Family
Married Catherine Mason (June 21, 1707-June 15, 1750) on June 10, 1725. Married again, after the death of his first wife, to Ann Roy (17??-1770), on November 10, 1750. He had several children (at least 11), many of which (5) died during childhood. Three sons lived to become prominent in Eighteenth Century America:
- George Mercer (1733-1784), surveyor, military officer, and politician from Virginia.
- James Mercer (1736–1793), judge, lawyer, and jurist who served as a delegate for Virginia to the Continental Congress in 1779.
- John Francis Mercer (1759–1821), Captain of the 3rd Virginia during the Revolutionary War, Anti-Federalist at the Constitutional Convention, and Governor of Maryland, 1801-03.
Uncle by marriage to George Mason, became Mason's legal guardian, along with Mason's mother. Mason studied in Mercer's private library. The Mercer Library at the Prince William Campus of George Mason University is named in his honor.
Grandfather of General George Mercer Brooke. Also grandfather of Charles Fenton Mercer (1778-1858; son of James).
Read more about this topic: John Mercer (colonial Lawyer)
Famous quotes containing the word family:
“They would probably help, in some trying time to come, to keep the jewel of liberty within the family of freedom.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“If you understand why a monkey in a family is always mocked and harassed, you understand why monks are rejected by all—both old and young.”
—François Rabelais (1494–1553)
“Unfortunately, life may sometimes seem unfair to middle children, some of whom feel like an afterthought to a brilliant older sibling and unable to captivate the family’s attention like the darling baby. Yet the middle position offers great training for the real world of lowered expectations, negotiation, and compromise. Middle children who often must break the mold set by an older sibling may thereby learn to challenge family values and seek their own identity.”
—Marianne E. Neifert (20th century)