Mercy Durant

     Mercy Durant was born in 1770 in Massachusetts.^3,4,5 She was the daughter of Jacob Durant and Mercy Farrar.^1,2 She married Asa Underwood on 31 March 1790 at Tyngsborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.^3,6 She died on 10 October 1850.⁷ She was buried in Woodbine Cemetery, Dracut (now Lowell), Middlesex County, Massachusetts.⁵
     
     Mercy's birth year is a best guess based on the following dates: On 24 October 1838, Mercy was 66 (pension application); in 1840, 60-under 70 (1 June 1840 U.S. Census); on 16 September 1843, 72 (pension application); on 29 July 1848, 77 (pension application);³ on 23 September 1850, 79 (U.S. Census); on 10 October 1850, 80 (gravestone). Therefore, she was born between 1770 and 1772, 1769 having been ruled out because of the marriage date of her parents. Furthermore, if her age is correct on both the 1850 census and her gravestone, she was born after 23 September and before 11 October 1770. This is not contradicted by any but the first named source.

     Mercy Durant was named in the distribution of her grandmother Deborah Farrar's estate ordered at Chelmsford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, on 20 September 1810: "pay to the children & grand children of Mercy deceased who was a daughter & the wife of Jacob Durant; viz... to Asa Underwood & Mercy his wife in her right she being daughter of the first named Mercy..."⁸

     The Revolutionary Claims Act of 7 July 1838 granted five year pensions to widows whose marriages had taken place before 1 January 1794. These pensions were continued by acts of 3 March 1843, 17 June 1844, and 2 February 1848. Along with her application, each widow who applied for a pension had to prove eligibility by documenting her marriage and her deceased husband's service in the Revolution. She also had to swear to and present evidence, usually sworn affidavits, that she had not remarried. The whole process had to be repeated every five years.

     Under the 1838 act Mercy Durant was issued a Certificate of Pension on 17 January 1839. She was inscribed on the roll of Massachusetts at the rate of $26.67 per annum to commence on 4 March 1836. Arrears to 4 September 1838 were paid in the amount of $80.00. She applied for a widow's pension again in 1843 and was issued a Certificate of Pension on 21 December 1843. Her pension was continued under the 1844 act, and in 1849 she applied once again and was issued a Certificate of Pension on 29 January 1849. The amount per annum was the same throughout.³

     Although by most or all accounts Mercy died in Dracut, in all likelihood she died in Hooksett, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, where she was living with her daughter Mercy Burbank only seventeen days prior. In any case, her death is not recorded in Dracut town records.⁴ The following inscription is on her gravestone:

Mother
In memory of Mercy
Wife of Asa Underwood
Died October 10, 1850
Age 80
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.⁹