Another Historical Exploration

On my birthday this past Monday Liz, Anna and I went to High Halden, Kent, south east of London, to visit the hometown of Stephen Mercer. He was the father of Rinnie Mercer Fuller and maternal grandfather of my maternal grandfather, Harlow Mercer Fuller.

We visited St Mary’s Church in the village of High Halden, which is a Church of England church. You can find information and see pictures of it at www.thefriendsofstmarys.org and at www.kentchurches.info by looking under High Halden. This church dates to the 13^th century. We didn’t look for gravestones there since I don’t have any indication we have ancestors buried there. According to the information I have, Stephen Mercer and all his six siblings were born in High Halden, so they may well have been baptized in that church. In about 1829 they all immigrated to NY state and did well there.

We visited St. Mildred’s C of E church in Tenterden, a larger town just a few miles from High Halden, and found John & Mary Mercer’s gravestone. They were the grandparents of Stephen Mercer. The dates fit with the family records and “The Mercer Family” dates. Some of the inscription is unclear, especially around the lower names, presumably of other children who died at younger ages and are buried in that site. Nearby is the stone for Thomas and Charlotte Mercer of a younger generation (died 1849 & 1874), but I don't know how they might be related. If you want to download the pictures in this post just right-click on them as choose “save as”. Paul