When William Thomas Mercer was born in 1832, in Lee, Georgia, United States, his father, Silas Mercer, was 40 and his mother, Susan Green, was 36. He married Rebecca "Beckie" King about 1850, in Marianna, Jackson, Florida, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 2 daughters. He registered for military service in 1864. He died in 1873, at the age of 41, and was buried in Grant Cemetery, Jackson, Florida, United States.
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Convinced that a group of Native American tribes were hostile, The United States formed a frontier militia to stop them in their tracks. Even though Black Hawk was hoping to avoid bloodshed while trying to resettle on tribal land, U.S. officials opened fire on the Native Americans. Black Hawk then responded to this confrontation by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run and then left northward. After a few months the militia caught up with Black Hawk and his men and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. While being weakened by hunger, injuries and desertion, Black Hawk and the rest of the many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. Unfortunately, Black Hawk and other leaders were later captured when they surrendered to the US forces and were then imprisoned for a year.
In 1830, U.S. President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act which required all Native Americans to relocate to areas west of the Mississippi River. That same year, Governor Gilmer of Georgia signed an act which claimed for Georgia all Cherokee territories within the boundaries of Georgia. The Cherokees protested the act and the case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Worcester v. Georgia, ruled in 1832 that the United States, not Georgia, had rights over the Cherokee territories and Georgia laws regarding the Cherokee Nation were voided. President Jackson didn’t enforce the ruling and the Cherokees did not cede their land and Georgia held a land lottery anyway for white settlers.
Florida is 27th state.
English and Catalan: occupational name for a merchant, from Old French mercier, merchier (see Mercier ). In Middle English the term was applied particularly to someone who dealt in textiles, especially the more costly and luxurious fabrics such as silks, satin, and velvet.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Possible Related NamesThe following is Mercer family verbal history. During the American Civil War family members were joining the Confedercy to fight the invading Yankees. One day a troop of U.S. Calvary came by the Merce …
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