Benjamin (Benn) Mercer (1849-1933) was a farmer in Aughlish Townland. His parents were Samuel & Elizabeth (Witherow) Mercer. His first wife, Martha Witherow (daughter of James Witherow) was also from Aughlish. They had twin daughters (Annie & Mary) born in April 1880. Sadly, both girls died before they were three months old, and their mother died in September of the same year.
Benn married a second time, in 1881, to Elizabeth Long (daughter of Andrew Long) who was from Killenau {?} Their first son, Samuel was born in 1882, and the family emigrated to Canada the following year from Londonderry on the S.S. Peruvian, while Elizabeth was pregnant with their second child.
They arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 15 Apr 1883, and then initially settled in Manitoba. They had four more children between 1883-1887, who were born near Brandon, Manitoba: Matilda (Tilly), Robert, Elizabeth & Benjamin (Hans).
The 1891 Census of Canada shows them as living in the Vancouver, British Columbia area, so they moved west to BC between 1887 & 1891. Benn was working as a farm labourer. They eventually settled in Matsqui, British Columbia where Benn purchased & farmed land on a road that now bears his name (Mercer Road), and Benn & Elizabeth are buried in the Mercer Mausoleum (family vault) in Hazelwood Cemetery (Abbotsford, BC).
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 9th Oct 1849 | |
| Date of Death | 31st May 1933 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Father (First Name/s and Surname) | Samuel Mercer | |
| Mother (First Name/s and Maiden) | Elizabeth Witherow | |
| Occupation | farmer | |
| Spouse (First Name/s and Maiden/Surname) | Martha Witherow, Elizabeth Long | |
| Names of Children | Annie & Mary, Samuel, Matilda (Tilly), Robert, Elizabeth & Benjamin (Hans) | |
| Number of Children | 7 | |
| Place & Date of Marriage | 1881 | VIEW SOURCE |
| Place of Death | Mercer Mausoleum (family vault) in Hazelwood Cemetery (Abbotsford, BC) | |
