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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM

BULLETIN 253

WASHINGTON, D.C.

1968

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[Pg ii]
[Pg iii]

The Cultural History

of Marlborough, Virginia

An Archeological and Historical Investigation
of the
Port Town for Stafford County and the
Plantation of John Mercer, Including Data
Supplied by Frank M. Setzler and Oscar H. Darter

C. MALCOLM WATKINS

Curator of Cultural History
Museum of History and Technology

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION · WASHINGTON, D.C. · 1968

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Publications of the United States National Museum

The scholarly and scientific publications of the United States National Museum include two series, Proceedings of the United States National Museum and United States National Museum Bulletin.

In these series, the Museum publishes original articles and monographs dealing with the collections and work of its constituent museums—The Museum of Natural History and the Museum of History and Technology—setting forth newly acquired facts in the fields of anthropology, biology, history, geology, and technology. Copies of each publication are distributed to libraries, to cultural and scientific organizations, and to specialists and others interested in the different subjects.

The Proceedings, begun in 1878, are intended for the publication, in separate form, of shorter papers from the Museum of Natural History. These are gathered in volumes, octavo in size, with the publication date of each paper recorded in the table of contents of the volume.

In the Bulletin series, the first of which was issued in 1875, appear longer, separate publications consisting of monographs (occasionally in several parts) and volumes in which are collected works on related subjects. Bulletins are either octavo or quarto in size, depending on the needs of the presentation. Since 1902 papers relating to the botanical collections of the Museum of Natural History have been published in the Bulletin series under the heading Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, and since 1959, in Bulletins titled "Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology," have been gathered shorter papers relating to the collections and research of that Museum.

This work forms volume 253 of the Bulletin series.

Frank A. Taylor
Director, United States National Museum

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402—Price $3.75

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Contents

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">107 XIII. Pits and other structures 111 XIV. Stafford courthouse south of Potomac Creek 115 Artifacts 123 XV. Ceramics 125 XVI. Glass 145 XVII. Objects of personal use 155 XVIII. Metalwork 159 XIX. Conclusion 173 General Conclusions 175 XX. Summary of findings 177 Appendixes 181 A. Inventory of George Andrews, Ordinary Keeper 183 B. Inventory of Peter Beach 184 C. Charges to account of Mosley Battaley 185 D. “Domestick Expenses,” 1725 186 E. John Mercer’s reading, 1726-1732 191 F. Credit side of John Mercer’s account with Nathaniel Chapman 193 G. Overwharton Parish account 194 H. Colonists identified by John Mercer according to occupation 195 I. Materials listed in accounts with Hunter and Dick, Fredericksburg 196 J. George Mercer’s expenses while attending college 197 K. John Mercer’s library 198 L. Botanical record and prevailing temperatures, 1767 209 M. Inventory of Marlborough, 1771 211 Index 213

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List of Illustrations

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">5 Mother-of-pearl counters 6 John Mercer's Tobacco-cask symbols 7 Wine-bottle seal 8 French horn 9 Hornbook 10 Fireplace mantels 11 Doorways 12 Table-desk 13 Archeological survey plan 14 Portrait of Ann Roy Mercer 15 Advertisement of the services of Mercer's stallion Ranter 16 Page from Maria Sibylla Merian's Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium efte Veranderung Surinaamsche Insecten 17 Aerial Photograph of Marlborough 18 Highway 621 19 Excavation plan of Marlborough 20 Excavation plan of wall system 21 Looking north 22 Outcropping of stone wall 23 Junction of stone Wall A 24 Looking north in line with Walls A and A-II 25 Wall A-II 26 Junction of Wall A-I 27 Wall E 28 Detail of Gateway in Wall E 29 Wall B-II 30 Wall D 31 Excavation plan of Structure B 32 Site of Structure B 33 Southwest corner of Structure B 34 Southwest corner of Structure B 35 South wall of Structure B 36 Cellar of Structure B 37 Section of red-sandstone arch 38 Helically contoured red-sandstone 39 Cast-concrete block

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">40 Dressed red-sandstone block 41 Fossil-embedded black sedimentary stone 42 Foundation of porch at north end of Structure B 43 Plan of mansion house 44 The Villa of “the magnificent Lord Leonardo Emo” 45 Excavation plan of Structure E 46 Foundation of Structure E 47 Paved floor of Room X, Structure E 48 North wall of Structure E 49 Wrought-iron slab 50 Excavation plan of structures north of Wall D 51 Structure F 52 Virginia brick from Structure B 53 Structure D 54 Refuse found at exterior corner of Wall A-II and Wall D 55 Excavation plan of Structure H 56 Structure H 57 1743 drawing showing location of Stafford courthouse 58 Enlarged detail from figure 58 59 Excavation plan of Stafford courthouse foundation 60 Hanover courthouse 61 Plan of King William courthouse 62 Tidewater-type pottery 63 Miscellaneous common earthenware types 64 Buckley-type high-fired ware 65 Westerwald stoneware 66 Fine English stoneware 67 English Delftware 68 Delft plate 69 Delft plate 70 Whieldon-type tortoiseshell ware 71 Queensware 72 Fragment of Queensware 73 English white earthenwares 74 Polychrome Chinese porcelain

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@40255@[email protected]#Fig_75" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">75 Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain 76 Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain 77 Wine bottle 78 Bottle seals 79 Octagonal spirits bottle 80 Snuff bottle 81 Glassware 82 Small metalwork 83 Personal miscellany 84 Cutlery 85 Metalwork 86 Ironware 87 Iron door and chest hardware 88 Tools 89 Scythe 90 Farm gear 91       Illustration Front and back cast-concrete block 1 and 2 Iron tie bar 3 Cross section of plaster cornice molding from Structure B 4 Reconstructed wine bottle 5 Fragment of molded white salt-glazed platter 6 Iron bolt 7 Stone scraping tool 8 Indian celt 9 Milk pan 10 Milk pan 11 Ale mug 12 Cover of jar 13 Base of bowl 14 Handle of pot lid or oven door 15 Buff-earthenware cup 16 High-fired earthenware pan rim 17 High-fired earthenware jar rim 18 Rim and base profiles of high-fired earthenware jars 19 Base sherd from unglazed red-earthenware water cooler

class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">20 Rim of an earthenware flowerpot 21 Base of gray-brown, salt-glazed-stoneware ale mug 22 Stoneware jug fragment 23 Gray-salt-glazed-stoneware jar profile 24 Drab-stoneware mug fragment 25 Wheel-turned cover of white, salt-glazed teapot 26 Body sherds of molded, white salt-glaze-ware pitcher 27 English delftware washbowl sherd 28 English delftware plate 29 English delftware plate 30 Delftware ointment pot 31 Sherds of black basaltes ware 32 Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain saucer 33 Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain plate 34 Beverage bottle 35 Beverage-bottle seal 36 Complete beverage bottle 37 Cylindrical beverage bottle 38 Cylindrical beverage bottle 39 Octagonal, pint-size beverage bottle 40 Square gin bottle 41 Square snuff bottle 42 Wineglass, reconstructed 43 Cordial glass 44 Sherds of engraved-glass wine and cordial glasses 45 Clear-glass tumbler 46 Octagonal cut-glass trencher salt 47 Brass buckle 48 Brass knee buckle 49 Brass thimble 50 Chalk bullet mold 51 Fragments of tobacco-pipe bowl 52 White-kaolin tobacco pipe 53 Slate pencil 54 Fragment of long-tined fork

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@40255@[email protected]#Dr_55" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">55 Fragment of long-tined fork 56 Fork with two-part handle 57 Trifid-handle pewter spoon 58 Wavy-end pewter spoon 59 Pewter teapot lid 60 Steel scissors 61 Iron candle snuffers 62 Iron butt hinge 63 End of strap hinge 64 Catch for door latch 65 Wrought-iron hasp 66 Brass drop handle 67 Wrought-iron catch or striker 68 Iron slide bolt 69 Series of wrought-iron nails 70 Series of wrought-iron flooring nails and brads 71 Fragment of clouting nail 72 Hand-forged spike 73 Blacksmith's hammer 74 Iron wrench 75 Iron scraping tool 76 Bit or gouge chisel 77 Jeweler's hammer 78 Wrought-iron colter from plow 79 Hook used with wagon 80 Bolt with wingnut 81 Lashing hook from cart 82 Hilling hoe 83 Iron reinforcement strip from back of shovel handle 84 Half of sheep shears 85 Animal trap 86 Iron bridle bit 87 Fishhook 88 Brass strap handle 89

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Preface

A number of people participated in the preparation of this study. The inspiration for the archeological

and historical investigations came from Professor Oscar H. Darter, who until 1960 was chairman of the Department of Historical and Social Sciences at Mary Washington College, the women’s branch of the University of Virginia. The actual excavations were made under the direction of Frank M. Setzler, formerly the head curator of anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution. None of the investigation would have been possible had not the owners of the property permitted the excavations to be made, sometimes at considerable inconvenience to themselves. I am indebted to W. Biscoe, Ralph Whitticar, Jr., and Thomas Ashby, all of whom owned the excavated areas at Marlborough; and T. Ben Williams, whose cornfield includes the site of the 18th-century Stafford County courthouse, south of Potomac Creek.

For many years Dr. Darter has been a resident of Fredericksburg and, in the summers, of Marlborough Point on the Potomac River. During these years, he has devoted himself to the history of the Stafford County area which lies between these two locations in northeastern Virginia. Marlborough Point has interested Dr. Darter especially since it is the site of one of the Virginia colonial port towns designated by Act of Assembly in 1691. During the town’s brief existence, it was the location of the Stafford County courthouse and the place where the colonial planter and lawyer John Mercer established his home in 1726. Tangible evidence of colonial activities at Marlborough Point—in the form of brickbats and potsherds still can be seen after each plowing, while John Mercer’s “Land Book,” examined anew by Dr. Darter, has revealed the original survey plats of the port town.

In this same period and as early as 1938, Dr. T. Dale Stewart (then curator of physical anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution) had commenced excavations at the Indian village site of Patawomecke, a few hundred yards west of the Marlborough Town site. The aboriginal backgrounds of the area including Marlborough Point already had been investigated. As the result of his historical research connected with this project, Dr. Stewart has contributed fundamentally to the present undertaking by foreseeing the excavations of Marlborough Town as a logical step beyond his own investigation.

Motivated by this combination of interests, circumstances, and historical clues, Dr. Darter invited the Smithsonian Institution to participate in an archeological investigation of Marlborough. Preliminary tests made in August 1954 were sufficiently rewarding to justify such a project. Consequently, an application for funds was prepared jointly and was submitted by Dr. Darter through the University of Virginia to the American Philosophical Society. In January 1956 grant number 159, Johnson Fund (1955), for $1500 was assigned to the program. In addition, the Smithsonian Institution contributed the professional services necessary for field research and directed the purchase of microfilms and photostats, the drawing of maps and illustrations, and the preparation and publication of this report. Dr. Darter hospitably provided the use of his Marlborough Point cottage during the period of excavation, and Mary Washington College administered the grant. Frank Setzler directed the excavations during a six-week period in April and May 1956, while interpretation of cultural material and the searches of historical data related to it were carried out by C. Malcolm Watkins.

At the commencement of archeological work it was expected that traces of the 17th- and early 18th-century town would be found, including, perhaps, the foundations of the courthouse. This expectation was not realized, although what was found from the Mercer period proved to be of greater importance. After completion, a report was made in the 1956 Year Book of the American Philosophical Society (pp. 304-308).

After the 1956 excavations, the question remained whether the principal foundation (Structure B) might not have been that of the courthouse. Therefore, in August 1957 a week-long effort was made to find comparative evidence by digging the site of the succeeding 18th-century Stafford County courthouse at the head of Potomac Creek. This disclosed a foundation sufficiently different from Structure B to rule out any analogy between the two.

It should be made clear that—because of the limited size of the grant—the archeological phase of the investigation was necessarily a limited survey. Only the more obvious features could be examined within the means at the project’s disposal. No final conclusions relative to Structure B, for example, are warranted until the section of foundation beneath the highway which crosses it can be excavated. Further excavations need to be made south and southeast of Structure B and elsewhere in search of outbuildings and evidence of 17th-century occupancy.

Despite such limitations, this study is a detailed examination of a segment of colonial Virginia’s plantation culture. It has been prepared with the hope that it will provide Dr. Darter with essential material for his area studies and, also, with the wider objective of increasing the knowledge of the material culture of colonial America. Appropriate to the function of a museum such as the Smithsonian, this study is concerned principally with what is concrete—objects and artifacts and the meanings that are to be derived from them. It has relied upon the mutually dependent techniques of archeologist and cultural historian and will serve, it is hoped, as a guide to further investigations of this sort by historical museums and organizations.

Among the many individuals contributing to this study, I am especially indebted to Dr. Darter; to the members of the American Philosophical Society who made the excavations possible; to Dr. Stewart, who reviewed the archeological sections at each step as they were written; to Mrs. Sigrid Hull who drew the line-and-stipple illustrations which embellish the report; Edward G. Schumacher of the Bureau of American Ethnology, who made the archeological maps and drawings; Jack Scott of the Smithsonian photographic laboratory, who photographed the artifacts; and George Harrison Sanford King of Fredericksburg, from whom the necessary documentation for the 18th-century courthouse site was obtained.

I am grateful also to Dr. Anthony N. B. Garvan, professor of American civilization at the University of Pennsylvania and former head curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s department of civil history, for invaluable encouragement and advice; and to Worth Bailey formerly with the Historic American Buildings Survey, for many ideas, suggestions, and important identifications of craftsmen listed in Mercer’s ledgers.

I am equally indebted to Ivor Noël Hume, director of archeology at Colonial Williamsburg and an honorary research associate of the Smithsonian Institution, for his assistance in the identification of artifacts; to Mrs. Mabel Niemeyer, librarian of the Bucks County Historical Society, for her cooperation in making the Mercer ledgers available for this report; to Donald E. Roy, librarian of the Darlington Library, University of Pittsburgh, for providing the invaluable clue that directed me to the ledgers; to the staffs of the Virginia State Library and the Alexandria Library for repeated courtesies and cooperation; and to Miss Rodris Roth, associate curator of cultural history at the Smithsonian, for detecting Thomas Oliver’s inventory of Marlborough in a least suspected source.

I greatly appreciate receiving generous permissions from the University of Pittsburgh Press to quote extensively from the George Mercer Papers Relating to the Ohio Company of Virginia, and from Russell & Russell to copy Thomas Oliver’s inventory of Marlborough.

To all of these people and to the countless others who contributed in one way or another to the completion of this study, I offer my grateful thanks.

C. Malcolm Watkins

Washington, D.C.
1967

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The Cultural History

of

Marlborough, Virginia