David Henry Mercer (July 9, 1857 – January 10, 1919) was an American Republican Party politician. Born in

Benton County, Iowa Benton County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,575. Its county seat and largest city is Vinton. The county is named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri. Benton County is ...

on July 9, 1857, he moved with his parents to

Adams County, Illinois Adams County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 65,737. Its county seat is Quincy. Adams County is part of the Quincy, IL– MO Micropolitan Statistical Area. His ...

in 1858. After the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

he moved again to

Brownville, Nebraska Brownville is a village in Nemaha County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 142 at the 2020 census. History Established in 1854 and incorporated in 1856, Brownville was the largest town in the Nebraska Territory, with a population ...

. He graduated from the

University of Nebraska A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

in 1880 and the law department of

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

in 1882. He was admitted to the bar and set up practice back in Brownville serving one term as city clerk and police judge. He moved to

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

in 1885 and was for several years was chairman of the Republican city and county committees. He was the secretary of the Republican State central committee in 1896 and elected secretary of the Republican National Congressional Committee in the same year. In 1897 he was chairman of the Republican State Central committee of Nebraska in 1897 and 1898. He was elected as a Republican to the

Fifty-third United States Congress The 53rd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from March 4, 189 ...

and to the four succeeding Congresses serving from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1903. During his time as representatives, he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds during the Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, and Fifty-seventh Congresses. He unsuccessfully ran for reelection in 1902. Afterwards, he settled in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

resuming his practice of law. He died in Omaha on January 10, 1919, and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, in Omaha.

References

# # * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, David Henry 1857 births 1919 deaths Nebraska lawyers University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni University of Michigan Law School alumni Washington, D.C., Republicans Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska People from Benton County, Iowa People from Adams County, Illinois People from Brownville, Nebraska Politicians from Omaha, Nebraska 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives