The First Families of Mercer County honors descendants of individuals who settled in Mercer County, Ohio, during its earliest decades. Founded to preserve the memory of these pioneers and to encourage the study of the county’s formative history, the society welcomes members who can document direct descent from an ancestor living in the county before 1860.
Membership not only celebrates the contributions of these settlers but also fosters public interest in preserving the county’s historic sites, genealogical records, and pioneer narratives. By documenting lineages and sharing family histories, members help maintain a living connection to Mercer County’s heritage.
Zebulon, Sarah, and Eunice Marcella Burch
The Burch family’s story in Mercer County begins with Zebulon Burch (1809–1865), a native of New York who migrated west with his wife Sarah (c. 1825–1897) in the mid-nineteenth century. By 1860, they had settled in Union Township, Mercer County, Ohio, where Zebulon farmed and the family established themselves in the growing rural community.
Their daughter, Eunice Marcella Burch (1855–1909), was born in Mercer County, Ohio. She married William Rees (1834–1886) and together they raised a family in nearby Shelby County. Eunice remained closely tied to her Mercer County roots, with many of her relatives continuing to live in the area.
Life in Mercer County
The Burch household appears in the 1860 U.S. Census for Mercer County, with Zebulon listed as a farmer in Union Township. Like many families of the era, they relied on a small to mid-sized farm carved from woodland, producing a mix of subsistence crops and market goods. Such farms formed the backbone of Mercer County’s rural economy in the mid-nineteenth century, and families like the Burches contributed to its agricultural output, local churches, and civic life. Zebulon’s death in 1865 and Sarah’s in 1866 were marked by burial in local cemeteries, though some family graves from this period remain unmarked or have lost their stones.
Membership in the First Families of Mercer County
Through my descent from Zebulon, Sarah, and Eunice Marcella Burch, I am honored to celebrate the family’s role in Mercer County’s formative years. Their story mirrors that of many settlers, migration from older states, the establishment of a homestead in Ohio’s rural landscape, and the raising of a family whose lives became intertwined with the history of the county.
Or you can download the PDF here.
Additional memberships will be added as they are approved.