Ato (Mr.) Mersha Nahusenay (አቶ መርሻ ናሁሠናይ) was born about 1850  near the town of Ankober, the former capital of Shewa.

According to oral history, Mersha came from a family of priests.
His parents were strict followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox faith and religion played a central role in their life.
Mersha's childhood was hence heavily influenced by events involving the Church where he was also baptized.
Family lore further indicates that his father possessed a land given to him in return for the service he rendered to the church.
In addition to holding lands, churches at the time received considerable assistance from the royal palace which they then used to provide key services to their members and communities, including the education of children.
Thus Mersha was taught reading and writing at an early age and received traditional church education.
Whether or not he had any siblings remains unknown although the name Mersha in the Amharic language implies a desire to forget a traumatic experience such as the loss of a previous child.

Growing up, Mersha spent a great deal of time on the farm with his parents.
He traveled to various places within Shewa and beyond allowing him to interact with a diverse group of people and explore opportunities which existed for a career in a secular field.
 For example, early on he learned to appreciate the importance local as well as foreign languages.
Beyond these sketchy details, little is known about Mersha's early life at this point.
It is unclear, for example, if he had royal ancestry.
 The fact that he was later married to the daughter of one of Menilek's trusted servants suggests, however, that the family had close ties to the palace.

Overall there is little doubt that Mersha's formative and early adulthood experiences helped him prepare for his long and illustrious public career.
It's worth noting that today Ankober is one of many districts (woredas) of Ethiopia.
But back then, it was the capital of one of several powerful kingdoms.
The following quote encapsulates the vitality of the Ankober area at the time:
 
The early nineteenth-century Shawan royal capital of Ankober was a spectacular sight, ‘perched at 2400 meters atop a volcanic cone above the steep escarpment of the eastern highlands’.
It commanded a prosperous, cosmopolitan and culturally diverse polity.
Founded as a frontier outpost in the late-eighteenth century, fifty years later Ankober stood amidst a rich agricultural area and controlled the Red Sea trade through regional markets such as Aliyu Amba.
Visited by Muslim merchants and traders from the Mediterranean, and a busy ecclesiastical base of Orthodox theology, Ankober was a lively commercial and intellectual center.

By mid-19th century, Ankober had established trade and diplomatic ties with the outside world.
 As a result, there was strong public interest in international affairs, foreign languages, history, geography and medicine, as well as the design, manufacturing and function of machines and tools as documented by missionaries.

Under Menilek, the last ruler of Shewa (1865–1889), Ankober rapidly evolved into a vibrant political and economic center.
Trade was expanded to the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea via Harar.

Mersha also grew up in one of the most consequential periods in the nation's history.
The second half of the nineteenth century was a turning point in the sense that it marked the end a long period of deep divisions within and between the various kingdoms located in the northern part of the country known as the Era of Princes or Zemene Mesafint (1769–1855).
Emperor Tewodros (Tewodros II) was the first ruler (1855–1868) in the modern era to try and unify the northern kingdoms.
Included in Tewodros' vision also was the introduction of European-style civilization.
His efforts were cut short however by internal resistance and external challenges as well as his untimely death.
Emperor Yohannes (Yohannes IV) further pursued the unification agenda during his reign (1872–1889), but he was unfortunately killed in a war with Mahdist Sudan.
Emperor Menelik II (18
Ato (Mr.) Mersha Nahusenay (አቶ መርሻ ናሁሠናይ) was born about 1850  near the town of Ankober, the former capital of Shewa.
According to oral history, Mersha came from a family of priests. His parents were strict followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox faith and religion played a central role in their life. Mersha's childhood was hence heavily influenced by events involving the Church where he was also baptized. Family lore further indicates that his father possessed a land given to him in return for the service he rendered to the church. In addition to holding lands, churches at the time received considerable assistance from the royal palace which they then used to provide key services to their members and communities, including the education of children. Thus Mersha was taught reading and writing at an early age and received traditional church education. Whether or not he had any siblings remains unknown although the name Mersha in the Amharic language implies a desire to forget a traumatic experience such as the loss of a previous child.
Growing up, Mersha spent a great deal of time on the farm with his parents. He traveled to various places within Shewa and beyond allowing him to interact with a diverse group of people and explore opportunities which existed for a career in a secular field.  For example, early on he learned to appreciate the importance local as well as foreign languages. Beyond these sketchy details, little is known about Mersha's early life at this point. It is unclear, for example, if he had royal ancestry.  The fact that he was later married to the daughter of one of Menilek's trusted servants suggests, however, that the family had close ties to the palace.
Overall there is little doubt that Mersha's formative and early adulthood experiences helped him prepare for his long and illustrious public career. It's worth noting that today Ankober is one of many districts (woredas) of Ethiopia. But back then, it was the capital of one of several powerful kingdoms. The following quote encapsulates the vitality of the Ankober area at the time:
 
The early nineteenth-century Shawan royal capital of Ankober was a spectacular sight, ‘perched at 2400 meters atop a volcanic cone above the steep escarpment of the eastern highlands’. It commanded a prosperous, cosmopolitan and culturally diverse polity. Founded as a frontier outpost in the late-eighteenth century, fifty years later Ankober stood amidst a rich agricultural area and controlled the Red Sea trade through regional markets such as Aliyu Amba. Visited by Muslim merchants and traders from the Mediterranean, and a busy ecclesiastical base of Orthodox theology, Ankober was a lively commercial and intellectual center.
By mid-19th century, Ankober had established trade and diplomatic ties with the outside world.  As a result, there was strong public interest in international affairs, foreign languages, history, geography and medicine, as well as the design, manufacturing and function of machines and tools as documented by missionaries. 
Under Menilek, the last ruler of Shewa (1865–1889), Ankober rapidly evolved into a vibrant political and economic center. Trade was expanded to the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea via Harar.
Mersha also grew up in one of the most consequential periods in the nation's history. The second half of the nineteenth century was a turning point in the sense that it marked the end a long period of deep divisions within and between the various kingdoms located in the northern part of the country known as the Era of Princes or Zemene Mesafint (1769–1855). Emperor Tewodros (Tewodros II) was the first ruler (1855–1868) in the modern era to try and unify the northern kingdoms. Included in Tewodros' vision also was the introduction of European-style civilization. His efforts were cut short however by internal resistance and external challenges as well as his untimely death. Emperor Yohannes (Yohannes IV) further pursued the unification agenda during his reign (1872–1889), but he was unfortunately killed in a war with Mahdist Sudan. Emperor Menelik II (18
Mersha Nahusenay