History of The James Merrill Family

According to information received from the National Archives and Records Administration relating to James Merrill's service in the Mexican American War and the Civil War his birth is estimated to be about the year 1818 in St. Lawrence County, New York.  Not a lot of information, as of this writing, has been proven related to this information.  While, it is presumed that most of the Merrill's in the United States can trace their ancestry to the immigration of Nathaniel Merrill of Newbury, Massachusetts in the 1600's -- I've yet to prove our James Merrill's tie to this line.

We do know, according to NARA documents that James Merrill appeared in the Hamilton County, Ohio Area and did marry Mary W. Doty (nee:Starlin) in 1843.   At the time of their marriage, Mary had already had one son by the name of David, whose father is not known.  According to a deposition given by Mary to the Special Examiner reviewing her case for a Widows Pension, David R. Merrill, never knew that his father was anyone else than James Merrill.  Because of the court-house fires in Hamilton County, no adoption records have been produced.

The Document to the left is the copy of James Merrill's discharge record received from the National Archives and Records Administration on James Service in the Civil War in the Ohio 11th Volunteers. In December of 1865 a divorce is reported in the Hamilton Gazette between the couple.  The cited reason for the divorce was gross neglect of duty. Mary had separated from James at the beginning of the Civil War, but had been encouraged by her sister to stay married, in case he was killed during this service. Upon his return in June of 1865, it was not much longer after that that she filed and obtained the divorce. Once divorced, Mary took James, William and Mary Margaret and moved to Mahaska County, Iowa. She moved to the farm next to her brother Michael Starlin. James, left Harrison, Ohio and followed his son Israel, into Illinois and Coffey County Kansas, where his death is recorded in August of 1871.

My initial research into this family started with my Grandfather, Danial William Merrill, born in Wier City, Kansas in 1904, son of William Merrill and Dora Craig Merrill.  Through analysis of census records in Kansas in Cherokee, Woodson & Coffey Counties, I found William Merrill on the 1880 Census(showing a birth location of Illinois) as the eldest child of Israel Merrill (born in Ohio) and Sarah Bibee Merrill (born in Tennessee).  Based upon the age of William and the other children, Israel and Sarah had to have been married prior to 1870.  No U.S. Census Information has been found for the Israel Merrill family for the 1870 in either Illinois, Ohio or Kansas.

With the 1880 Census showing that Israel had been born in Ohio, I located he and the rest of his family on the 1850 United States Census for Hamilton County Ohio, in Harrison Township.    They were also found on the 1860 United States Census for the same county and township.

Our James Merrill served in the Mexican American war from 1847 to 1848, serving in Company I of the 4th Ohio Volunteers.  He again served his country twice during the War of the American Rebellion, 1st Kentucky Volunteers and the E Company of the 11th Ohio Infantry, enlistment in September of 1861.  It was in his service with the E Company of the Ohio 11th that at Gallatin, TN (June 1864) he was severely injured when a box of Medical Supplies fell  and pierced his sternum.  He was in hospital until the end of the war.  Upon his return to Harrison, Ohio, he was divorced from his wife Mary.

Two of James sons also served in the War of the American Rebellion:
        David Merrill, Company M 3rd Indiana Cavalry
        Israel Merrill, 4th Ohio Infantry.

For More information about the Merrill and it's history, please link to the following web site: The Merrill Family

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This Site Last Updated January 5, 2008