S III II III (I r J of Find lilies 



\ \ 



Marlborough's bcgi^l)i^^s as a lown in lh91 cast 

 ilu- shape that has ciiduiTci in a few \estiges even until 

 today. The original survey of Bland and Buckner 

 remains as evidence, and in- it we are led to iK-iirse 

 tiiat the courthouse was located near the "Outt" to 

 the west of the town, near a change of course that 

 aflTccted the western bonndar\' and all the north-south 

 streets west of Geoige Andrews' lots. Archeological 

 ••xcavation in the area disclosed Structure B. which 



Mbse(|uent evidence proved to be the foundation of 

 .Mercer's mansion, built at the pinnacle of his career 

 between 1746 and I 7')U. .\o evidence exists that this 

 foimdation was associated carliei- with the courthouse. 

 Two years after the second Act for Ports was pas.sed 

 in 170.5, the second surses' was made and was lost 

 soon thereafter. There is evidence that the house 

 built by William Ballard in I 70H. on a lot "ditched in" 



iccordini; to this plat, was also in the v icinity of the 



Durthou.se. .After Mercer moved into this house in 

 1726, it Ijccanie clear that the two surveys were at 

 odds, and a new survey was ordered and ina<le in 

 1731. The maneuvers which followed make it fairly 

 clear that Mercer's residence was encroachintj u|)on 

 the two acres that had been set aside for the court- 

 hou.se, which by .Xct of As.sembly had reverted to the 

 heirs of Giles Brent after the courthouse hatl burned 

 md been abandoned about I71H. The i7;ll pi " i>>">- 



ided a whole new row of lots alonjs the \- 

 lK)undary of the town, while pushini; the oriqiii.il luts 

 slightly to the east. This device would li.ive .i.s.iMir(l 

 the integrity of the courthouse land, while rrliev : 

 Mercer of the imcertaintv of his title When Merer 



petition to acquire Marlborough w.i 

 1747 (the 1731 plat still mnaincd n 

 offered to buy the courlli' ' ' ' 



worth. .Since .Mercer \- 

 ".Mr. William Brent, the Inlani," he v\ 

 to testify in ihiscapacily at the hear- ■ 

 Thus the courthou.se. Ballard's lit 

 mansion all appear to have t)crn invoi\ 

 ary dillicultv, and we may assume, : 

 the roui thouse during its brief carrri 

 the spot where .Mercer later built ! 



This dilhculty, in particular, ■• 



detrrmiiiini; the shape nf the lown. llir 

 which Men 



arities that M 



until \TxS that he was i 

 town and b> that lijne M 

 already In-en fixed. We I 

 feature, the mansion, wa* 

 Ih 



furnishe<l not onlv with 



A . 



devel«>| fiercer lav U 



(InTk, vvitli >*i. 



east. In 1731. n 



prolKiblv <tlood near the ualrrsidr al I 



\vl " 



vli 



I, liiKr 1 

 "lerrrr cov 



V \<y\ I|1,U 



177 



