January, 2006

Event: The Association of the Descendants of Henry Mershon, Inc.
Date: Saturday closest to September 20th
Location: Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Information: Organized at Trenton, New Jersey, on September 8th, 1923. The Association meets annually in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Mershon Name
MARCHAND (French) - MARCHANT (Middle-English) - MERCHANT (Modern-English) - MARSCHAN (Dutch) - Mershon (Phonetic)

Officers 2005

A NOTE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT

In September 1999, I nominated my son for “vice-president” of this grand and noble organization. David worked in Princeton and routinely drove through Lawrenceville. “What a fit”, I though,” David will have a wonderful opportunity to learn about our family and our Association.” I should have thought twice, because behind my back David and Lallie Benkowski were scheming to nominate me for president. What manner of escape did I have? I had just sentenced my son to a position that he clearly was not seeking but was graciously accepting. Now you know the story. David was a great help, especially for arranging the 2000 meeting. That year he videoed Weedier Stokes while she graciously showed him her home (elsewhere in this bulletin you will read of its Mershon significance). Now, for there rest of the story. In less than a year David had moved to Texas and five years later I am retiring. I learned early that many Faithful members of our Association give us continuity.

My attendance was recorded in 1939, 1977, 1999, and for the last five years. I reviewed old News Bulletins and learned, among many other things, that there is no “set” construction for this meeting. I also learned that for many years the meeting ended with an evening banquet. My experiences in Lawrenceville were a surge of activity for 4 to 6 hours and everything was over! This pattern was understandable because many members lived close to Lawrenceville, but today this is less so. I observed that for members who travel long distances a meeting of 4 to 6 hours left us feeling “empty”, craving for more to do, more to see, and more opportunities to meet and learn from other members. This was the impetus that, beginning in 2001, we have enjoyed an evening banquet and program. We have had some outstanding programs (morning and evening). Bill Trott, our illustrious genealogist, Lallie Benkowski, Diana Riciglano, Elaine Treddinick, the Old Barracks re-enactors and many others have been real troopers.

We have begun an industrious work to secure, restore, and preserve the many documents in the Mershon Room. The project includes transferring the information to a digital format and thus makes the material more accessible. We anticipate access via the internet. The tasks involves many hours of work by dedicated people and the need for money—so please respond generously to requests for financial aid and for help working on the project.

In the last five years we have witnessed the coming to life of our Mershon web site. This has been by the creative work of Donald Trott, under the direction of Bill Trott. This is a work in progress. Visit it often.

The position of president does involve much hard work but the work has been extremely rewarding. On September 24, we will inaugurate our next president, John Kaster. My association with John tells me that we are in for exciting time. John has many good thoughts. Look for more innovations. John will lead in our effort to renew our charter with the state of NJ and our tax-free status. Many of the executive board that has so enabled me will be on hand to help John.

James C. Mershon

Granite Field Boulder marking the grave of Henry Mershon in the cemetery at Lawrenceville (formerly Maidenhead), N.J. 5.5 ft. high, 3.75 ft. wide, 2 ft. thick. Weighing 4.5 tons, bearing the inscription “Here Lyeth Henry Mershon, who departeth this life it 20th Sept. 1738”

Minutes for the 2005 Mershon Annual Meeting

Lawrenceville, New Jersey
September 24, 2005

Call to Order: President Dr. Jim Mershon called our 2005 Annual Meeting to order at 9:45 AM in the Fellowship Hall of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, 2688 Main Street, Lawrenceville, NJ. About 45 persons attended. Lallie Benkowski led us in an Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Treasurer Report: Diana Riciglano reported a current balance of $5,107.31 on August 31, 2005 plus a Certificate of Deposit worth $12,832.90 as of August 26, 2005. There is about $900 in bills pending payment. We passed a basket for donations to the Association. (Total donations for 2005 are $2400!)

Election of Officers for 2006: Dr. Mershon reported on the slate of officer nominations proposed by the Executive Committee for next year and asked for nominations from the floor. There being none, the slate was voted upon:

Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church Cemetery:
Following lunch, Janet Fearon made an interesting presentation on the history of the Church Cemetery. Janet is the wife of Dana Fearon, former Church pastor for 40 years. The original Church Meeting House was built in 1713. The first burials in the Church Cemetery were two sisters in 1736. There are 212 graves around the Church, including nine Mershons. The last Church Cemetery burial was in 1923. Some grave markers were moved in 1954 to make room for construction of the Church Fellowship Hall. Mrs. Fearon provided a list of interred Mershons. The stone marking Henry IV, and his wife Sarah, is one that needs repairs.

Janet shared that in the 1720’s and 1730’s a theological split developed in the Presbyterian Church between “old side” and “new side” believers. At Maidenhead (now Lawrenceville), the “new side” believers outnumbered the “old side” believers. The “old side” believers took a more conservative view of religion Because of this division, the “old side” believers left the original church and obtained land to build a new church where the Lawrenceville Upper Cemetery is now located on the Lawrenceville-Princeton Road, about ½ mile towards Princeton from the Church. Henry Mershon II was apparently an “old side” believer, because in 1738 his was the first burial in what we now know as the Upper Cemetery. The Presbyterian Church eventually reconciled. A new church was never built at the Upper Cemetery location. A separate Cemetery Association, not connected to the Church, currently operates the Upper Cemetery. There are 27 Mershons buried in this Cemetery.

Grand Tour:
At 2 PM, we departed the Church for a tour of former Mershon land holdings around Lawrenceville. Guided by Bill O’Neal, we carpooled to the Andrew Mershon3 Tavern Site on Bear Tavern Road, Weedier Stokes’ home on the Lawrenceville-Princeton Road (former Houghton Mershon3 home), Princess Ville Tavern Site on Princeton Pike Road, and the former Peter Mershon3 and Henry Mershon3 lands that are now residential neighborhoods between Lawrenceville and Trenton. Henry Mershon2 purchased the land in 1708. Bill described Revolutionary War history about General Washington versus General Cornwallis at the site of the juncture of the Assunpink and Shabakunk Creeks. The tour ended after 5 PM.

Dinner and Evening Meeting:
Following dinner Lallie Benkowski gave an inspired portrayal of Miss Sarah Mershon of Cranbury, NJ, the subject of a circa 1817 portrait by Micah Williams, NJ, the subject of a circa 1817 portrait by Micah Williams. The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. now owns the Miss Sarah Mershon. Over the years, many cities throughout the United States enjoyed seeing it on exhibit. A standing ovation recognized Jim and Beverly Mershon for their five years of service to our Association. Noel Barton reported on his recommendations for preserving our family records stored in the Mershon Room at the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church (see the full minutes).

Recorded and submitted by Clare Mershon, acting recording Secretary (italics by editor)

Left: Bev, our corresponding secretary, at work. Right: Bill O’Neal, with the help of young Bill, Showing us the confluence of the Assunpink and Shabakunk creeks.

MORE NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Please notify our corresponding secretary, Beverly Mershon at bsmershon@aol.com if you can supply correct addresses for any “lost” members.

Is there anyone who is able and willing to take on the project to help us achieve a 501-C status? If so, please contact us. Our contributions could escalate with this provision. Please send contributions to Beverly Mershon, 7617 Donegal Lane, Wichita, KS 67206.

A tour on Friday afternoon included Andrew’s Tavern with a guided tour by present owner Elmer Smith. Mr. Smith is selling the property and this tour was possibly our last. Mr. Smith is exceptionally knowledgeable with our Mershon history. Clare Mershon had the foresight to have a professional video recording made. Mr. Smith narrates and Clare produced and edited the film. Clare, please accept our gratitude. The recording will be available on VHS and DVD formats. Contact ECMershon@aol.com. A copy of Janet Fearon’s talk, ” BURYING GROUNDS AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF LAWRENCEVILLE” is available by email packardjimbev@cox.net or by sending a SASE to Jim Mershon, 7617 Donegal Ln., Wichita, KS 67206.

The Grand Tour was a great success! I want to express thanks to several folks. Clare Mershon was of singular help! He had input to the overall planning, for arranging vans, for being acting Recording Secretary, and for planning the Friday tours to Princeton and Andrew’s Tavern. Future generations will value his successful effort to arrange for the production of a video/DVD of the tour through Andrews Tavern. We also extend our thanks to Weedie Stokes for graciously hosting tours of her house. This property is of Mershon interest because Henry2 and Houghton3 owned it, and Houghton probably built the original part of the house. Bill and Lauren O’Neal are new members. They live in Lawrenceville and show enthusiasm for the Association. Lauren represents the limb formed by the union of Hannah Mershon (Andrew3, Hannah4) and John Reeder. (This is also Weedie’s branch.) I urge you to look at their website http://billyandlaujrenoneal.home.att.net/. Bill made the maps for the tour, provided pertinent Mershon history, and led us to the lands of Henry3 and Peter3. We quit our conveyances and walked on the lands of these ancestors. We visited the junction of the Assunpink and Shabakunk creeks. These were exciting experiences! The minutes describe Lallie’s superb portrayal of “Miss Sarah Mershon”.

Please consider these three requests: update your addresses, relay your interest in becoming an officer, and tell us if you can help us achieve a 501-C status.We anticipate seeing you at the 2006 reunion the weekend of September 22, but watch for details.

Jim Mershon, President 2000-2005

MERSHON PUBLICATIONS

There are five books available. These are:

Portrait of Sarah Mershon

J. Mershon, President
7617 Donegal Ln
Wichita, KS 67216