The daughter of John and Margaret Bassett Wathen, Annie was born June 5, 1864, near Morganfield, Ky. She attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy during the school term 1880-1881. When she returned to the Academy in September that same year, she was called home by the sudden death of her father on January 1, 1882. Annie remained at home until September 1883 when she returned to Mount Saint Joseph for the school year. On March 21, 1884, Annie traveled to Louisville to enter the novitiate of the Ursulines at Immaculate Conception. Following a four-month postulancy, Annie received the Ursuline habit on July 15, 1884, and the name Sister Mercedes. She was the second student from Mount Saint Joseph Academy to enter the Ursuline Order at Louisville.
Following her profession of vows at Immaculate Conception Convent in Louisville, Sister Mercedes was assigned to Mount Saint Joseph Academy in 1886 to serve as portress and infirmarian. In 1911, Sister Mercedes was assigned to St. Elizabeth School at Curdsville, Ky. In 1913, she was elected zelatrice (secretary) of the newly autonomous Ursuline community. She held that office until 1929. During all this time, Sister Mercedes continued to serve as infirmarian for the Academy and the convent.
From December 1929 until her death on November 20, 1943, Sister Mercedes was off duty and lived in the west wing of the convent. The Requiem Mass for Sister Mercedes was celebrated by Msgr. Gilbert Henninger, chaplain. Bishop Francis R. Cotton and eight other priests were in the sanctuary. Sister Mercedes’‘ remains rest in the convent cemetery.