John Francis Mercer

John Francis Mercer (born May 17, 1759 in Stafford County , Colony of Virginia , † August 30, 1821 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) was an American politician and governor of the state of Maryland from 1801 to 1803 , which he also between 1792 and 1794 represented in the US House of Representatives .

Early years and political advancement

John Mercer was the younger brother of James Mercer (1736–1793). This was a delegate in the Continental Congress . Another brother named George Mercer (1733–1784) was a British officer during the Seven Years War . His nephew was Charles F. Mercer (1778-1858), who represented Virginia in the US House of Representatives . John Mercer attended the College of William & Mary until 1775 , where he made friends with James Monroe , with whom he volunteered for the Continental Army . He then studied law with Thomas Jefferson , who would become his political mentor. He then began working as a lawyer in Williamsburg in his new profession. During the War of Independence he rose from lieutenant to colonel . He was involved in several battles and was at times on the staff of General Charles Lee . Simultaneously with this he resigned from the Continental Army to join the Virginia militia. As a member of this troop he then took part in the siege of Yorktown .

Between 1782 and 1785 Mercer was for his then state Virginia in the Continental Congress . He was a member of Thomas Jefferson's Democratic Republican Party . He then moved to Anne Arundel County , Maryland. In 1787 he was a member of the United States Constituent Assembly. However, he resigned this mandate prematurely because he did not agree with the planned constitution. In 1788, despite his negative attitude towards the US Constitution, he was a member of an assembly that ratified it for Maryland. In 1788, between 1791 and 1792 and from 1800 to 1801 he sat in the House of Representatives from Maryland , from 1792 to 1794 he was a member of the US House of Representatives in Washington .

Governor of maryland

On November 9, 1801, he was elected the new governor of his state by the Maryland Legislature. After re-election in 1802, he was able to remain in this office between November 10, 1801 and November 15, 1803. During this period, Maryland was undergoing a reform of the electoral law. Among other things, the connection between the right to vote and property rights was abolished and secret voting was introduced.

In 1803, Mercer declined to run again. Instead he became a member of the state parliament again. he stayed between 1803 and 1805. Then he retired from politics. He spent the last years of his life on his Cedar Park estate . John Mercer died in Philadelphia in 1821. He had three children with his wife, Sophia Sprigg.

According to him, Mercer County named in Missouri.

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personal data
SURNAME	Mercer, John Francis
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	May 17, 1759
PLACE OF BIRTH	Stafford County , Virginia
DATE OF DEATH	August 30, 1821
Place of death	Philadelphia , Pennsylvania