Mercer, Campbell

DESCRIPTION

NameMercer, CampbellOccupationFarmerBiographyCampbell Mercer was born in Northern Ireland c.1820. He married Jane Connor in 1839, and they came to Sydney on the 'New York Packet' in 1841 with other immigrants, as part of the Bounty Scheme.

The scheme allowed colonists to select emigrants from Britain and Ireland to live in Australia, ‘receiving from the colonial government a bounty equal or nearly equal to the cost of the passage’.

The Mercers’ farmed on the Peterborough Estate at Shellharbour, Barrack Head (Barrack Point) and Terry’s Meadows at Albion Park.

Campbell and Jane had several children;

James b.1839 (married Jessie Fleming, died 1905, Newtown)
Margaret b.1844 (died 1888, Albion Park)
Martha b.1846 (died 1851, Albion Park)
George b.1849
William b.1851

In 1855, Campbell Mercer built the Steam Packet Hotel on the southern side of Addison Street between Wentworth and Wollongong Street. He leased the hotel to David Moon of Sydney.

The hotel was the centre of social life and public meetings, dinners, and a base for travellers. Remains of the 1856 historic Steam Packet Hotel were demolished in about 1978, and the site was left as vacant land until 2004.

Campbell Mercer died from spinal injuries inflicted from the fall off a horse on his property in 1869, aged 49.

External LinkMarried Jessie Mercer 1860Caution Trespass Barrack Head Paddock 1860Carter VS Mercer Assault 1860Shellharbour Sale 1861Shellharbour Sale 1861Wanted Advertisement 1866Mount Terry Farm Sale 1868Serious Accident 1869In the Supreme Court of New South Wales 1869Death Miss Mercer 1888Death Maggie Mercer 1888Death James Mercer 1905Death Mrs James Mercer 1913

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