Mercer (Messer) Noton
(Abt 1750)

BORN: About 1750 in Fairfax (later Loudon) Co., Virginia
DIED: About 1800 in Wayne Co., Kentucky
CENSUS: 1790, Mogan Dist., First Company, Burke Co., North Carolina
PROPERTY: 1779, Randolph Co., North Carolina, Joseph Hinds District; 184 acres
                   1783 paid taxes on 50 acres of land in Burke Co., North Carolina
                   1790 100 acres on Muddy Creek, Burke Co., North Carolina
                   February 5, 1799 obtained 200 acres of "second rate land" in Lincoln Co., Kentucky in the
                            part which became Wayne Co., Kentucky on the south side of the Cumberland River,
                            west side of the South Fork of the waters Little Sinking Creek

FATHER: Edward Norton
MOTHER: Elizabeth Brown

WIFE: Martha Higgins

Mercer and Martha's CHILDREN:

1. Hetty Norton West
2. Jacob Norton
3. Margaret Norton Thompson
4. Mary Norton Thompson
5. William Norton
6. Elizabeth Norton Thompson
7. John H. Norton
8. Edward Norton
9. Patsy Norton McBeath

The information provided by the book "The Descendants of Mercer (Messer) Norton.." is based on a preponderance of the evidence. Mercer and Martha Norton are considered the primary ancestors of the Nortons in that book and subsequently Mary (Norton) Pollock and Martha Emily (Norton) Pollock. The information is based on their children's birthdates, Bible records, tombstones, and obituaries in newspapers.

It is assumed that Mercer's parents had moved to Fairfax County, Virginia by the early 1740's and then moved to North Carolina while he was a young boy.

The following is the wording of the document of the Administration of Mercer Norton. L500 means 500 pounds, they still used English coinage.

Administration of the Estate of Mercer Norton, deceased

"Administration of the estate of Mercer Norton, deceased is granted to Martha Norton, widow of said deceased, who made oath and who together with Sam. Carton and Alex Thompson her security ent into and ackn their Bond in the penalty of L500 Con acc to law. Sam Newell and Sam Hinds, John Beaty and Jno. Long or any three to appraise his said estate."

On July 8 1802 the estate was appraised and consisted of: 3 horses, 4 cows, 1 Dutch oven, 2 small hoes, 1 iron wedge, 2 clevices, 1 axe, 1 pair light plow irons, 6 pewter plates, 1 old dish, cason (basin?), spoons, pails, 1 draw knife, horse geer (gear), 1 old saddle, bells, 1 gun, 2 trunks, 1 loom, 2 steel traps, 1 harrow, 2 old wedges and other sundry head of cattle worth 5 schillings.

Signed by the Appraisors: George Singleton, Henry Beason and Jacob Huffaker

(Recorded in Record Book A, Wayne County, Page 35, June Court 1802)

The authors of "The Descendants of Mercer Norton" points out that the property may appear to be "pitiful", but other settlers had far less in 1802. The loom itself was very valuable to have because it was illegal in colonial times to import looms from England. Real estate and buildings were not included in the inventory.

In October of 1829 a lawsuit to settle the estate of Mercer was filed in the Circuit Court of Wayne Co., Kentucky. The case was not settled until July 1838. The land was sold to a Samuel Turpin the deed of which is filed in Wayne Co., Kentucky Deed Book H, pages 198, 199, 200, 22 July 1839.

Source provided by Alex Orr: "The Descendants of Mercer (Messer) Norton, 1750?-1800?, and his wife Martha." Compiled by Erma Dell Melton Smith and Mildred Dulaney. Texian Press: Waco, 1983. Spelling in the document is that of the original.