William Merchant

William was an enslaved man who served as the coachman for William Randolph at Tuckahoe.  Shortly before Randolph’s death in 1745, he added a segment to his will stating that he wished for his “mulatto coachman” to be spared any hard labor and sent to work inside the house instead.  This would seem to indicate that either William Merchant was advanced in age by this point or suffered from some sort of injury or ailment.  After Randolph’s death, the Jefferson family came to live at Tuckahoe.  It is assumed (but not certain) that Peter Jefferson would have honored his friend’s wishes regarding this servant.