Mercy Merrill Biography

Biography for Mercy Merrill (2^nd Great Grandmother)

Mercy was born June 21, 1822 in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York.[1] She died in Joplin, Jasper, Missouri at the home of her son, Eugene, on February 21, 1901 at the age of 78.[2] She had been visiting her son for three weeks when her death occurred. She lived in Leavenworth County, Kansas. This was two years after her husband, Orsman, died. She is buried in Mount Muncie Cemetery in Leavenworth, Leavenworth, Kansas.[3]

Gravestone for Orsman and Mercy, from findagrave.com; also, on the stone are 2 of their grandchildren, Charles Markham (died in 1881 at age 4) and Bertel (died in 1889 at age 5), both children of their son Henry.

Her parents are Heman Merrill and Amelia Hawkins. Heman was born March 27, 1791 in Fabius, Onondaga, New York and died November 13, 1871 in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York. Amelia was born December 2, 1793 in Massachusetts and died January 16, 1865 in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York.

Mercy and Orsman Markham were married on February 14, 1841, in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York.[4]

Mercy and Orsman had the following children:

Solon Markham, born April 22, 1842, Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York; married Elizabeth Ann Gregg, 1869, Kansas; died June 20, 1922, Bourbon County, Kansas.
Eugene A. Markham, born July 22, 1844, Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York; married Sarah Jane Lee, October 22, 1865, Kansas, USA; died February 25, 1922, Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas.
Ann Eliza Markham, born on May 13, 1848 in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York. She died on June 2, 1850 at the age of 2, according to the Merrill Genealogy book (page 30). She is buried in Markham Cemetery in Dayton, New York.
Henry J. Markham, born May 4, 1850, Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York; married Emma Myers, December 29, 1870; died 1929, Monterey County, California.

Narrative:

Mercy was born in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York. According to census records she could read and write. She is listed as Maria on several census records, but some also show her as Mercy. She is shown to be a house keeper on census records and would have certainly helped take care of their farm in addition to raising their children. Moving from New York to Illinois, then to three different places in Kansas would have been a lot of change for the couple to deal with together.

She got married to Orsman in Dayton and lived there until sometime between 1850 and 1855, when they moved to Salina, Kankakee, Illinois.

They owned land in Dayton according to the 1850 Census, but no land records for this were found at the Cattaraugus County Clerk’s office. Perhaps this was land given to them by her father (or even father-in-law). They bought two tracts of 80 acres in Salina, both were mortgaged.[5]

From these land transactions in Salina, we can see that in 1854 they first bought 80 acres in section 1, township 31, range 10 for $100. Then they mortgaged this land for $306 for 6 months. Three years later they mortgaged this same land again, for $360 for one year. They sold this land in 1860 for $100.

They bought a second tract of 80 acres in STR 3-30-10 for $100 in 1857. Then they mortgaged this land for $145 for one year. They sold this land in 1858 for $1000.

In 1858 the couple made another mortgage transaction. They mortgaged 5 horses, 11 cattle, a horse wagon with harnesses and a reaper and mower for $1200 to be paid in 6 months.[6]

There is no record found of default or any court records involving these land transactions or mortgages, so they must have paid them in full.

In 1859 Mercy and Orsman moved their family to Kansas, in Turkey Creek, Bourbon County. They owned land according to the 1860 Census, but again no land records for this were found in the Bourbon County Clerk’s office. Their son Solon did acquire land here which is shown on an 1878 map (Section 21, Township 24, Range 22).[7] Perhaps this was originally Orsman’s land that he gave to his son, or maybe he had land nearby that was not recorded for some reason. During the Civil War (1861-1865) Orsman was a sutler.[8] A sutler was a civilian who was authorized to operate a store on or near a military camp, post, or fort. He could sell goods and items that were not considered necessary or supplied by the army. Mercy and Orsman would have been in Kansas when it became a state in 1861.

By 1865 they were in Leavenworth County, Kansas and by 1870 had settled in Fairmount. This was their home the rest of their lives. Here they acquired 60 acres (section 12, township 10, range 22).[9]

In 1875 Orsman and Mercy mortgaged these 60 acres of land for $300 to Norman M. Allen. This was a 3 year mortgage at $100 per year. Norman lived in Cattaraugus County, NY, and is the lawyer that represented Orsman in the probate case against his brother, Henry J. Markham. Norman married Mercy’s sister, Huldah Merrill. So, he was her brother-in-law.[10] A newspaper real estate transfer posting shows Orsman being the recipient of these 60 acres in October, 1878, in a transfer from Israel Sheldon of Orange County, New Jersey.[11] The sale price was listed as $200. This may have been the result of paying off the 1875 mortgage, at the end of which Orsman would have owned the land free and clear. But it is not known why Sheldon is the person transferring the land.

Fairmount was started in 1864, its name came from being located on a fair mound of land. The village had a large cider mill and apple butter factory.[12] This may be why Mercy and Orsman had so many apple and other fruit trees.

In 1872 and 1873 they were on the delinquent taxes list for their 60 acres in Fairmount.[13]^,[14] There are no court records showing that their land was seized and sold, so they must have eventually paid the amount due or somehow worked it out with the County office.

In March, 1898, their house burned down along with their belongings. This must have been devastating to them.[15] It is not clear if they were able to rebuild this house or not. Orsman died a year later at the age of 81. No will has been found, so everything would have likely gone to Mercy. They had previously sold part of their land to their son Henry. Mercy died in 1901 in Joplin, Missouri at her son, Eugene’s home. She had been staying with her son Henry before that while she was ill.

Mercy lived in the following places:

1822 – She was born in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York.

1830 – The family is still in Dayton, Cattaraugus, New York.[16].[17]

1835 – Still in Dayton.[18]

1840 – Still in Dayton.[19]

1850 – The family remained in Dayton.[20] They own property valued at $1440 and Orsman is a farmer. This is from the census record; no land record has been found.

1855 – The family had moved to Salina, Kankakee, Illinois.[21] The value of their livestock on the census is $200.

1859 – The family moved to Bourbon County, Kansas. The source of this date is from Orsman’s obituary, but it just says “came to Kansas in 1859”. They are on the Bourbon County census the next year.[22]

1860 – Mercy and Orsman are in Turkey Creek, Bourbon County, Kansas.[23] Their value of Real Estate is $700 and Personal Estate is $800. This is from the census record; no land record has been found. They had 10 acres of improved land, 150 acres unimproved, 4 cows, 2 working oxen, 4 other cattle, and 8 pigs. The value of livestock is $180.

1865 – By this time the family had moved to Delaware, Leavenworth, Kansas.[24] There is no value of Real Estate, so they must not own the land they are living on. Personal Estate is valued at $500. The Kansas State Census record lists the location as Delaware Railroad land, with Delaware being the Post Office.

1870 – Mercy and her family are in Fairmount, Leavenworth, Kansas (his name is written as Oliver, which has been corrected on Ancestry.com). Their Real estate value is $4000 and Personal Estate is $400.[25] This is from the census record; no land record has been found. According to the Agriculture Schedule they had 120 acres (all improved), the farm was valued at $4000, the value of farm equipment was $75, 4 horses, 2 milk cows, 2 other cattle, 17 swine, the value of all livestock was $500, 2000 bushels of Indian corn and 200 bushels of oats.[26]

1875 – They are still in Fairmount, Leavenworth, Kansas, and living next to their son, Eugene and Sarah Jane. Their farm is valued at $100 and personal property at $150.[27]

1877 – Still in Fairmount. On a statistical roll for the Elk County, they had 40 acres of improved land, 12 acres fenced but not cultivated, 8 acres of rye, 35 acres of corn, 2 acres of Irish potatoes, 6 acres of Millet and Hungarian, 100 acres of old corn on hand, 12 acres of meadow, $40 of poultry and eggs sold during the year, 60 pounds of chess was made and 200 pounds of butter, 1 horse, 3 milk cows, 1 other cattle, 4 swine, 75 apple trees, 20 peach trees, 200 cherry trees, 1/3 acre of blackberries and ½ acre of strawberries.[28]

1880 – Still in Fairmount. Orsman was a farmer.[29] On the Agricultural Schedule he had 70 acres of improved land, 10 acres of improved meadow, the value of the farm was $4000, the value of farm equipment was $50, value of livestock $200, value of all farm produce $800, 2 horses, 3 milk cows, 2 other cattle, 150 pounds of butter were made, 11 swine, 9 poultry, 200 eggs, 40 acres of Indian corn, 2000 bushels of Indian corn, 2 acres of apple orchard, 100 apple trees, 50 bushels of apples, 2 acres of peaches, 100 peach trees, value orchard items produced was $40, 1/6 acre of grapes, 100 pounds of grapes sold.[30]

1885 – They remained in Fairmount. They lived next to their son, Henry, who they sold part of their land to in 1883.[31]

1895 – They were still in Fairmount. Orsman is likely still a farmer, but the occupation written by the enumerator is not readable.[32]

1899 – Her husband Orsman died September 7, 1899 in Wallula, Leavenworth, Kansas at their son Henry’s house.[33]

1900 – A newspaper article dated October 30 says Mrs. O Markham is ill at the home of her son Henry in Wallula, Kansas.[34]

1901 – Mercy dies on February 21 at the home of her son, Eugene, in Joplin, Missouri,