Mrs. Louis Mercier Window

 

The Mrs. L. Mercier, Class No. 7 Window

Mrs. L. Mercier was the wife of Louis Mercier. She was Virginia “Virgie” A. Peck Mercier. The A. may have been Antoinette after her mother.

Louis was born May 15, 1852, in Buckingham, Quebec, Canada (?). In 1891, he was a grocer in Austin. See his ad at right.

In 1910, he was a carpenter and contractor. In a census record, Louis said he immigrated to the US in 1856. If true, he would have come at the age of four. On his death certificate, it says Louis had lived 30 years in Austin. This is not correct, as he appears in an 1887 Austin directory.

Virginia was born in Pennsylvania on August 5, 1860. She was the daughter of Alfred and Marie Antoinette White Peck. Alfred was born in Pennsylvania, and Marie in New York. In 1870, the family was in Binghamton Ward 1, Broome, New York. Alfred was a house builder. They had two daughters, Jennie T. and Virginia A. Jennie is seven years older than Virgie. Both daughters are listed as being born in New York, however, all later records report Virgie born in Pennsylvania.

The Peck family came to Austin about 1871. They are in the 1880 census, where Alfred is listed as a carpenter. Jennie was a dressmaker. Alfred died in 1896. Jennie married contractor, R. C. Lambie (1852–1931). After her marriage, she was always listed as Emogene T. Lambie (1853–1927). Virginia and Louis were married about 1881. They had a daughter, Jennie Marie, who was born March, 1891, in Austin. One census shows a cousin of Louis’, Lucile Phelps, living with them. Their home was 96 Red River. Jennie married David Woods, a postal carrier. They continued to live in the family home. Virginia died June 19, 1925, at the age of 64. Her death certificate informant was Mrs. J. D. Miller. Louis lived eight years longer, dying December 26, 1933. They were both buried in Oak Wood Cemetery in Austin, Texas. It is likely that Louis was a Catholic.