Tlu-sf wfic cluulxlfss ihf l}uiiclini;s ciccti-d in 1 732 

 ;iikI odicially vacated in 173J. That at least one 

 eventually was rebuilt for Mercer's own use is known 

 from an overseer's report of 1771 (Appendix M). 



riu" windmill, the foundations of which still remain 

 in part near the Potomac shore, was probably built in 

 I 74t). Mercer's cash account for that year includes 

 an item of 2s. 6d. for "Settinij up Mill," which 

 apparently meant adjusting the millstones for proper 

 operation. In August he paid Nathaniel C'hapman 

 £22 lys. 8',d."in full for Smith's work." .\ windmill, 

 with its bearings, levers, lifts, and shafts, would .seem 

 to ha\e been the only structure requiring such a costly 

 amount of ironwork. 



The most elaborate project of all, however, is clearly 

 discernible in the ledijer. In 1 74t) Thomas Ander- 

 son,'** in consideration of cash and legal services, 

 charged for "making & burning 40"" Stock bricks" at 

 4 pounds t) pence per 1 000. In the same year David 

 Minitree, described i)y Mercer as a "Bricklayer," 

 came to Marlborough from Williamsburg. Minitree 

 was more than an ordinary bricklayer, however, for 

 he had worked on the Mattaponi church, and later, 

 between I 750 and 1 753, was to build Carter's Grove 

 for C:arter Burwell.** 



The credit side of Minitree's account in Ledtjer G 

 is as follows: 



£ s. d. 



1746 



Deccmb' 5 By making & burning 9 5 7^ 



tl.2'.". Bm. k^ .ir i/r. 



1747 

 Scplenib' 



" Prob.ibly the same Thomas Anderson whose appoinlinrnt 

 .u lob.icco insprrtor .it Pane's w.irchouse, Hanover County, 

 was unsticressfully protested on the h.isis that the job required 

 "a person skilled in writinK and expert in accounts" (CaltnJar 

 of yirginia Slalf /'afirri, op. cit. (footnote 18). vol. I. pp. 23.1- 

 234). A letter to Thom.is Anderson of Hanover County w.is 

 listed as uncalled for at ll.e Willianubun; Post OfRce in .SukusI, 

 1752 (Virginia GaiflU: all references to the Gaz'tlfs result from 

 use of Ijster J. Cappon and Stklla F. IXtf, I'lrginia Coifltt 

 Imitx I73f>-I730 fWilli.imsbunj. I'>.t<)]. and niicrotilni pub- 

 lished by The Institute of n.irlv .\Mirrir.in lli<tnr\ ukI fiilttirr 

 WillianisburR, 1950]). 



•• See Thomas Tii.rsTON W Mm VI Ns. i "- '■i'iihhm. .■/ . i-]....,,., 

 1706-1776 (C:hapel Ilill: 1 he L'niversity of North Cjirolina 

 1'rcs.s, l'M6). pp. 18:^-184, and Marci-s Wliirrr.s. tht 

 hiblie Duitdingi of tt'illiamihurf (Williaiu'lmri;. Vinjinia: 

 Colonial WillianisburK. Inc., 19.'>8). pp. 84 



By stai kini; & burning 



11,20() ir at 1/6 

 Bv makinc St. humini; 14 



11 



1000 D" .. 

 By short paid m iijn 

 Order on Maj' 



Cham|K- 

 By l)uildini( part of 



tny House 



16 

 2 

 4 



10 



r, 



Ui>. 



The last item, in particular, is clear itidication thai 

 an architectural project of importance was un<!- 

 and that .Mercer had set about to make Marlbu: ,.. 

 the equal of N'irginia's great plantations. OiJy "part 

 of my house" was built by Minitree, yet his bill was 

 more than five times the total cost of Mrii<i"s 

 previous house, completed in 1730! 



Since it was customaiy in X'iitjinia to i- ks 



on the site of a new house, utilizing the u ;g 



clay excavated from the foundation, Minitree, as well 

 as Anderson, made his bricks at Marllxjri" e 



using them. Mortar for laying bricks w.i- of 



lime from oystershclls. In 1747 and 1748, wc learn 

 from the ledger, 61 '4 hogsheads of oyster >' 

 l)ought from .\braham Basnett, an "()>- 

 payment having been made in cash, ineat, and 

 brandy. "Flagstones &c" were obtainetl in 1747 

 through Major John Champc at a cost of £3t< 4s. fid. 

 These may have Ijeen the same stones brought up as 

 "a load of stone" by "Boaf.swain H.ivis" nf T 

 Hole in Pa-sapatanzy in October 1747 for £4 



Early in 1748 a new sot of developments coiKcrning 

 the house took place. Major William ^'■ 

 .StafTord, revealed in the journal and tlu 

 an old acquaintance of Mercer's, then became the 

 "undertaker." or contractor, for the hou<ic. Walker 

 was a talented man who had started out as a cabinet- 

 maker, a craft in which his brother RolxTt still 

 continued. Whiflfen (TV /^i' ' " ' • " ' • 



hurg) shows that he l)oth dr- f 



house for St. Paul's Parish. Hanover C4)unt\. -.i; 

 1739-1740. and the steeple for St. Prt ' 

 New Kent the latter year. .\lso in I 

 bridge acrass the Pamunkey for H . .\i 



the same time that he w.i< •■■ ...-.•- 



mansion, he undertook in M 

 burned capitol at Williantsburg. He died 1 1 months 



