(Variations: Messer, Musser, Murcer, Mercer)
James Mercer was the son of Peter Messer and Catherine "Kitty" Ewing. He was born on March 11, 1822 in Milltown, Adair County, Kentucky.
Around 1835, James' father passed away. No clear date of Peter's death has been has been determined, and after the 1830 census, no records for him have been found. The last known child that Catherine had was George, born in 1834. The 1840 census report lists Catherine Murcer as the "Head of the Family." She would have been in her early thirties when Peter passed away, her youngest child, George, an infant, and her oldest, Andrew, about fifteen. James would have been about thirteen years old. Catherine's parents were early settlers in Kentucky, and her father, Andrew Ewing, one of the trustees of Columbia. One can hope that Catherine's Ewing family helped this widow and her children.
At an early age, James learned to be a blacksmith and wagonmaker. He probably learned this trade from his father, who is listed in the 1820 census as "Engaged in Manufactures," a vague category that differentiates this type of occupation from the majority of inhabitants who were farming.
James enlisted in the US Army on April 14, 1847, in Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky. He served in the Mexican American War. James' military enlistment record shows his "trade or occupation" as blacksmith. His skills would have been an asset to the army. His enlistment record describes him as five feet, ten inches tall with blue eyes, fair hair, and a fair complexion. He was discharged in Mexico City for an unspecified "disability." James served 5 months and 21 days. He was twenty-six years old. His length of service and type of discharge were not unusual. Many men suffered from a variety of diseases in military service and were discharged after a brief service. He received a military pension benefit for his service on September 1, 1887.
TEXAS PENSION. Special to the Gazette, Washington, Sept 1 - The following Texas pensions were issued today Mexican war: James Mercer, Royse city; Romaine Ritchie, Greenville.
The Fort Worth Gazette, 09 Sep 1887, page 3.
The 1850 census finds James, twenty-eight, living in Green County, Kentucky. He was single and working as a wagonmaker. His friend, and housemate, Thomas Morrison, 23, was a blacksmith. Both men were born in Adair County, so it is likely that they were boyhood friends. No familial relationship has been discovered. James's siblings, Nathaniel, twenty, Nancy, eighteen, and George, sixteen, were living at home with their mother, Catherine, forty-five, and working the farm.
On April 26, 1855, James Mercer and Harriett Ermine Tutt were married in Columbia. James was thirty-three years old; Harriett was a few weeks past her sixteenth birthday.
The 1860 census shows us that in June, James, thirty-eight, and Harriett Murcer, nineteen, were living in Adair County, Kentucky. They had been married for five years. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. There are no children listed on this census. (Actual Ages: James: 38 Years, 2 Months, 21 Days; Harriett: 21 Years, 2 Months, 28 Days)
According to the 1900 and 1910 census reports, Harriett gave birth to nine children; six were living at the time of those reports. Harriett and James' first known child, Joseph Edward, was born on July 15, 1862. That is seven years from the time of their marriage to the birth of their son. I believe that given Harriett's young age and the length of time between their marriage and the birth of their son, Joseph Edward, that Harriett likely gave birth to the two unnamed children during this time and that they died at a very young age. The census reports are the only record of these children discovered thus far.
On June 26, 1870, the census recorded James, forty-nine, and Harriet, thirty, living in Gradyville, Adair County, Kentucky. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. They had been married for fifteen years and had four children: Joseph, eight, born on July 15, 1862; Samuel, five, born on August 12, 1864; Fannie, two, born on October 3, 1867; and Peter three months, born on March 26, 1870. (Actual Ages: James: 48 Years, 3 Months, 15 Days: Harriett: 31 Years, 3 Months, 22 Days)
James' mother, Catherine Kitty Ewing Mercer, passed away between 1870 and 1880. She was living in Gradyville with her widowed daughter, James' sister, Nancy Jane "Nannie" Mercer Wade. The 1870 census is the last record located for Catherine; she was seventy-one. She was not listed with any of her children in the 1880 census. No burial details have been located; however, it is safe to assume that she was buried in Adair County where she was born, married, and raised her family. Widowed at an early age, and in a period when women had few rights, she was able to raise her children, work a farm, and live to a respectable age.
Between June 1870 and October 1873, James, Harriett, their childrenJoseph, Sam, Fannie, and PeterHarriett's father, John Tutt, stepmother, Mary Rogers Tutt, and, her sister and brother-in-law, and Martha and Alexander Mayer, and their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, moved to Missouri, most likely to Johnson County.
Harriett's brother, William Tutt moved from Nelson County, Kentucky to Johnson County, Missouri between June 10, 1860 and July 1, 1863. It is likely that James, Harriett, and the rest of the family lived on William's farm. James could have helped with the farm and picked up work as a blacksmith and wagonmaker.
On October 25, 1873, Harriett's father, John Tutt, passed away in Johnson County, Missouri. He was seventy-three years old. His first wife, Susanna C. Hicks, passed away around 1840. They were married for about seventeen years and had at least three children, Thomas, William, and Harriet. He married Mary J "Polly" Rogers in 1842. They were married for thirty-one years and had at least three children, James, Melvilla, and Martha. John was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, but lived most of his life in Adair County, Kentucky.
On August 12, 1874, James and Harriett's son, Thomas Fred Mercer was born in Johnson County, Missouri.
Between 1874 and 1877, James and Harriett, and their children, Joseph, Sam, Fannie, Peter, and Fred, moved from Missouri to Collin County, Texas. Harriett's sister Martha, brother-in-law, Alexander Mayer, their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, and Harriett's stepmother, Mary J "Polly" Rogers Tutt, moved to Paris, Texas. Harriett's brother, William, remained in Missouri. On November 19, 1877, he married Sarah "Sallie" McVey, of Chilhowee Township, Missouri.
On October 8, 1877, in Collin County, Texas, Harriett, now thirty-eight years old and James, fifty-four, had a daughter, Susan Lorna Mercer. Little Susie lived one year, one month, and three days. Her parents buried her in the Millwood Cemetery in Collin County, Texas. (James: 55 Years, 6 Months, 27 Days; Harriett: 38 Years, 7 Months, 4 Days)
Between 1878 and 1880, James and Harriett moved from Collin County, to Rockwall County, bordering the southeast corner of Collin County. In 1880, James and Harriett had been married for twenty-five years. The census, recorded on June 12, 1880, shows James, fifty-eight, and Harriett, forty-two, with six children: Joseph, seventeen, Samuel, fifteen, Fannie, thirteen, Pete, ten, Thomas (Fred), six, and James, three months old. According to the census, farming was now James' primary occupation. At fifty-eight, he was probably worn down by the heavy labor of blacksmithing and wagon construction. We might assume that he did jobs and repairs for family and friends, but preferred this labor not be his major source of income. It may be that farming was a necessity now than more than it had been in the past. Joseph and Samuel, now in their teens, worked on the family farm and, as was the custom, they worked for other farmers, too.
Harriett was keeping house with Fannie helping. "Keeping house" was a generic term for the labor of women, in the home and on the farm. Women often kept a garden for vegetables and herbs. Household labors were all done without the benefit of electricity. Woodstoves for cooking, laundry done on a washboard and hung to dry. Keeping house was not simple or easy. In addition, women and girls also worked the fields when needed. A family farm provided an income and a livelihood for the entire family. If the farm succeeded, the entire family benefited. When it failed, they all suffered.
There is no census report for 1890. They were destroyed by fire and water. This leaves us with a gap between 1880 and James' death in 1893.
James Mercer passed away on November 15, 1893 in Royse City, Rockwall County, Texas. He was seventy-one years old; Harriett was fifty-four. After James' death, Harried and their son, James, lived in Royse City, with their son, Pete and his wife, Willie Lee. Harriett later moved to her own home in Royse, with her children living nearby. She passed away in on May 12, 1916 at the age of seventy-seven.
James and Harriett were married for thirty-eight years and had nine children. Two little children passed away at an early age. Little Susie passed away in 1878 a little over a year old. Surviving were six boys and one girl: Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer, Samuel William "Sam" Mercer, Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer Loving, Peter "Pete" Mercer, Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred), Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer, and James (Andrew) "Jim" Mercer.
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CHILDREN
The 1900 and 1910 census asks women how many children were born to them and how many were currently living. In both census reports, Catherine responded that she was the mother of nine children and that six were currently living. One of the three deceased children was Susie who died in 1878. The other two remain unknown.
Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer who married Eula Green in 1892 and America Lee Ferguson around 1901
Samuel William "Sam" Mercer who married Eliza Agnes "Liza" Burton
Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer who married William Jackson Loving
Peter "Pete" Mercer who married Willie Lee Bounds
Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred) who married Mattie Jennie McKee
Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer who died in 1878 when she was a little over a year old
James Andrew "Jim" Mercer who married Minnie L Gleaves
James Mercer was the son of Peter Messer and Catherine "Kitty" Ewing. He was born on March 11, 1822 in Milltown, Adair County, Kentucky.
Around 1835, James' father passed away. No clear date of Peter's death has been has been determined, and after the 1830 census, no records for him have been found. The last known child that Catherine had was George, born in 1834. The 1840 census report lists Catherine Murcer as the "Head of the Family." She would have been in her early thirties when Peter passed away, her youngest child, George, an infant, and her oldest, Andrew, about fifteen. James would have been about thirteen years old. Catherine's parents were early settlers in Kentucky, and her father, Andrew Ewing, one of the trustees of Columbia. One can hope that Catherine's Ewing family helped this widow and her children.
At an early age, James learned to be a blacksmith and wagonmaker. He probably learned this trade from his father, who is listed in the 1820 census as "Engaged in Manufactures," a vague category that differentiates this type of occupation from the majority of inhabitants who were farming.
James enlisted in the US Army on April 14, 1847, in Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky. He served in the Mexican American War. James' military enlistment record shows his "trade or occupation" as blacksmith. His skills would have been an asset to the army. His enlistment record describes him as five feet, ten inches tall with blue eyes, fair hair, and a fair complexion. He was discharged in Mexico City for an unspecified "disability." James served 5 months and 21 days. He was twenty-six years old. His length of service and type of discharge were not unusual. Many men suffered from a variety of diseases in military service and were discharged after a brief service. He received a military pension benefit for his service on September 1, 1887.
TEXAS PENSION. Special to the Gazette, Washington, Sept 1 - The following Texas pensions were issued today Mexican war: James Mercer, Royse city; Romaine Ritchie, Greenville.
The Fort Worth Gazette, 09 Sep 1887, page 3.
The 1850 census finds James, twenty-eight, living in Green County, Kentucky. He was single and working as a wagonmaker. His friend, and housemate, Thomas Morrison, 23, was a blacksmith. Both men were born in Adair County, so it is likely that they were boyhood friends. No familial relationship has been discovered. James's siblings, Nathaniel, twenty, Nancy, eighteen, and George, sixteen, were living at home with their mother, Catherine, forty-five, and working the farm.
On April 26, 1855, James Mercer and Harriett Ermine Tutt were married in Columbia. James was thirty-three years old; Harriett was a few weeks past her sixteenth birthday.
The 1860 census shows us that in June, James, thirty-eight, and Harriett Murcer, nineteen, were living in Adair County, Kentucky. They had been married for five years. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. There are no children listed on this census. (Actual Ages: James: 38 Years, 2 Months, 21 Days; Harriett: 21 Years, 2 Months, 28 Days)
According to the 1900 and 1910 census reports, Harriett gave birth to nine children; six were living at the time of those reports. Harriett and James' first known child, Joseph Edward, was born on July 15, 1862. That is seven years from the time of their marriage to the birth of their son. I believe that given Harriett's young age and the length of time between their marriage and the birth of their son, Joseph Edward, that Harriett likely gave birth to the two unnamed children during this time and that they died at a very young age. The census reports are the only record of these children discovered thus far.
On June 26, 1870, the census recorded James, forty-nine, and Harriet, thirty, living in Gradyville, Adair County, Kentucky. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. They had been married for fifteen years and had four children: Joseph, eight, born on July 15, 1862; Samuel, five, born on August 12, 1864; Fannie, two, born on October 3, 1867; and Peter three months, born on March 26, 1870. (Actual Ages: James: 48 Years, 3 Months, 15 Days: Harriett: 31 Years, 3 Months, 22 Days)
James' mother, Catherine Kitty Ewing Mercer, passed away between 1870 and 1880. She was living in Gradyville with her widowed daughter, James' sister, Nancy Jane "Nannie" Mercer Wade. The 1870 census is the last record located for Catherine; she was seventy-one. She was not listed with any of her children in the 1880 census. No burial details have been located; however, it is safe to assume that she was buried in Adair County where she was born, married, and raised her family. Widowed at an early age, and in a period when women had few rights, she was able to raise her children, work a farm, and live to a respectable age.
Between June 1870 and October 1873, James, Harriett, their childrenJoseph, Sam, Fannie, and PeterHarriett's father, John Tutt, stepmother, Mary Rogers Tutt, and, her sister and brother-in-law, and Martha and Alexander Mayer, and their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, moved to Missouri, most likely to Johnson County.
Harriett's brother, William Tutt moved from Nelson County, Kentucky to Johnson County, Missouri between June 10, 1860 and July 1, 1863. It is likely that James, Harriett, and the rest of the family lived on William's farm. James could have helped with the farm and picked up work as a blacksmith and wagonmaker.
On October 25, 1873, Harriett's father, John Tutt, passed away in Johnson County, Missouri. He was seventy-three years old. His first wife, Susanna C. Hicks, passed away around 1840. They were married for about seventeen years and had at least three children, Thomas, William, and Harriet. He married Mary J "Polly" Rogers in 1842. They were married for thirty-one years and had at least three children, James, Melvilla, and Martha. John was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, but lived most of his life in Adair County, Kentucky.
On August 12, 1874, James and Harriett's son, Thomas Fred Mercer was born in Johnson County, Missouri.
Between 1874 and 1877, James and Harriett, and their children, Joseph, Sam, Fannie, Peter, and Fred, moved from Missouri to Collin County, Texas. Harriett's sister Martha, brother-in-law, Alexander Mayer, their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, and Harriett's stepmother, Mary J "Polly" Rogers Tutt, moved to Paris, Texas. Harriett's brother, William, remained in Missouri. On November 19, 1877, he married Sarah "Sallie" McVey, of Chilhowee Township, Missouri.
On October 8, 1877, in Collin County, Texas, Harriett, now thirty-eight years old and James, fifty-four, had a daughter, Susan Lorna Mercer. Little Susie lived one year, one month, and three days. Her parents buried her in the Millwood Cemetery in Collin County, Texas. (James: 55 Years, 6 Months, 27 Days; Harriett: 38 Years, 7 Months, 4 Days)
Between 1878 and 1880, James and Harriett moved from Collin County, to Rockwall County, bordering the southeast corner of Collin County. In 1880, James and Harriett had been married for twenty-five years. The census, recorded on June 12, 1880, shows James, fifty-eight, and Harriett, forty-two, with six children: Joseph, seventeen, Samuel, fifteen, Fannie, thirteen, Pete, ten, Thomas (Fred), six, and James, three months old. According to the census, farming was now James' primary occupation. At fifty-eight, he was probably worn down by the heavy labor of blacksmithing and wagon construction. We might assume that he did jobs and repairs for family and friends, but preferred this labor not be his major source of income. It may be that farming was a necessity now than more than it had been in the past. Joseph and Samuel, now in their teens, worked on the family farm and, as was the custom, they worked for other farmers, too.
Harriett was keeping house with Fannie helping. "Keeping house" was a generic term for the labor of women, in the home and on the farm. Women often kept a garden for vegetables and herbs. Household labors were all done without the benefit of electricity. Woodstoves for cooking, laundry done on a washboard and hung to dry. Keeping house was not simple or easy. In addition, women and girls also worked the fields when needed. A family farm provided an income and a livelihood for the entire family. If the farm succeeded, the entire family benefited. When it failed, they all suffered.
There is no census report for 1890. They were destroyed by fire and water. This leaves us with a gap between 1880 and James' death in 1893.
James Mercer passed away on November 15, 1893 in Royse City, Rockwall County, Texas. He was seventy-one years old; Harriett was fifty-four. After James' death, Harried and their son, James, lived in Royse City, with their son, Pete and his wife, Willie Lee. Harriett later moved to her own home in Royse, with her children living nearby. She passed away in on May 12, 1916 at the age of seventy-seven.
James and Harriett were married for thirty-eight years and had nine children. Two little children passed away at an early age. Little Susie passed away in 1878 a little over a year old. Surviving were six boys and one girl: Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer, Samuel William "Sam" Mercer, Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer Loving, Peter "Pete" Mercer, Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred), Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer, and James (Andrew) "Jim" Mercer.
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CHILDREN
The 1900 and 1910 census asks women how many children were born to them and how many were currently living. In both census reports, Catherine responded that she was the mother of nine children and that six were currently living. One of the three deceased children was Susie who died in 1878. The other two remain unknown.
Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer who married Eula Green in 1892 and America Lee Ferguson around 1901
Samuel William "Sam" Mercer who married Eliza Agnes "Liza" Burton
Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer who married William Jackson Loving
Peter "Pete" Mercer who married Willie Lee Bounds
Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred) who married Mattie Jennie McKee
Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer who died in 1878 when she was a little over a year old
James Andrew "Jim" Mercer who married Minnie L Gleaves
(Variations: Messer, Musser, Murcer, Mercer)
James Mercer was the son of Peter Messer and Catherine "Kitty" Ewing. He was born on March 11, 1822 in Milltown, Adair County, Kentucky.
Around 1835, James' father passed away. No clear date of Peter's death has been has been determined, and after the 1830 census, no records for him have been found. The last known child that Catherine had was George, born in 1834. The 1840 census report lists Catherine Murcer as the "Head of the Family." She would have been in her early thirties when Peter passed away, her youngest child, George, an infant, and her oldest, Andrew, about fifteen. James would have been about thirteen years old. Catherine's parents were early settlers in Kentucky, and her father, Andrew Ewing, one of the trustees of Columbia. One can hope that Catherine's Ewing family helped this widow and her children.
At an early age, James learned to be a blacksmith and wagonmaker. He probably learned this trade from his father, who is listed in the 1820 census as "Engaged in Manufactures," a vague category that differentiates this type of occupation from the majority of inhabitants who were farming.
James enlisted in the US Army on April 14, 1847, in Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky. He served in the Mexican American War. James' military enlistment record shows his "trade or occupation" as blacksmith. His skills would have been an asset to the army. His enlistment record describes him as five feet, ten inches tall with blue eyes, fair hair, and a fair complexion. He was discharged in Mexico City for an unspecified "disability." James served 5 months and 21 days. He was twenty-six years old. His length of service and type of discharge were not unusual. Many men suffered from a variety of diseases in military service and were discharged after a brief service. He received a military pension benefit for his service on September 1, 1887.
TEXAS PENSION. Special to the Gazette, Washington, Sept 1 - The following Texas pensions were issued today Mexican war: James Mercer, Royse city; Romaine Ritchie, Greenville.
The Fort Worth Gazette, 09 Sep 1887, page 3.
The 1850 census finds James, twenty-eight, living in Green County, Kentucky. He was single and working as a wagonmaker. His friend, and housemate, Thomas Morrison, 23, was a blacksmith. Both men were born in Adair County, so it is likely that they were boyhood friends. No familial relationship has been discovered. James's siblings, Nathaniel, twenty, Nancy, eighteen, and George, sixteen, were living at home with their mother, Catherine, forty-five, and working the farm.
On April 26, 1855, James Mercer and Harriett Ermine Tutt were married in Columbia. James was thirty-three years old; Harriett was a few weeks past her sixteenth birthday.
The 1860 census shows us that in June, James, thirty-eight, and Harriett Murcer, nineteen, were living in Adair County, Kentucky. They had been married for five years. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. There are no children listed on this census. (Actual Ages: James: 38 Years, 2 Months, 21 Days; Harriett: 21 Years, 2 Months, 28 Days)
According to the 1900 and 1910 census reports, Harriett gave birth to nine children; six were living at the time of those reports. Harriett and James' first known child, Joseph Edward, was born on July 15, 1862. That is seven years from the time of their marriage to the birth of their son. I believe that given Harriett's young age and the length of time between their marriage and the birth of their son, Joseph Edward, that Harriett likely gave birth to the two unnamed children during this time and that they died at a very young age. The census reports are the only record of these children discovered thus far.
On June 26, 1870, the census recorded James, forty-nine, and Harriet, thirty, living in Gradyville, Adair County, Kentucky. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. They had been married for fifteen years and had four children: Joseph, eight, born on July 15, 1862; Samuel, five, born on August 12, 1864; Fannie, two, born on October 3, 1867; and Peter three months, born on March 26, 1870. (Actual Ages: James: 48 Years, 3 Months, 15 Days: Harriett: 31 Years, 3 Months, 22 Days)
James' mother, Catherine Kitty Ewing Mercer, passed away between 1870 and 1880. She was living in Gradyville with her widowed daughter, James' sister, Nancy Jane "Nannie" Mercer Wade. The 1870 census is the last record located for Catherine; she was seventy-one. She was not listed with any of her children in the 1880 census. No burial details have been located; however, it is safe to assume that she was buried in Adair County where she was born, married, and raised her family. Widowed at an early age, and in a period when women had few rights, she was able to raise her children, work a farm, and live to a respectable age.
Between June 1870 and October 1873, James, Harriett, their childrenJoseph, Sam, Fannie, and PeterHarriett's father, John Tutt, stepmother, Mary Rogers Tutt, and, her sister and brother-in-law, and Martha and Alexander Mayer, and their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, moved to Missouri, most likely to Johnson County.
Harriett's brother, William Tutt moved from Nelson County, Kentucky to Johnson County, Missouri between June 10, 1860 and July 1, 1863. It is likely that James, Harriett, and the rest of the family lived on William's farm. James could have helped with the farm and picked up work as a blacksmith and wagonmaker.
On October 25, 1873, Harriett's father, John Tutt, passed away in Johnson County, Missouri. He was seventy-three years old. His first wife, Susanna C. Hicks, passed away around 1840. They were married for about seventeen years and had at least three children, Thomas, William, and Harriet. He married Mary J "Polly" Rogers in 1842. They were married for thirty-one years and had at least three children, James, Melvilla, and Martha. John was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, but lived most of his life in Adair County, Kentucky.
On August 12, 1874, James and Harriett's son, Thomas Fred Mercer was born in Johnson County, Missouri.
Between 1874 and 1877, James and Harriett, and their children, Joseph, Sam, Fannie, Peter, and Fred, moved from Missouri to Collin County, Texas. Harriett's sister Martha, brother-in-law, Alexander Mayer, their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, and Harriett's stepmother, Mary J "Polly" Rogers Tutt, moved to Paris, Texas. Harriett's brother, William, remained in Missouri. On November 19, 1877, he married Sarah "Sallie" McVey, of Chilhowee Township, Missouri.
On October 8, 1877, in Collin County, Texas, Harriett, now thirty-eight years old and James, fifty-four, had a daughter, Susan Lorna Mercer. Little Susie lived one year, one month, and three days. Her parents buried her in the Millwood Cemetery in Collin County, Texas. (James: 55 Years, 6 Months, 27 Days; Harriett: 38 Years, 7 Months, 4 Days)
Between 1878 and 1880, James and Harriett moved from Collin County, to Rockwall County, bordering the southeast corner of Collin County. In 1880, James and Harriett had been married for twenty-five years. The census, recorded on June 12, 1880, shows James, fifty-eight, and Harriett, forty-two, with six children: Joseph, seventeen, Samuel, fifteen, Fannie, thirteen, Pete, ten, Thomas (Fred), six, and James, three months old. According to the census, farming was now James' primary occupation. At fifty-eight, he was probably worn down by the heavy labor of blacksmithing and wagon construction. We might assume that he did jobs and repairs for family and friends, but preferred this labor not be his major source of income. It may be that farming was a necessity now than more than it had been in the past. Joseph and Samuel, now in their teens, worked on the family farm and, as was the custom, they worked for other farmers, too.
Harriett was keeping house with Fannie helping. "Keeping house" was a generic term for the labor of women, in the home and on the farm. Women often kept a garden for vegetables and herbs. Household labors were all done without the benefit of electricity. Woodstoves for cooking, laundry done on a washboard and hung to dry. Keeping house was not simple or easy. In addition, women and girls also worked the fields when needed. A family farm provided an income and a livelihood for the entire family. If the farm succeeded, the entire family benefited. When it failed, they all suffered.
There is no census report for 1890. They were destroyed by fire and water. This leaves us with a gap between 1880 and James' death in 1893.
James Mercer passed away on November 15, 1893 in Royse City, Rockwall County, Texas. He was seventy-one years old; Harriett was fifty-four. After James' death, Harried and their son, James, lived in Royse City, with their son, Pete and his wife, Willie Lee. Harriett later moved to her own home in Royse, with her children living nearby. She passed away in on May 12, 1916 at the age of seventy-seven.
James and Harriett were married for thirty-eight years and had nine children. Two little children passed away at an early age. Little Susie passed away in 1878 a little over a year old. Surviving were six boys and one girl: Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer, Samuel William "Sam" Mercer, Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer Loving, Peter "Pete" Mercer, Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred), Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer, and James (Andrew) "Jim" Mercer.
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CHILDREN
The 1900 and 1910 census asks women how many children were born to them and how many were currently living. In both census reports, Catherine responded that she was the mother of nine children and that six were currently living. One of the three deceased children was Susie who died in 1878. The other two remain unknown.
Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer who married Eula Green in 1892 and America Lee Ferguson around 1901
Samuel William "Sam" Mercer who married Eliza Agnes "Liza" Burton
Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer who married William Jackson Loving
Peter "Pete" Mercer who married Willie Lee Bounds
Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred) who married Mattie Jennie McKee
Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer who died in 1878 when she was a little over a year old
James Andrew "Jim" Mercer who married Minnie L Gleaves
James Mercer was the son of Peter Messer and Catherine "Kitty" Ewing. He was born on March 11, 1822 in Milltown, Adair County, Kentucky.
Around 1835, James' father passed away. No clear date of Peter's death has been has been determined, and after the 1830 census, no records for him have been found. The last known child that Catherine had was George, born in 1834. The 1840 census report lists Catherine Murcer as the "Head of the Family." She would have been in her early thirties when Peter passed away, her youngest child, George, an infant, and her oldest, Andrew, about fifteen. James would have been about thirteen years old. Catherine's parents were early settlers in Kentucky, and her father, Andrew Ewing, one of the trustees of Columbia. One can hope that Catherine's Ewing family helped this widow and her children.
At an early age, James learned to be a blacksmith and wagonmaker. He probably learned this trade from his father, who is listed in the 1820 census as "Engaged in Manufactures," a vague category that differentiates this type of occupation from the majority of inhabitants who were farming.
James enlisted in the US Army on April 14, 1847, in Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky. He served in the Mexican American War. James' military enlistment record shows his "trade or occupation" as blacksmith. His skills would have been an asset to the army. His enlistment record describes him as five feet, ten inches tall with blue eyes, fair hair, and a fair complexion. He was discharged in Mexico City for an unspecified "disability." James served 5 months and 21 days. He was twenty-six years old. His length of service and type of discharge were not unusual. Many men suffered from a variety of diseases in military service and were discharged after a brief service. He received a military pension benefit for his service on September 1, 1887.
TEXAS PENSION. Special to the Gazette, Washington, Sept 1 - The following Texas pensions were issued today Mexican war: James Mercer, Royse city; Romaine Ritchie, Greenville.
The Fort Worth Gazette, 09 Sep 1887, page 3.
The 1850 census finds James, twenty-eight, living in Green County, Kentucky. He was single and working as a wagonmaker. His friend, and housemate, Thomas Morrison, 23, was a blacksmith. Both men were born in Adair County, so it is likely that they were boyhood friends. No familial relationship has been discovered. James's siblings, Nathaniel, twenty, Nancy, eighteen, and George, sixteen, were living at home with their mother, Catherine, forty-five, and working the farm.
On April 26, 1855, James Mercer and Harriett Ermine Tutt were married in Columbia. James was thirty-three years old; Harriett was a few weeks past her sixteenth birthday.
The 1860 census shows us that in June, James, thirty-eight, and Harriett Murcer, nineteen, were living in Adair County, Kentucky. They had been married for five years. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. There are no children listed on this census. (Actual Ages: James: 38 Years, 2 Months, 21 Days; Harriett: 21 Years, 2 Months, 28 Days)
According to the 1900 and 1910 census reports, Harriett gave birth to nine children; six were living at the time of those reports. Harriett and James' first known child, Joseph Edward, was born on July 15, 1862. That is seven years from the time of their marriage to the birth of their son. I believe that given Harriett's young age and the length of time between their marriage and the birth of their son, Joseph Edward, that Harriett likely gave birth to the two unnamed children during this time and that they died at a very young age. The census reports are the only record of these children discovered thus far.
On June 26, 1870, the census recorded James, forty-nine, and Harriet, thirty, living in Gradyville, Adair County, Kentucky. James was working as a wagonmaker. Harriett was keeping house. They had been married for fifteen years and had four children: Joseph, eight, born on July 15, 1862; Samuel, five, born on August 12, 1864; Fannie, two, born on October 3, 1867; and Peter three months, born on March 26, 1870. (Actual Ages: James: 48 Years, 3 Months, 15 Days: Harriett: 31 Years, 3 Months, 22 Days)
James' mother, Catherine Kitty Ewing Mercer, passed away between 1870 and 1880. She was living in Gradyville with her widowed daughter, James' sister, Nancy Jane "Nannie" Mercer Wade. The 1870 census is the last record located for Catherine; she was seventy-one. She was not listed with any of her children in the 1880 census. No burial details have been located; however, it is safe to assume that she was buried in Adair County where she was born, married, and raised her family. Widowed at an early age, and in a period when women had few rights, she was able to raise her children, work a farm, and live to a respectable age.
Between June 1870 and October 1873, James, Harriett, their childrenJoseph, Sam, Fannie, and PeterHarriett's father, John Tutt, stepmother, Mary Rogers Tutt, and, her sister and brother-in-law, and Martha and Alexander Mayer, and their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, moved to Missouri, most likely to Johnson County.
Harriett's brother, William Tutt moved from Nelson County, Kentucky to Johnson County, Missouri between June 10, 1860 and July 1, 1863. It is likely that James, Harriett, and the rest of the family lived on William's farm. James could have helped with the farm and picked up work as a blacksmith and wagonmaker.
On October 25, 1873, Harriett's father, John Tutt, passed away in Johnson County, Missouri. He was seventy-three years old. His first wife, Susanna C. Hicks, passed away around 1840. They were married for about seventeen years and had at least three children, Thomas, William, and Harriet. He married Mary J "Polly" Rogers in 1842. They were married for thirty-one years and had at least three children, James, Melvilla, and Martha. John was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, but lived most of his life in Adair County, Kentucky.
On August 12, 1874, James and Harriett's son, Thomas Fred Mercer was born in Johnson County, Missouri.
Between 1874 and 1877, James and Harriett, and their children, Joseph, Sam, Fannie, Peter, and Fred, moved from Missouri to Collin County, Texas. Harriett's sister Martha, brother-in-law, Alexander Mayer, their children, Henry, Edgar, Mollie, and Melville, and Harriett's stepmother, Mary J "Polly" Rogers Tutt, moved to Paris, Texas. Harriett's brother, William, remained in Missouri. On November 19, 1877, he married Sarah "Sallie" McVey, of Chilhowee Township, Missouri.
On October 8, 1877, in Collin County, Texas, Harriett, now thirty-eight years old and James, fifty-four, had a daughter, Susan Lorna Mercer. Little Susie lived one year, one month, and three days. Her parents buried her in the Millwood Cemetery in Collin County, Texas. (James: 55 Years, 6 Months, 27 Days; Harriett: 38 Years, 7 Months, 4 Days)
Between 1878 and 1880, James and Harriett moved from Collin County, to Rockwall County, bordering the southeast corner of Collin County. In 1880, James and Harriett had been married for twenty-five years. The census, recorded on June 12, 1880, shows James, fifty-eight, and Harriett, forty-two, with six children: Joseph, seventeen, Samuel, fifteen, Fannie, thirteen, Pete, ten, Thomas (Fred), six, and James, three months old. According to the census, farming was now James' primary occupation. At fifty-eight, he was probably worn down by the heavy labor of blacksmithing and wagon construction. We might assume that he did jobs and repairs for family and friends, but preferred this labor not be his major source of income. It may be that farming was a necessity now than more than it had been in the past. Joseph and Samuel, now in their teens, worked on the family farm and, as was the custom, they worked for other farmers, too.
Harriett was keeping house with Fannie helping. "Keeping house" was a generic term for the labor of women, in the home and on the farm. Women often kept a garden for vegetables and herbs. Household labors were all done without the benefit of electricity. Woodstoves for cooking, laundry done on a washboard and hung to dry. Keeping house was not simple or easy. In addition, women and girls also worked the fields when needed. A family farm provided an income and a livelihood for the entire family. If the farm succeeded, the entire family benefited. When it failed, they all suffered.
There is no census report for 1890. They were destroyed by fire and water. This leaves us with a gap between 1880 and James' death in 1893.
James Mercer passed away on November 15, 1893 in Royse City, Rockwall County, Texas. He was seventy-one years old; Harriett was fifty-four. After James' death, Harried and their son, James, lived in Royse City, with their son, Pete and his wife, Willie Lee. Harriett later moved to her own home in Royse, with her children living nearby. She passed away in on May 12, 1916 at the age of seventy-seven.
James and Harriett were married for thirty-eight years and had nine children. Two little children passed away at an early age. Little Susie passed away in 1878 a little over a year old. Surviving were six boys and one girl: Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer, Samuel William "Sam" Mercer, Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer Loving, Peter "Pete" Mercer, Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred), Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer, and James (Andrew) "Jim" Mercer.
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CHILDREN
The 1900 and 1910 census asks women how many children were born to them and how many were currently living. In both census reports, Catherine responded that she was the mother of nine children and that six were currently living. One of the three deceased children was Susie who died in 1878. The other two remain unknown.
Joseph Edward "Joe Ed" Mercer who married Eula Green in 1892 and America Lee Ferguson around 1901
Samuel William "Sam" Mercer who married Eliza Agnes "Liza" Burton
Frances Cathryn "Fannie" Mercer who married William Jackson Loving
Peter "Pete" Mercer who married Willie Lee Bounds
Thomas Fred Mercer (called Fred) who married Mattie Jennie McKee
Susan Lorna "Susie" Mercer who died in 1878 when she was a little over a year old
James Andrew "Jim" Mercer who married Minnie L Gleaves
Family Members
Siblings
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