W. H. MERRITT, farmer, section 28, Athens Township, has been a resident of Ringgold County thirty-one years. He was born in Jackson County, Ohio, July 23, 1851, son of William J. MERRITT, a prominent pioneer of this county, now deceased, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. When he was about four years of age his father came to Athens Township and settled amid the wild scenes of pioneer life. His early life was passed in assisting on the farm and in obtaining what education he could in the common schools.

He was married February 27, 1870, to Miss Elizabeth D. CROUCH, born in Davis County, Iowa, and daughter of C. N. and Minerva (STRICKLAND) CROUCH.

After his marriage he resided on the home farm until 1875, then removed to section 16, upon a farm of 240 acres. In the spring of 1880 he traded the farm for wild land, which is his present home. He owns 400 acres of good land, well adapted to stock-raising. It is divided into ten fields. He usually keeps 100 head of cattle, 150 hogs and several horses. He has a good one-and-a-half-story residence, built in the shape of an "L", and well furnished. He has an orchard of 200 trees.

Mr. and Mrs. MERRITT have one son -- Ira Archibald. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has served as township trustee and a member of the School Board. Though but a young man he has gained a good financial position among the leading businessmen of the county. Postoffice, Kellerton, Ringgold County, Iowa.

NOTE: William H. MERRITT died February 18, 1920 and was interred at Maple Row Cemetery, Kellerton, Ringgold County, Iowa. Ira A. MERRITT was born in 1871, and died in 1955, with interment at Maple Row Cemetery, Kellerton.

SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, p. 229-30, 1887

WPA Grave Survey; IAGen Gravestone Photograph Project

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2009

Biographical Sketches Pages Index: A - F,   G - L,   M - R,  S - Z