During this eventful decade of the 1730's Mercer acquired the things
needed for the proper maintenance of his house and properties. One
requisite was Negro servants. From Pat Reyant he bought "a Girl named
Margaret" for 43 pounds of tobacco in 1730. In 1731 he bought Deborah,
Phillis, Peter, Nan, and Bob. The following year he obtained Lucy, Will,
and George, and, in 1733, Nero. His purchases increased as his
landholdings increased. In 1736 he bought five slaves, three of whom he
aptly named Dublin, Marlborough, and Stafford.
To help feed his slaves during this early period, Mercer apparently
depended in part upon Stafford's wealth of natural resources. At least
we find a record of wild game entered on the same page and under the
same heading as his "Negroes" account in the ledger. There it is noted
that he purchased 42 ducks from Natt Hedgman on November 19, 1730, and
20 ducks from Rawleigh Chinn the same day, paying for them in powder and
shot. Two swans and a goose, as well as venison, appear on the list.
Payment for these was made in powder, shot, and wool.
He continued, meanwhile, to equip his house. From John Foward (or
Foard), a London merchant, he bought a "frying pan" and "2 doz.
bottles," "1 tomahawk," "2 stock-locks," "1 padlock," "2 best padlocks,"
"1 drawingknife," "9 p^r hinges," "3 clasp knives," and "1 gall.
Maderas." In April 1731, he bought from Captain Foward:
£ s. d.
1 bellmettle skillet 4-1/2^{oz} at 2/ 9
1 copper Sausepan 7
1 Small D^o 5 4
1 hunting whip 5
1 halfcheck bridle 7
1 fine hat 12
1 wig Comb 6
Also in 1731 he bought "6 rush bottom Chairs" for 17 shillings and a
spinning wheel for 10 shillings from William Hamitt. The "writing desk"
which he had bought in 1725 apparently needed extensive and expensive
repairs, for in March 1731 there appears an item under "Domestick
Expenses," "To W^m Walker for mending Scoutore £1." (_Scoutore_ was one
of many corrupt spellings of _escritoire_, a slant-top desk.) William
Walker was a Stafford County cabinetmaker and builder, about whom we
shall hear much more.
One of the most active accounts was that of Nathaniel Chapman,[69] who
directed the newly established Accokeek Ironworks. In 1731 he sold
Mercer several hundred nails of different descriptions, a variety of
hoes, ploughs, wedges, door latches, and heaters for smoothing irons.
One item is "By putting a leg in an old Iron Pott"; another is "By Col
Mason p^d for mending a snuff box. 2.6" (Appendix F).
In 1732 he paid Thomas Staines £1 for "a Cradle," "two Bedsteads," and
"a weekes work." From John Blane, during the same year, he purchased
2500 tenpenny nails and the same quantity of eightpenny nails. He also
bought from Blane 4 "basons," a porringer, 100 needles, 2 penknives, a
gross of "thread buttons," and a pair of large "Scissars." Again, in
1732 he obtained from William Nisbett a quantity of miscellaneous goods,
including 10 parcels of earthenware and a pewter dish weighing 4 to 5
ounces. He also settled with Samuel Stevens for "your share in making a
Canoe."