EARLS FAMILY CHRONICLES

© Christopher Earls Brennen

Appendix 10B. MERCER FAMILIES

THE FAMILY OF JOHN MERCER OF HILLSBOROUGH, 1790-1864

The following family of John Mercer is known through DNA evidence to be related through Katherine Bell to our Stothard Mercer family. John Mercer may well have been a grandson of Samuel Mercer. It was constructed using Ancestry.com and the records of James Ignatius Morrison.

  1. John Mercer was born in 1790 and died in Hillsborough, County Down, on Oct.7, 1864. His children:
    1. Thomas Mercer was born in Belfast on Aug.12, 1838, and died in 1906.
    2. Jane Mercer was born in 1851 and died in Belfast, on Jan.15, 1904.
    3. John Mercer was born in 1841 and, on Sep.9, 1862, in Seapatrick, County Down, married Mary Lowry, born in Killeavy Lower, County Armagh. on Oct.13, 1843. John died in Lisburn on Aug.31, 1904, and Mary died in Lisburn on Feb.9, 1892. Their children:
      1. John Mercer was born on Apr.3, 1866, in Drumnavaddy, County Down. He married Mary Morrison, the sister of James Morrison who married John's sister Eliza. John Mercer died in 1942.
      2. James Mercer was born on Dec.26, 1867, in Drumnavaddy, County Down.
      3. Mary Jane Mercer was born on Jun.23, 1871, in Drumnavaddy, County Down, and died in 1900.
      4. Margaret Mercer was born on Jun.5, 1875, in Drumnavaddy, County Down, and died in 1960.
      5. Thomas Mercer was born on Oct.7, 1877, in Culcavy, County Down, and died at Martinsart in France in 1916.
      6. Anna Mercer was born in Blaris, County Down, on Dec.16, 1879.
      7. Ellen Mercer was born in Lisburn, County Down on Jul.30, 1882, and died in 1944.
      8. Eliza Mercer was born on Jun.10, 1862, in Drumnavaddy, County Down. On Apr.24, 1893, in Lisburn, County Antrim, she married James Morrison, born on Jun.7, 1867, in Hillsborough, County Down. Eliza died on Oct.7, 1899, in Culcavy, County Down, and James, who married for a second time to Elizabeth Campbell, died on Sep.16, 1928, in Iowa. The children of James and Eliza:
        1. Sarah Jane Morrison was born in Belfast on Aug.18, 1893.
        2. Mary Morrison was born in Lisburn on Aug.4, 1897, and died in 1898.
        3. James Ignatius Morrison was born in Culcavy near Hillsborough on Mar.21, 1895. He married Agnes Wray Cairns, born on Apr.22, 1894, in Galashiels, Scotland. He died on Apr.5, 1973, in White Rock, British Columbia. Agnes died on Aug.30, 1972, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Their children:
          1. John James Morrison was born in 1918 and died in 1988.
          2. Martha Elizabeth Morrison was born in 1910 and died in 2012.
          3. Mary Margaret Morrison was born in 1921 and died in 2009.
          4. Robert Ignatius Morrison was born in 1924 and died in 2011.
          5. William Joseph Morrison was born in 1928 and died in 2005.
          6. Charles Patrick Morrison was born in 1929 and died in 2014.
          7. Agnes Morrison was born in 1930 and died in 2014.
          8. Richard Morrison was born in 1932 and died in 2010.
          9. Norman Morrison was born in 1933 and died in 2007.

HILLSBOROUGH/DROMORE MERCER FAMILY

The following information on the Hillsborough/Dromore Mercer family was sent to me by Robert L. Mercer of 8 Drumard Road, Portadown, Co. Armagh, and later augmented from the Hillsborough Parish records:

  1. Samuel Mercer was born about 1750 and became farmer in Listullycurran (also known as Lisnacurran). He married a woman named Jane and they had six sons as follows:
    1. Stephenson Mercer was born 1771 at Lisnacurran or Taughblane, County Down, and became a farmer in Lisnacurren. He married Agnes Halliday and they had at least four children, all born in Lisnacurren:
      1. Samuel Mercer was born on Aug.1, 1790, in Lisnacurran.
      2. John Mercer was born on Feb.11, 1793, in Lisnacurran.
      3. Joseph Mercer was born on Jan.11, 1795, in Lisnacurran.
      4. Jane Mercer was born on Jan.7, 1797, in Lisnacurran.
    2. Samuel Mercer was born 1774 at Lisnacurran or Taughblane, County Down. He married Mary Buchanan and they had a daughter, Jane, born on Nov.20, 1801.
    3. William Mercer was born 1777 at Lisnacurran or Taughblane, Co. Down.
    4. John Mercer had a twin brother Thomas Mercer. They were born on May 12, 1784. John lived at 84 Cairnreagh, Hillsborough. His children:
      1. Thomas Mercer was born in 1812.
      2. Samuel Mercer was born in 1815. He sailed to the USA from Liverpool in 1840 on the ship``Superb''.
      3. Watson Mercer was born in 1818 and married a woman named Margaret born about 1827. They lived in Carnrea. Margaret died on Oct.16, 1897, aged 70, and Watson died on Dec.6, 1906. They are buried in Hillsborough Parish graveyard where their gravestone reads: MERCER. Erected to the memory of John Mercer, Carnrea, who fell asleep in Jesus 13th April 1876 aged 23 years. Also Watson Mercer aged 5 years. Also Thomas Dawson Mercer aged 6 years. Also their dear mother Margaret who died 16th October 1897 aged 70 years. Also his sister Margaret who died 14th June 1902. Also his sister Mary M. Bell who died 5th Oct. 1902. Also their dear father Watson Mercer who died 6th Dec. 1906. Also his sister Elizabeth J. Mercer who died 11th Aug. 1913. The children of Watson and Margaret Mercer:
        1. John Mercer was born about 1853 and died on Apr.13, 1876, as the above gravestone attests.
        2. Watson Mercer died at the age of 5 as the above gravestone attests.
        3. Thomas Dawson Mercer died at the age of 6 as the above gravestone attests.
        4. Margaret Mercer died on Jun.14, 1902, as the above gravestone attests.
        5. Mary Mercer married a man named Bell and died on Oct.5, 1902, as the above gravestone attests.
        6. James Dawson Mercer was born about 1856 and lived and reared his family of 12 at 34 Candahar Street, Ballynafeigh. He was manager of the Robert McBride linen factory in Ormeau Road, Belfast. James Dawson Mercer died in August 1906 aged 50. His children:
          1. James Dawson Mercer was born on Oct.26, 1883.
          2. John Watson Mercer was born on Jan.31, 1885.
          3. Sarah Annie Mercer was born on Jun. 5, 1886.
          4. Thomas Alexander Mercer was born on Aug.23, 1887.
          5. Lillie Elizabeth Mercer was born on Feb.28, 1889.
          6. Martha Gardner Mercer was born on Jun. 5, 1890.
          7. Samuel Somers Mercer was born on Jan. 7, 1892.
          8. William Conn Mercer was born on Oct.31, 1893.
          9. Albert Ernest Mercer was born on Mar.21, 1895.
          10. Lillie Elizabeth Mercer was born on Jul.27, 1896.
          11. Robert Neill Mercer was born on May.16, 1898, and died in 1974. His son, Robert L. Mercer presently (1989) lives on Drumard Road, Portadown.
      4. Elizabeth Jane Mercer was born in 1820. She died on Aug.11, 1913, as the above gravestone attests.
      5. John Mercer was born in 1818.
    5. Thomas Mercer was John's twin born in 1780. Thomas emigrated to USA.
    6. Joseph Mercer was born 1783 at Lisnacurran or Taughblane, Co. Down.

It seems quite plausible that the Mark Mercer, born about 1766, and whose family is detailed in Appendix 9B and Richard Mercer and Bernard Mercer, born about 1760, whose families are detailed below were also members of this family.

BERNARD MERCER FAMILY

From the records of Robin Cardwell and other records:

  1. Bernard Mercer, born about 1757, was a farmer in Taughblane, a townland to the southwest of Hillsborough that is served by St. John's, Kilwarlin, parish church. He married Mary Christie. The Hillsborough tithe applotment book of 1834 includes both Bernard and Robert Mercer. There is also a lease to Bernard Mercer in Taughblane from the Kilwarlin Estate of the Marquis of Downshire. Bernard died at the age of 81 and was buried at Hillsborough Parish Church on Feb.2, 1838. Bernard and Mary had at least three children, all born in Taughblane:
    1. Joseph Mercer was born on Aug.19, 1787, in Taughblane.
    2. Elizabeth Mercer was born on Mar.3, 1794, in Taughblane.
    3. Bernard Mercer was born on Sep.5, 1790, and became a farmer in Taughblane. Bernard Mercer and Elizabeth Stanfield were married in the Hillsborough Parish Church on Jan.18, 1817. Bernard signed the vestry minutes for the parish of Hillsborough in 1831. Bernard died at the age of 69 (?) and was buried at Hillsborough Parish Church on Oct.2, 1862. Elizabeth died at the age of 71 and was buried at Hillsborough Parish Church on Jan.10, 1867. Bernard and Elizabeth had at least six children all of whom were born in Taughblane:
      1. William Mercer was born on Oct.26, 1817, in Taughblane and became a weaver. He died at the age of 19 and was buried at Hillsborough Parish Church on Nov.27, 1836.
      2. Andrew Mercer was born on Jun.2, 1819, in Taughblane.
      3. John Mercer was born on May 20, 1821, in Taughblane.
      4. Christy Mercer was born on Jan.18, 1824, in Taughblane. He became a farmer in Ballykeel Artifinny and married a woman named Elizabeth. They had at least four children:
        1. Emma(?) Mercer was born on Feb.11, 1867, in Ballykeel Artifinny.
        2. Isabella Mercer was born on Jul.8, 1868, in Ballykeel Artifinny.
        3. John Andrew Mercer was born on Sep.21, 1869, in Ballykeel Artifinny.
        4. Albery Irvine Mercer was born on Oct.10, 1872, in Taughblane.
      5. Joseph Mercer was born on Oct.7, 1832, in Taughblane.
      6. Robert Mant Mercer was born on Apr.16, 1830, in Taughblane and became a farmer in Dromatihugh. He married Jane Stevenson on Jul.9, 1863, and they had a least six children:
        1. Elizabeth Jane Mercer was born on Sep.22, 1864, in the townland of Drumatihugh which is less than a mile northeast of Taughblane.
        2. William Andrew Mercer was born on Jun.13, 1866, in Drumatihugh. He married Josephine Hyde from Magheragall and they moved to Upper Ballinderry, County Antrim, where they lived next door to his brother Robert and his family. William and Josephine had the following children:
          1. Anna Mary Ellis Mercer was born on Apr.26, 1895. She is the grandmother of Robin Cardwell.
          2. Howard Andrew Mercer emigrated to Canada.
          3. Margaret Elizabeth Jane Mercer
          4. William Hanna Mercer emigrated to Canada.
          5. Sarah (Sally) Mercer emigrated to Canada.
        3. Mary Isabella Mercer was born on Jan.3, 1868, in Drumatihugh.
        4. Margaret Maria Mercer was born on Nov.10, 1869.
        5. Joseph Edward Mercer was born on Dec.12, 1871, in Drumatihugh.
        6. Anna Sara Mercer was born on Oct.13, 1873.
        7. Robert Mant Mercer was born on May 14, 1876, and married Sarah ?. They moved to Upper Ballinderry, County Antrim, where they lived next door to Robert's brother William and his family. Robert and Sarah had children:
          1. Molly Mercer
          2. James Mant Mercer

KILWARLIN MERCER FAMILY

From a gravestone inscription in St. John's Parish Church, Kilwarlin:

  1. Richard Mercer died on Jun.24, 1868. His wife Sarah died on Mar.12, 1914. Both are buried in the graveyard of St. John's Parish Church, Kilwarlin. Their children:
    1. Mary J. Mercer died on Dec.24, 1902.
    2. Robert Mercer died on Sep.18, 1924.
    3. Lenox Mercer died on May 30, 1927.
    4. Charlotte Mercer died on Jan.11, 1940.
    5. John Mercer died on Oct.17, 1941.
    6. Maria Mercer died on Jan.15, 1946.

KILWARLIN MERCER FAMILY

From a gravestone inscription in St. John's Parish Church, Kilwarlin:

  1. Richard Mercer died on Jun.24, 1868. His w

Christopher E. Brennen