Thomas Mercer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Mercer
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Thomas Mercer c. 1890
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| King County Commissioner | |
| In office January 1, 1854 – July 1, 1858 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur A. Denny |
| Succeeded by | John H. Nagle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 11, 1813 Harrison County, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 25, 1898 (aged 85) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Judge Thomas Mercer (born March 11, 1813 – died May 25, 1898) was an important pioneer. He helped shape the early history of Seattle, a major city in the United States.
Contents
Thomas Mercer's Life Story
Early Years and Family Background
Thomas Mercer was born in Harrison County, Ohio, on March 11, 1813. He was the oldest son of Aaron and Jane Mercer. His father, Aaron, moved to Ohio when he was young. Aaron Mercer learned how to make wool blankets and cloth. He successfully ran his own factory for many years.
Life in Illinois
In 1834, Thomas Mercer and his family moved to Princeton, Illinois. As the oldest of fourteen children, Thomas learned mostly through hard work. He was a bright and active boy. He was especially good at math and working with machines.
Thomas worked in his father's factory from a young age. By 14, he was the foreman, which means he was in charge. He ran the factory until 1834. Then, his family moved to Illinois to start farming. In 1830, young Mercer opened a small store in Princeton. He ran it for a year but then went back to farming.
In 1837, he helped divide Putnam County to create Bureau County. He was chosen to be the clerk for the new county. However, he soon gave up the job because it only paid 25 cents a day.
Family and Moving West
In 1838, Thomas Mercer married Nancy Brigham in Princeton. They continued farming until 1851. In April 1852, he sold his farm and, with his wife and four children, traveled west. They crossed the plains to Oregon using horse teams. Other future Seattle pioneers, Dexter Horton and William H. Shoudy, were in the same group. Sadly, Mrs. Mercer became sick and passed away during the journey. This left Thomas with four young children to care for.
New Beginnings in the Pacific Northwest
After his wife's death, Mercer spent the winter of 1852-1853 in Salem, Oregon. He bought half of a blacksmith shop and worked very long hours. Food was very expensive back then. In the summer of 1853, he moved his children to Puget Sound. They traveled by boat and then by wagon. He arrived in Seattle on August 25, 1853.
He claimed 160 acres (about 0.65 square kilometers) of land. This land is now part of Seattle. Thomas Mercer brought the first wagon to Seattle. His land was not near the water, so young men helped him clear a path for his wagon. For many years, he helped transport goods for the town. In 1854, he built a simple wooden house.
Mercer was a hard worker and had new ideas. He became a leading farmer in the area. For seven years, he raised his four children by himself. All of them grew up to be adults.
In 1859, Mercer married Loretta H. Ward in Salem, Oregon. They returned to Seattle, and he continued farming. When King County was formed in 1854, Mercer was one of the first commissioners. In 1858, he was elected as a judge and served for ten years. As Seattle grew, he divided some of his land into lots for homes. He named these areas Eden and West Seattle. Selling these properties made him quite wealthy.
How Seattle's Lakes Got Their Names
Thomas Mercer is famous for naming two large lakes in Seattle. Before, these lakes had Native American names. At Seattle's first Fourth of July picnic in 1854, he suggested new names. He proposed calling the larger lake Lake Washington after George Washington. The Duwamish tribe called this lake Xacuabš, meaning "great-amount-of-water."
Mercer renamed the smaller lake, XáXu7cHoo ("small great-amount-of-water"), to Lake Union. This name hinted at a future idea: connecting Lake Washington to Puget Sound with canals. This idea later became the Lake Washington Ship Canal. In 1883, he built a large house in Seattle, overlooking a smaller cottage he built in 1854.
Later Life and Passing
Thomas Mercer passed away on May 25, 1898. He had four daughters.
Images for kids
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Thomas Mercer c. 1890
