12 Facts About Jesse Mercer

Jesse Mercer was an American Baptist minister and eponym of Mercer University in the US state of Georgia.

Silas Jesse Mercer founded several pioneer churches and convinced his son to follow him into the ministry.

Jesse Mercer was baptized by his father at the age of 17, married Sabrina Chivers of Wilkes County at age 19, and was formally ordained into the ministry at age 20.

In 1796, Jesse Mercer succeeded his father as pastor of the Phillips' Mill Church, which he served for 37 years.

Jesse Mercer served as pastor of Bethesda Church, Powell's Creek Church, in Hancock County, Georgia, and the Baptist Church at Eatonton, Putnam County, Georgia.

Jesse Mercer was president of the Georgia Baptist Convention for 19 years, from its founding in 1822 until his death in 1841.

Jesse Mercer then moved to Washington, Georgia, and in December 1827 married Nancy Simons, a wealthy widow who joined him in making large gifts to Mercer Institute, a boys' manual labor school organized by the Georgia Baptist Convention in Penfield, Georgia.

Jesse Mercer provided a founding endowment and served as the first chairman of the school's board of trustees.

Jesse Mercer published a popular hymnal titled Cluster of Spiritual Songs in 1810.

Jesse Mercer published a temperance newspaper in Washington, Georgia, though he at first was against the temperance movement.

In 1828, Jesse Mercer became the first pastor of Washington Baptist Church where he served until his death.

Jesse Mercer died in 1841 and is buried in Penfield Cemetery, Penfield, Georgia.