Like his two older brothers, Mercer accepted an officer's commission after graduation. In 1756, Captain James Mercer became the commander of Fort Loudoun. After the war, Mercer studied law and was admitted to the bar. Active in pre-Revolutionary affairs, he served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1762 to 1775, as a member of the Virginia conventions of 1774, 1775, and 1776, and as a member of the committee of public safety in 1775 and 1776. He served as Hampshire County's first two delegates in the House of Delegates in 1776. Fellow delegates then chose Mercer as one of Virginia's representatives in the Continental Congress in 1779.

Legislators selected Mercer as judge of the general court in 1780 and in 1788 he became one of the judges on the first Court of Appeals (later reorganized as the Supreme Court of Virginia). Judge Mercer died in office in Richmond. He is buried in Richmond at historic St. John's Episcopal Church.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Simms, Charles, 1755-1819. Charles Simms papers, 1776-1820. Library of Congress
creatorOf Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Papers, 1763-1824. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Lee, Charles, 1758-1815. Legal notes of Charles Lee [manuscript], 1783-1793,1855. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Bernard, Simon, 1779-1839. Bowyer-Hubard Papers, 1767-1782 and 1816. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Stephen, Adam. Adam Stephen papers, 1749-1849 (bulk 1754-1777). Library of Congress
referencedIn Virginia district court judge appointments, 1789 and 1790. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Bland, Theodorick, 1742-1790. Papers of Virginia members of the Continental Congress, 1767-1820. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. Letter, 1780 January 8, "St. James's," Fredericksburg, [Virginia], to [Thomas Jefferson], n.p. William & Mary Libraries
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. Letter to Lord Jeffrey Amherst [manuscript] 1 Aug. 1761. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Allason, William, 1731-1800. Records, 1722-1847. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Daniel, Robert Williams, 1936-. Collection : of Robert Williams Daniel, 1776-1882. Virginia Historical Society Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Mercer, John, 1704-1768. John Mercer, letter, Marlboro, VA to James Mercer, Williamsburg, VA, 1766 October 20. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Garnett family. Papers of the Garnett family, 1773-1888. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. James Mercer letter to Robert Carter [manuscript] 1771 Dec. 31. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. Slave pass, 1771 October 29-30. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Militia Commission, 1776 May 14 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Mercer, Charles Fenton, 1778-1858. Papers, 1852-1858. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Mercer, George, 1733-1784. Letter: London, to James Mercer, Virginia, 1768 August 16. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Alumni Association (University of Michigan), Individual Photographs, ca. 1880-ca. 1960s Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. Bill, 1772-1786. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
creatorOf Mercer, George, 1733-1784. Letters to his brother, [James Mercer], 1768 and 1771. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Slave Pass, 1771 October 29-30 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Lee, Charles, 1758-1815. Cases adjudged in the General Court from the year 1783 to the year [1793], 1783-1855, bulk 1783-1793. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Clerk's Correspondence and other Records, 1918-2006 Supreme Court of Virginia Archives, Virginia State Law Library.
referencedIn Mercer family. Papers : of the Mercer family, 1656-1869 (bulk 1740- 1845). Virginia Historical Society Library
creatorOf James Mercer Slave Pass, October 29-30, 1771. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Charles Lee Notebook of Virginia Cases, 1783-1793, 1783-1855 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Garnett-Mercer-Hunter families. Papers, 1713-1853. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. ADS, 1779 November 22 : Bill to the Treasurer of Virginia. Copley Press, J S Copley Library
creatorOf Mercer, James, 1736-1793. The State of Virginia in account with James Mercer, 1779 November 22 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
creatorOf Hunter, James. Papers : Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia, 1776-1782. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Givens, George, fl. 1776. Militia commission, 1776 May 14. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn John Mercer Letter to James Mercer, 1766 October 20 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Mercer, George, 1733-1784. Letters: London, to James Mercer and George Mason, 1771. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Mercer family. Papers : of the Mercer family, 1760-1833. George Mason's Gunston Hall
referencedIn Bowyer-Hubard Papers, 1767-1816 Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allason, William, 1731-1800. person
associatedWith Amherst, Jeffery Amherst, Baron, 1717-1797 person
associatedWith Bowyer, Michael. person
associatedWith Carter, Robert, 1728-1804 person
associatedWith Daniel, Robert Williams, 1936- person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Emerson, Margaret Hitchcock, 1899-1985. person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Garnett family. person
associatedWith Garnett-Mercer-Hunter families. family
associatedWith Givens, George, fl. 1776 person
associatedWith Hench, Atcheson Laughlin, 1891-1974, person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Hunter, James. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Lee, Charles, 1758-1815. person
associatedWith Martin, Jonathan, fl. 1771. person
grandchildOf Mason, George, 1660-1716. person
nieceOrNephewOf Mason, George, 1690-1735 person
relativeOf Mason, George, 1725-1792 person
relativeOf Mason, Thomson, 1733-1785 person
parentOf Mercer, Charles Fenton, 1778-1858 person
associatedWith Mercer, Charles Fenton, 1778-1858. person
memberOf Mercer family. family
sibling of Mercer, George, 1733-1784. person
childOf Mercer, John, 1704-1768. person
sibling of Mercer, John Francis, 1759-1821 person
associatedWith Oliver, Thomas, fl. 1770-1790 person
associatedWith Purdie and Dixon. corporateBody
correspondedWith Simms, Charles, 1755-1819. person
correspondedWith Stephen, Adam. person
associatedWith Thomas Oliver, fl. 1770-1790 person
memberOf United States. Continental Congress. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Alumni Association. corporateBody
memberOf Virginia. General Assembly. House of Burgesses corporateBody
memberOf Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates corporateBody
associatedWith Virginia. Supreme Court. Office of the Clerk. corporateBody
associatedWith Wroughton, Francis, fl. 1761. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Spotsylvania County VA US
Richmond VA US
Williamsburg VA US
Stafford County VA US
Subject
Slavery
Slavery
Money
Scientific publications
Taverns (Inns)-Virginia
Travel costs
Travel costs
Occupation
Army officers
Delegates, U.S. Continental Congress
Jurists
Planter
State Representative
State Supreme Court Judge
Activity

Person

Birth 1736-02-26

Death 1793-10-31

Male

Britons,

Americans

English

Information

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