DR. JAMES T. MERCER

MERCER

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/20/2020 at 19:10:36

DR. JAMES T. MERCER, deceased, came to Adams county in the spring of 1861 and settled on a tract of wild land in section 27, in what is now Mercer township, —then Queen City township—which embraced Mercer und Prescott township boundary lines. Dr. Mercer was instrumental in organizing Mercer township, and it was named in his honor. He was born in Granville, Monongalia county, West Virginia, July 27, 1880, a son of Jesse and Rachel (Bowslock) Mercer, natives of West Virginia, and of Welsh and German ancestry. He began the study of his profession when seventeen years of age, and after finishing his studies he practiced for one year in Fetterman, in his native State, after which he came to Ohio, where he followed his profession and taught school. He was married October 5, 1856, to Miss Sarah J. Vernon, a native of Monroe county, Ohio, and a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Smith) Vernon. The former was a native of Pennsylvania and of French ancestry, and the latter a native of Pennsylvania also and her ancestors were from New Jersey. After coming to this county Dr. Mercer, in connection with his professional duties, improved a tract of 320 acres of wild land, on which he resided for about twelve years, when he moved to the farm where his widow now resides, and there improved 800 acres which belonged to the father of Mrs. Mercer. He lived here the remainder of his days. In 1889, while taking a trip to the National Park, the Doctor was removing a loaded gun from his wagon when it accidentally went off, entering the Doctor’s body. From this wound he lived but half an hour, leaving his widow and ten children to mourn his loss.

Doctor and Mrs. Mercer were the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom still survive: Eardley M., who died in infancy, August 29, 1857; Latona M., who was married August 2, 1874, to Charles T. Chute, now a resident of Miami county, Kansas; Myra V., who was married December 80, L876, to William Watts of Oskaloosa, Iowa; Spurgeon V., who married February 15, 1882, Miss Clara Bardwell, and resides in this township; Jesse J., who married May 1, 1890, Miss Eva Matthias; Frank L., at home; Catherine, who married February 24,1886, M. E. Kirley of this township; Emma L., who was married February 11,1891, to M. E. Delameter of Knox, North Dakota; Minnie A., Lillian N., Thornton, who died March 22, 1877, when six months old; and Carlton T. Dr. Mercer and wife were active and consistent members in the Baptist Church. He
officiated as a preacher in that organization for several years. He served as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Adams county for several terms and in many local offices of trust and responsibility. He was the organizer of the Greenback party in Adams county, but formerly cast his suffrage with the Democrats.