Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Pierre Mercier

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Descendants of Pierre Mercier

Generation No. 4

4. WILLIAM⁴ MERCIER (HENRI³, BARTHOLOMEW², PIERRE¹) was born September 24, 1717 in New York City, New York, New York, and died October 21, 1797 in New York City, New York, New York. He married ANN MARIE BRADFORD 1743 in New York, New York, New York, daughter of WILLIAM BRADFORD and SYTIE(SARAH) SANTVOORD. She was born August 1719 in ,New York, New York, and died June 1793 in NY, NY, NY.

Notes for WILLIAM MERCIER:
William was a sea captain and privateer and also in charge of New York Harbor commissioning ships for the first Continental Congress. See more in "The Bulter Family: Tales of Our Kinfolk"by Butler and U.S. Naval Records of the Revolutionary war. Wm. was Capt of ship Porpoise 1747, York 1755. Wm was a Capt during the revolution in New York State and built the frigate "Congress with 28 guns, the "Montgomery" with 24 guns on Nov 1776 .William was born in New York City and he died 21 Oct 1797 in New York City. He married in 1743 to Ann Bradford, daughter of Wm Bradford and Styje(Sarah)Sandford(Santvoord) all of New York City. Ann Bradford was the daughter of William Bradford Jr, a Peweter of New York City and the granddaughter of Wm. Bradford , the first printer in New York and one who came to America with Wm. Penn.

William was a Mariner and was at age 30 in 1747, Captain of the "Porpoise" and in 1755 Captain of the "York". During the revolution he was charged by the Committee of Safety to be Superintendent of fitting out of many vessels.

In a will administration of John Long, merchant, William Mercier was named Administrator and posted bond. He was unable to administer the estate as the court noted he was on a long trading voyage and this was in 1753.

On April 17, 1776, according to the proceedings of the Provincial congress of New York City, Captain William Mercier was appointed to "inspect the loading of all such vessels as shall load in the port and Captain Mercier was empowered to inspect all permits to vessels to load in the port of New York and to see that all such vessels load only agreeable to the resolves of the continental Congress and with such matters or produce only as many as agreeable to the committee of Safety of this colony, and from time to time to report to this committee or the Provincial Congress of this colony what vessels are lading or shall have laded and with what particular commodities and by what authority and pay to Mercier 20 dollars per month, while continued in this and the service of inspecting the lading of vessels in this port"

Wm Mercier is mentioned frequently in the "Naval Documents of the American Revolution", and in the New York State papers on the revolution.

In the naval service records of New York in the Revolution, Wm Mercier is listed as Captain of the sloop Montgomery, Schooner General Putnam and the Frigate congress.

Wm was also listed in the U.S. Naval History as acting as supplier for all the vessels of New York State at that time and Lord Sterling was with him when they sounded New York harbor.

Wm. was a founding member of the Marine Society of New York City and he is listed as a member with vessel in 1770. It is interesting that William Seton, husband of the Catholic Saint, Elizabeth Bayley Seton, was a member in 1778. Wm Mercier and Elizabeth Seton were related through the early Huguenot settlers Jacques de Lasty and the Mercier lines.

Wm. Mercier was a vestryman of Trinity church from 1784 to 1788. He was also on the Pew committee for the church. His will was proved 24 Oct 1797 and is listed in the New York Wills. He owned a house at 216 Water Street that was sold by his son in 1801 for $6000.00. Today that land has a large skyscraper belonging to ATT on the exact spot.

According to his will he left his estate to his 3 children, John Dyer Mercier, Christiana Mercier Morris and Elizabeth Mercier. He is supposedly buried in Trinity Church, but burial records that that date for Trinity Church are lost.

He was also considered a Privateer and is so listed in the records for the State of New York in the Revolution.

More About WILLIAM MERCIER:
Burial: Trinity Church, New York City, New York

Notes for ANN MARIE BRADFORD:
According to the will of Ann Mary Schuyler, widow of Dirck Schuyler of New York City, Ann Mercier was left 100 pounds on April 1786, along with several other Bradford and Ogden kin. Marie as she was called in baptismal records had for godparents. Cornelius Santford and Anna Maria Santford her aunt and Uncle

More About ANN MARIE BRADFORD:
Burial: Trinity Church, NY, NY
Christening: August 02, 1719, Dutch Church, New York City NY

Children of WILLIAM MERCIER and ANN BRADFORD are:

ELIZABETH⁵ MERCIER, d. April 1815, Newtown, Queens, New York.

Notes for ELIZABETH MERCIER:
Elizabeth Mercier died 1817 in Newton, Queens County, NY (now Astoria) She left a will and named her niece Elizabeth Mercier Michaels and nephew David Morris as heirs. She did not mention her other nieces and nephews by name. She specifically left Elziabeth and David a portrait of her father William Mercier and also small locket with a painting of her brother John Dyer Mercier. She left land in New York and 1000 acres of land on lake Champlain was issued as bounty to William Mercier through John Dyer Mercier. A copy of the portrait mentioned above is found in the main source of information on this Morris family in the book by Henry Langdon "Butler Family-tales of our Kinfolk" published in 1920 in a limited number of 50. This book does not state where the portrait that is in the book was found, but he must of had access to it as that time. It is probably still in someone's possession . It shows William Mercier in a naval military uniform.;

Elizabeth Mercier stated that she would be buried next to her parents in new York City, so it is thought that this would probably be either Trinity Churchyard or St. Paul's chapel. I expect it to be Trinity as her father was very active in that church. Elizabeth never married.

More About ELIZABETH MERCIER:
Burial: Trinity Church, New York City, New York

ii.

CHRISTIANA MERCIER, b. 1745, New York City, New York; d. December 19, 1812, New York; m. DAVID MORRIS, June 15, 1769, NewYork city, NY; b. February 1734/35, Schraalenberg, New Jersey.

Notes for CHRISTIANA MERCIER:
Christiana Mercier married David Morris in New York City on 15 June 1769 at the Dutch reformed church in New York City. She died 1820 in New York City and her estate was administered by her son in law William Moores. The paper of Administration can be found in the NY records.

More About CHRISTIANA MERCIER:
Burial: St. George Chapel, NYC

Notes for DAVID MORRIS:
David Morris served in the Revolution as Pvt NY Co of Firemen. David bought lots on east side of Bowery between Hester and Grand and in 1795 bought land
at corner of Broadway and Chambers. Charlotte Smith joined the DAR on his record and descendants can use this for DAR. # 685064.
The names of David, Abraham and Jacob Morris are all found in the New York City Council minutes as firemen during the years 1769-71 and 1772. The three brothers moved to New York City from Tappan,N.Y. and remained there for the rest of their lives. The parents, Issac and Catherine Cool Morris evidently lived in Tappan, N.Y. as all births except David's were registered there. They were also admitted to the Dutch Church at Tappan on Certificate. At a later time they probably moved to New York City. David Morris was the one who really began to use the last name of Morris instead of Maris, regularly. A copy of the marriage bond of David and Christiana Mercier Morris is found on page 119 Vol 14 of the marriage bonds in custody of the regents at the University of the State of New York in Albany. David Morris is listed as a Carpenter and the bond is signed by a relative, Joseph Baldwin, husband of .Suanna Westervelt, half sister of David Morris. This also confirms the relationship. Baptisms of the children of David Morris and Christiana Mercier are recorded in the Dutch Reformed Church of New York, in New York City.

Witness for the baptism of David as listed in the Schraalenburg NY Dutch church records were Jan Maris and wife Anneke (probably brother )

More About DAVID MORRIS:
Christening: February 23, 1734/35, Schraalenburgh, Bergen, New Jersey
Military service: 1776, Fireman New York City

iii.

JOHN DYER MERCIER, d. 1806, Astoria, Queens, New York.

Notes for JOHN DYER MERCIER:
John Dyer Mercier was born in New York City. He was named after the stepfather of his farther John Dyer. He was a jeweler in New York City. He is also listed in the Revolutionary war records as an Auditor in New York City and therefore gave service to his country during the war. It is said that he had a beautiful home in Hallet Cove, Long Island, New York and evidently moved there after he sold the family home on Water St. in New York City for $6000 in 1800. His nephew, William H. Morris lived with him and it was generally thought that the home would be left to William upon the death of John D. Mercier, as Williasm was his favorite nephew. John D. Mercier died in 1804 without a will and the administration of his estate was given to his sister Christiana Mercier Morris. according to family information, William H. Morris died about 1811 and his family was not treated fairly in the distribution of the estate. Christian Mercier Morris died in 1815 and evidently the Nephew, John and David seemed to have most profited from the estate.

The Mercier line, the name especially, dies out with the death of John D. Mercier. He was unmarried and left no heirs. The Morris children and the children of other daughters were the family heritage now.

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