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times between 1811 and 1813 and sold it in 1820.
When Sophia died in 1812, she left her land to
her children, but Mercer remained tenant by
courtesy. He released his interest to 606 acres of
the farm to his son in 1818. WEALTH AT DEATH.
DIED: on August 30, 1821, in Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania, where he had gone to consult a physician
about his health; buried in St. Peter's churchyard,
Philadelphia. PERSONAL PROPERTY. TEV,
$19,976.75 (including 72 slaves); FB, zero (out-
standing debts totalled more than $37,490 at the
time of the final account of his estate in 1829).
LAND: none in Maryland.
MIDDLETON, WILLIAM (1686-1769). BORN:
in 1686 in Charles County; youngest son. NATIVE:
second generation. RESIDED: at "Middleton's Rich
Thickett," Charles County, ca. 1758 until death.
FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Robert MiddletOD
(ca. 1651-1708), who was transported to Mary-
land prior to 1671 by Benjamin Rozer (?-1681).
Robert resided in Prince George's County and
was an appraiser and land boundary commis-
sioner between 1692 and 1707. He served as juror
in the Provincial Court in 1680 and 1698, and was
appointed both coroner and justice for Prince
George's County in 1696. He served as warden
and vestryman of St. John's Church, Piscataway
Parish, at Broad Creek, Prince George's County,
from 1704 to 1708. MOTHER: Mary (1658-?),
daughter of Maj. John Wheeler (1630/31-1693/
94). BROTHERS: Capt. John (ca. 1673), his father's
principal heir, who established his seat at
"Wheeler's Hope," the family estate, and was
granted a license to operate an ordinary in 1704,
and who was a constable of Piscataway Hundred
in 1719 and a vestryman of St. John's Church,
Piscataway Parish, Prince George's County, in
1707, and who married ca. 1695 Mary (last name
unknown); James (ca. 1675-1769), who married
Sarah, daughter of John Smith; Thomas (ca. 1677-
1744), Gent., a builder, vestryman at Broad Creek
Parish Church, 1706-1733, who married first, ca.
1702, Penelope, daughter of William Matton (?-
1712) and wife Mary, married second, in 1735,
Alice, widow of Thomas Smallwood, married third,
in 1735/36, Susanna, widow of George Brett of
Charles County; and Robert (ca. 1682-ca. 1729),
who married Elizabeth Smith (ca. 1700-?), sister
of Sarah, his brother James's wife. NIECE: Charity
Middleton, who married William Luckett (1711-
ca. 1783). MARRIED first, between July 13, 1710,
and April 1712, Elizabeth (ca. 1689-by 1758),
widow of John Keech, daughter of Hugh Teares
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and wife Ruth Holland. Elizabeth was the step-
daughter of Eliinor Bayne (1667-by 1717), the
stepgranddaughter of W alter Bay ne (?-1670), the
niece of Elizabeth Holland, who married second,
Henry Hawkins (?-1699), and the stepniece of
John Bayne (ca. 1662-1701). MARRIED second, by
August 30, 1758, Henrietta (last name unknown).
CHILDREN. SONS: Robert (by 1727-?), who re-
sided in Richmond, Virginia, by 1770, moved to
Fayette County, Kentucky, after the Revolution-
ary War where he became a large land owner,
married Ann (last name unknown), and died in
Natchez, Mississippi after 1800; William (ca. 1718-
1755), a planter and ordinary keeper at Charles-
town, Charles County, from 1753 until death, who
married Mary, daughter of William Coghill
and wife Anne Smallwood; Hugh (ca. 1715-1803),
who resided on the Savannah River, McCormick
County, South Carolina, and who married first,
Martha Haynie, married second, Lydia (ca. 1714-
?), daughter of William Coghill and Anne Small-
wood, married third, Lucy Williams, and married
fourth, Agatha Garrett; Holland (1719/20-1795),
who was residing in South Carolina by February
1767, and in Georgia by the Revolutionary War
until his death, who married first, by 1738, Sarah,
and married second, Mary (last name unknown);
and Samuel (?-1764), who married first, Sarah,
daughter of William Hutchinson, and married
second, Elizabeth (?-1783), daughter of Henry
Ward and wife Margaret. DAUGHTERS: Eleanor,
who married ca. 1735/36 Benjamin Tyler, and
who resided in Virginia. PRIVATE CAREER. EDU-
CATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Angli-
can. His mother was Catholic. Two of his brothers
were Catholic and two were Anglican. SOCIAL
STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Gent., by 1738. OCCU-
PATION AL PROFILE: planter; merchant. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House,
Charles County, 1732-1734, 1734/35-1737, 1738,
1739-1741, 1748 (elected to the 4th session of the
1745/46-1748 Assembly to fill vacancy). LOCAL
OFFICES: justice, Charles County, 1739-at least
1747 (quorum, 1743-at least 1747); justice, Court
of Oyer, Terminer, and Gaol Delivery, Charles
County, commissioned 1743. STANDS ON PUBLIC/
PRIVATE ISSUES: While in the Assembly he voted
against the imposition of additional tax levies for
the support of the provincial government; also
voted against the exportation of inferior grade
tobacco from the province. WEALTH DURING LIFE-
TIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: owned at least 5 slaves
in 1738, which he sold that year. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION: 1,119 acres in Charles County (733
595
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