An Illustrated Congressional Manual. The United States Red Book, 1896, (detail), Collection of U.S. House of Representatives

MERCER, David Henry, a Representative from Nebraska; born in Benton County, Iowa, July 9, 1857; moved with his parents to Adams County, Ill., in 1858; at the close of the Civil War moved with his parents to Brownville, Nebr., where he attended the public schools and was graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1880; was graduated from the law department of Michigan University at Ann Arbor in 1882; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Brownville, Nebr.; served one term as city clerk and police judge; moved to Omaha in 1885, and for several years was chairman of the Republican city and county committees; secretary of the Republican State central committee in 1896; elected secretary of the Republican National Congressional Committee in 1896; chairman of the Republican State Central committee of Nebraska in 1897 and 1898; elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1893-March 3, 1903); chairman, Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds (Fifty-fifth, Fifty-sixth, and Fifty-seventh Congresses); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1902 to the Fifty-eighth Congress; settled in Washington, D.C., and resumed the practice of law; died in Omaha, Nebr., January 10, 1919; interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery.