A Guide to the James Mercer Slave Pass, October 29-30, 1771 Mercer, James, Slave Pass, 1771 MS 001771OCT30

A Guide to the James Mercer Slave Pass, October 29-30, 1771

A Collection in
the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Manuscript Number MS 001771OCT30


[logo]

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, Virginia 23187
USA
Phone: (757) 565-8520
Fax: (757) 565-8528
Email: speccoll@cwf.org
URL: http://www.history.org

© 2002 By the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. All rights reserved.

Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Special Collections staff

Repository
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Manuscript number
MS 001771OCT30
Title
James Mercer Slave Pass October 29-30, 1771.
Extent
1 item.
Creators
James Mercer, 1736-1793. Thomas Oliver, fl. 1770-1790. Jonathan Martin, fl. 1771.
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access

There are no restrictions.

Publication Rights/ Restrictions on Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Librarian/ Associate Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts, and the holder of the copyright, if not the Rockefeller Library at Colonial Williamsburg.

Preferred Citation

James Mercer Slave Pass, Manuscript MS 01771OCT30, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Acquisition Information

Gift, 1975.

Alternative Form

Transcript (TR/00/1771/Oct 30) and microfilm (M-1561) also available.

Biographical/Historical Information

James Mercer was a planter and politician of Fredericksburg, Va. He served in the House of Burgesses, General Assembly, the Virginia constitutional convention of 1776, the committee of safety, and in the Continental Congress. He also served as a judge of the general court and of the court of appeals.

Scope and Content Information

Safe conduct pass for two slaves, "Negro Bobb, coachman & Negro George, postillion", to travel from Fredericksburg, Virginia to Williamsburg "with a coach and six horses". Signed by Mercer's steward, Thomas Oliver. Requests the slaves be afforded hospitality at inns along the way; reverse contains an account of expenses signed by Jonathan Martin.

Index Terms

    Persons:

  • Martin, Jonathan, fl. 1771.
  • Mercer, James, 1736-1793.
  • Oliver, Thomas, fl. 1770- 1790.
  • Subjects:

  • Slavery--Virginia--History--18th century--Sources.
  • Travel costs--Virginia--History--18th century--Sources.
  • Geographical Names:

  • Fredericksburg (Va.)--History--18th century-- Sources.

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • James Mercer, 1736-1793.
  • Jonathan Martin, fl. 1771.
  • Martin, Jonathan, fl. 1771.
  • Mercer, James, 1736-1793.
  • Oliver, Thomas, fl. 1770- 1790.
  • Thomas Oliver, fl. 1770-1790.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Fredericksburg (Va.)--History--18th century-- Sources.