Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 5.djvu/19

Rh There were also two male members of this party, Daniel Pearson, the father of the Misses Pearson, and the other was, I think, the father of Kate Stevens.

The Seattle Gazette of May 28, 1864, says: "We neglected last week to notice the return home of our highly esteemed fellow citizen. Mr. Asa S. Meer, from the East, where he has been on a visit for the greater part of the past year. It is to the efforts of Mr. Mercer joined with the wishes of the darlings themselves—that the eleven accomplished and beautiful young ladies whose arrival was lately announced, have been added to our population. We understand that the number would have been fifty, as at first reported, but many were not able to prepare for the journey this season. The thanks of the whole community, and of the bachelors in particular, are due Mr. Mercer for his efforts in encouraging this much-needed kind of immigration. Mr. Mercer is the Union candidate for joint councilman for King and Kitsap counties, and all bachelors, old and young, may, on election day, have an opportunity of expressing, through the ballot box, their appreciation of his devoted ness to the cause of the Union, matrimonial an vell as national."

His efforts had been so much appreciated that he had been nominated unanimously to the upper house of the Territorial I.' u r islative Assembly. His opponent was -M. S. Drew, who then lived at Port Gamble, but has been for a great many years a prominent resident of Seattle. The total vote in King County was 14S, and in Kitsap County about 90. Mr. Mercer was elected by a considerable majority.

He served during the session ending the last days of January, 1865, and the first days of March following he was again on his way Kast on the same errand that had engaged him on his previous trip. A letter, dated April 17, 1865, at New York City, to his brother in Seattle, announces that he had just arrived, having been much delayed on the Isthmus. It also refers to the intense excitement existing over the assassination of President Lincoln, two days previous.

He went to work at once, and met with encouragement wherever he went. In three months lie thought his plans were so