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In 'Historical Southern Families' by Boddie vol 15 there is 'Mercer of Lower Norfolk Coubnty, Virginia.
It states: "Mercer is a Scottish name and the family is found there as early as the twelfth century, (Fr: "Le Mercier"). In 1214 Serle Mercer, Mayor of London, helped to complete the building of the first stone bridge across the Thames - the famous "London Bridge". (P.F. Newland: History of the Mercer Family; George F. Black: Surnames of Scotland -- Their Origin and History.)
Two families of this name appear in Scottish records ca 1200; Mercer of Aldie in Perthshire, and the Mercers of Innerpeffry in Strathern.
The founder of the Perthshire branch appears to have been one Thomas Aictus Mercer, who held land there in 1332. The family had long associations with St. John's Kirk (church) in Perth, where the following inscription appears, with the original crest of the Mercers:
"1380: Here beneath lies the Mercer Vault Built by John Mercer, First Laird of Aldie"
(Ref: Colonial Families of America, vol II, p30, Mackenzie: Lineage of Mercers of Aldie Castle, Perthshire, Scotland; seal shown.)
The first of this family in America was Thomas Mercer, who patented land in Virginia in 1673. Patent Bk. 6, p 488, shows: Land Grant from Governor Berkeley to Thomas Mercer, 200 ac. on Puzzle Creek on the Southern Branch of Elizabeth River, Oct 3, 1673. Ibid, p 599: Land Grant from Governor Berkeley to Thomas Mercer in Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, 602 ac. (at same place) for transporting 8 persons. March 15, 1675.
Thomas1 Mercer married twice. The name of his first wife is not known. He married (2) Kathren Bigge. She was too young to have been the mother of his eldest son Christopher, but she was the mother of the other three sons, Joseph, Thomas, and John and of Mary.
In the above where it states that Katherine Bigge was too young to have been the mother of Christopher Mercer b. 1672, I disagree. If Katherine was born 1655 and Christopher was born in 1672 this would make her age 16-17 years old which is old enough to have been Christopher's mother. I would appreciate any imput on this.
The first of our Mercer line that I have seen listed is William Mercer b. abt 1590 of Hartford, Eng.
Has anyone traced our Mercers back further than this?
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