Re: Mary Riser+James Harwell ,TX

Hi,

My Mary Mercer was born probably after 1762 as her husband, Ebenezer Fain was born August 27, 1762 in Chester County, PA.She died February 11, 1846 in Gilmer Co., GA although one source has her at her son, David's home in a different county.Apparently Mary and Ebenezer Fain didn't have tombstones or they were primitive and nothing remains to be read.

The migration pattern of the Fain's has been pretty well documented.Ebenezer was born in Chester County, PA.and moved with his father, Nicholas Fain, to Washington County, TN when this county would swing back and forth between NC, VA and TN.Nicholas and 5 sons fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain.Ebenezer went into the Rev. War at 14. Mary Mercer married a Mr. Black first and he apparently died in the Rev. War.She married Ebenezer Fain June 06, 1781, place unknown.I do have documentation that Mary was a Mercer.

There were Mercer's living in Greene Co., TN, adjacent to Washington Co.A Rev. John Mercer, who we believe was b. 1785
in Guilford Co. NC, m. June 1806 in Greene Co. TNto Ruth Clearwater. Ruth was the d. of Jacob Clearwater and Elizabeth Armstrong and documented to be Quakers.I've been told there was an established Quaker meeting house in Greene Co.TN---New Hope Monthly Meeting-- but John and Ruth's marriage was not recorded there, whereas other Clearwater siblings were.

We do not know who Rev. John's parents were or his siblings.We do not have any documentation that Rev. John was Quaker, he seemed to be migrating with Quaker families or desc. of Quaker families, who were from Chester Co. PA/VA migrations.And John's children and their desc. married other Quaker descendents.The fact that the migrations of the Fain and Mercer families were the same would lead one to conclude that Mary might be a sibling of John Mercer but that is not know to be a fact and I've tried not to get 'hung' on a supposition as I've done that in the past with other lines and found it clouds your thinking.

Documentation of Mary's name being Mercer is found in a statement by Susan(nah) Brown Nicholson that she knew of the marriage of Mary Mercer and Ebenezer Fain occurring.The Nicholason & Pinson families have close connections with the Mercer family and even named children with the given name of Mercer indicating blood ties.The Nicholason & Pinson families also followed the travel patterns of this family, Buncombe Co., NC, Pendleton, SC, and GA.Ebenezer and Mary lived in Buncombe Co., Pendleton, SC, Habersham Co., GA, and Gilmer Co., GA which is now Fannin Co.

After Polly Ann Fain married Harbert Harwell they moved onto Floyd Co., GA, Cherokee Co., AL and then to Itawamba Co., MS.

Hope this helps.Keep in touch as you progress in you Mercer search.

BTW, are you familiar with Genweb.com?They have many census records although not all.You might be able to see some GA census records there.

Ann

Descendants of Mary Mercer
                     
       1       Mary Mercer       1762 - 1846
..              +bef 1781 ??? Black       bef 1762 -
              *2nd Husband of Mary Mercer:       
..              +Ebenezer Fain       1762 - 1845
.........       2       David Nicholas Fain       1782 - 1852
.............              +Rebecca Moore       1786 -
.........       2       Margaret Fain abt 1786 - 1880
.............              +Henry Wetzel       bef 1786 -
.........              *2nd Husband of Margaret Fain:       
.............              +John Thomas       bef 1786 -
.........       2       Mercer Fain       1789 - 1850
.............              +Louisa       1811 - 1850
.........       2       Elizabeth Fain       1791 - 1870
.............              +John 'Jehu' Trammell       bef 1791 -
.........       2       Mary Ann Fain       1794 -
.............              +Samuel McJenkins       bef 1794 -
.........       2       Sarah Fain       1796 -
.............              +John Howard       bef 1796 -
.........       2       John Samuel Fain       1797 - 1873
.............              +Elizabeth Butts       1801 - 1888
.........       2       Rebecca Fain       1801 -
.............              +John Wilson Hughs       1805 -
.........       2       'Polly Ann' Mary Ann Fain       1804 - 1877
.............              +Harbert Harwell       1797 - 1873