Judge Thomas Mercer (March 11, 1813 – May 25, 1898) was a pioneer associated with the early history of
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. Seattle's Mercer Street and Mercer Island in Lake Washington bear his name.
Biography
Early life
Mercer was born in
Harrison County, Ohio on March 11, 1813, and was the eldest son of Aaron and Jane (Dickerson) Mercer, natives of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, respectively.
Aaron Mercer moved to Ohio in boyhood, being among the pioneers of that country. He learned the process of manufacturing woollen cloths and blankets and then operated his own factory very successfully for a number of years.
Illinois
In 1834 he was among the pioneer settlers at
Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois
Princeton is a city in and the county seat of Bureau County, Illinois, Bureau County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,832 at the 2020 census.
Princeton is part of the Ottawa, Illinois, Ottawa Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area ...
. The eldest of fourteen, Thomas's education was chiefly in the school of necessity. As labor was the chief occupation of the pioneer, and in the noble army of workers Judge Mercer has been arrayed throughout his life, he was a bright, active boy, quick in mathematics and mechanical work.
His boyhood was passed in the factory of his father, and with his systematic methods and recognized ability he became foreman at the age of fourteen and operated the factory up to 1834, when the family removed to
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
and engaged in farming. In 1830 young Mercer started a store in a little, old log cabin in Princeton, pursuing this enterprise for a year, before abandoning it because of the close confinement it entailed.
He then returned to farming. In 1837 he took part in the division of
Putnam County and the organization of Bureau County. Elected
clerk of the new county, he soon relinquished the job, which paid only 25 cents a day, to someone else.
Marriage
Mercer was married in Princeton in 1838, to Nancy Brigham, a native of
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. He then continued farming up to 1851, when he sold out, settled up his affairs, and in April 1852, with his wife and four children, left his Illinois home, and with horse teams crossed the plains to
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
. In the same train were Dexter Horton and William H. Shoudy, both of
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. On this trip, Mrs. Mercer fell ill in
The Dalles and died in the
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...
, leaving a bereaved husband and four small children, the eldest being not quite 14.
Further pioneer work
The following winter was passed in
Salem
Salem may refer to: Places
Canada
Ontario
* Bruce County
** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie
** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce
* Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
, where Mercer purchased one-half interest in a
blacksmith
A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...
shop and worked from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Flour was $40 per barrel and all other provisions in proportion. In the summer of 1853 he removed his little ones to
Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
, traveling by boat to the
Cowlitz River and then driving to Olympia, the trail being almost impassable. From Olympia he drove to Steilacoom, and there by boat to Seattle, arriving here August 25, 1853. He took up a claim of , adjoining that of D.T. Denny, all of which is now within the city limits.
He brought to the primitive town the same team of horses which had transported him safely across the plains, and his was the first wagon brought to the town. His claim being situated back from the water, the young men turned out and assisted in cutting a trail wide enough for his wagon to pass through to his ranch, and for a number of years he did the teaming for the town. In 1854 he built a box house, securing lumber from Yesler's mill. This house was somewhat open to the light of day, but it afforded protection and was soon improved.
Part of his claim, being bottom land, was soon cleared, and the second year he raised in hay, oats and vegetables, sufficient to provide for his family and stock. Mercer was a hard worker and was progressive in his ideas, and soon became the leading farmer of the community. For seven years he was mother, father and protector to his family of little ones, all of whom grew to maturity.
In 1859, Mercer was married, in Salem, Oregon, to Loretta H. Ward, of
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
, daughter of Jesse Ward, a pioneer of 1853; and returning to Seattle he continued his agricultural life. With the organization of
King County
King County is located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population was 2,269,675 in the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Washington, and the 13th-most populous in the United States. The county seat is Seattle, also the st ...
in 1854, Mercer was appointed one of the first commissioners, and in 1858 he was elected
probate judge and held the position for ten consecutive years. With the increased settlement of the town and demand for residence property, Mercer platted the town of Eden and later that of West Seattle, from the sales of which he has realized a considerable fortune. In 1994 what was left of Thomas's estate was spread among his descendants.
Naming the lakes
Mercer gave English names to two large Seattle lakes previously known by their Native American names. In an address delivered at Seattle's first
Fourth of July picnic in 1854 he suggested that the greater be called
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle.
It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It borders the cities of Seattle on the west, ...
after
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
in recognition of the occasion, to replace the
Duwamish tribe's
Lushootseed language name, ''Xacuabš'' ("great-amount-of-water").
The smaller lake, ''XáXu7cHoo'' ("small great-amount-of-water") in Lushootseed, Mercer renamed to
Lake Union
Lake Union is a freshwater lake located entirely within the city limits of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is a major part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which carries fresh water from the much larger Lake Washington on the east to ...
.
[ This was the first vague proposal for the union of Lake Washington with ]Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
via ship canals, eventually realized decades later in the form of the Lake Washington Ship Canal
The Lake Washington Ship Canal, which runs through the city of Seattle, connects the fresh water body of Lake Washington with the salt water inland sea of Puget Sound. The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks accommodate the approximately difference in w ...
. In 1883, he built a large Seattle house overlooking a smaller cottage built in 1854.
Death
Mercer died May 25, 1898. He had four daughters.
References
Archives
Thomas Mercer papers
1862-1887. 26 items. At th
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
Bagley, Jenner, and Mercer families papers
1821-2005. .58 cubic feet (1 box). At th
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
Clarence Bagley papers
1864-1931. approximately 10.33 cubic feet. At th
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections
Further reading
*''An Illustrated History of the State of Washington'', by Rev. Harvey K. Hines
Harvey Kimball Hines (1828–1902) was a Methodist minister and an early historian of the U.S. state of Oregon. In 1878 he ran for Congress, and drew criticism for neglecting his religious vows in so doing. He was known, along with Frances Fuller ...
, D.D., The Lewis Publishing Co.
Lewis may refer to:
Names
* Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name
* Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname
Music
* Lewis (musician), Canadian singer
* "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...
, Chicago, IL.
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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1893. A portrait of Mercer appears between pages 588 and 589.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, Thomas
1813 births
1898 deaths
King County Councillors
People from Hamilton County, Ohio
Oregon pioneers