Figure 5. — Kino Wii.i.iam coi'rthouse, about 1725. Mercer often pleaded cases here. U'rom 

 a Civil War (x-riod negative. {Courltsy of Historic American Buildings Survey, Library oj 



orticial, and Mercer was forced to continue his 

 questionatilc occupancy of properties whose titles 

 were in doubt. 



What is most significant to us in all this is the 

 inft'ience that the courthouse, the Ballard house 

 which Mercer occupied, and tlie .Sti-ucture B founda- 

 tion were all in close proximity. 



LARGU PROPKRTY ACQUISITIONS 



Mercer's ne.xt purchase of Marllioroutih piopcrt) 

 was on .July 28, 1737, when he iHsught the three lots 

 ,'r lilted in !<>'.• 1 to Georue .Andrews from Andrews' 

 i^randson, John Oavr. Meanwhile, he began large- 

 scale acquisitions of lands elsewhere. By 1733 he 

 had .icquired an aggregate of H09(> acres in Prince 

 William County. In addition, he obtained a "Lease 

 for three Lives" on three large tracts belonging to 

 William Brent, idjoining Marllmrough, .so that lie 

 controlled virtually all of Potomac .Neck." 



Thus, after 1730 we find Mercer's fortune already 



" Jolni .Vtcrcrr's l-nnd Book, lor. ril. (ftmlnoir \'2). 



well established and increasing. No longer a youth- 

 ful trader plying the Potomac in his sloop, he was 

 now a gentleman planter and influential lawver. 

 He li\ed in a new house, owned some parts of 

 Marlborough, and was building "' is" 



on others. .Mmost o\ernit;ht he a 



landed proprietor. 



SUCCESS AT LAW AND CONFLICTS WITH LAWYERS 



The source of Mercer's newly made wealth is easily 

 discovered. F^is ledger shows an income from legal 

 fees in 1730 amounting to £291 lOs. lO'.d. In 1731 

 the figure climbed to £643 IHs. 2d., then le\-elcd off 

 to £639 lis. 2':d. the ! • For a young 



man still in his t\%enti< ~ uied in the law, 



this was a remarkable achievement. His succcst 

 perhaps is altriliuiable !• 

 from youthful brashno^ 



I'.arly in 1 730, in a daring gcstuir on l>ehalf of projvi is 

 owners and taxpavei-s, hr pi. ts 



granted in an act p.i.>i.sed U\ x. \ 'u» 



year "for encouraging Adventurers in Iron Work-v" 

 Presented in the form of a proposition, the protest >va$ 



23 



