Nov. 07, 1826  -  Mar. 08, 1911

Marion Merritt by Eldon, Dot, Clinton and Virginia Merritt

   Marion Merritt was born Nov. 12, 1826 at Fort Gaines, Ga. He was the second child born to Jesse and Nancy Merritt. He and his family traveled on the Spartar trail across Henry, Dale, Coffee, and Covington Counties, stopping in Clintonville, Al. for a time and moving on to Rose Hill and spending time there before settling down on the Covington and Conecuh County line near Brooks, Al. 
He married Elizabeth White, and to this union were born eight children. He made his living as a carpenter and woodsrider for Horseshoe Lumber Co., as well as farming. In 1847 he boarded with a John Sasser in the Cedar Grove Com. and built two houses, including hewing the wood pegs to hold them together. His pay in addition to board was one cow. One of the houses is still standing and located on yellow river. By 1862 Marion and Elizabeth had two sons, John Thomas and William Henry, and two Daughters, Nancy Jane and Sarah Ann. 
   On July 2 1862 he left his wife and children at home, and enlisted in the Civil War in Covington, county and his first assignment was at Mobile, Alabama. He was a Pvt. in Co."B" 18th Regiment Alabama, Infantry, known as the "Hunters". He was under Lt. Hardwick's command. The 18th Reg't fought the first battle at Shiloh, and lost 125 killed and wounded out of 420 men engaged. After the battle at Shiloh the 18th reg't was sent to Mobile. It was during this time that Marion enlisted. It remained in Mobile until April 1863, when it rejoined the Army of Tennessee in a brigade with the 36th and 38th Al. Reg'ts, and the Ninth Al. Battalion. At Chicamauga the 18th was terribly mutilated with many killed and wounded. Later the 18th wintered at Dalton, Georgia. This began the Dalton-Atlanta campaign with 500 effective men, and fought all the way to Jonesboro, Georgia losing constantly in wounded and killed . It was at Jonesboro that Marion was wounded. While the 18th Reg't was in garrison Marion served as a cook in the hospital. The 18th lost nearly half its number during the campaigning, but rendered effective service. The 18th went with Gen. Hood into Tenn. and lost about 100 at Franklin, most of them captured. When the Army moved to the Carolinas in Feb., 1865, the, 18th Reg't was ordered to Mobile and placed at the field works at Spanish Fort. It was here that Marion was captured on April 2, 1865, and taken to Vicksburg, Mississippi as a prisoner of war. He was paroled on May 8, 1865 In addition to Marion, he had five brothers that were in the war. Jesse Charles, John, Thomas J., James, and Jasper. 
   Before the war there was a trail they used to travel to the gulf to get their salt, therefore this trail was named the salt trail. It was also used during the war for the soldiers to travel across the state, and visit their family when they got a chance. It was during one of these visits that Elizabeth became pregnant with the child they named James J., called Jim. He is the father of Red John.. 
When he returned home, he was badly infested with body lice, and had to remove his clothing and burn them. He also had to convince his children that he was their Pa. 
   After returning home he and Elizabeth had two more children, Mary A. and Issac David. Mary A. burned up in a fire when she was nineteen years of age. In 1887 he homesteaded 160 acres of property near Pigeon Creek. He built a home and finished raising his family. After Marion and Elizabeth were old, their youngest son Issac David, or Uncle Dave as  we know him, moved in with them and took care of them until their death. Uncle Dave is the father of three children living now: Ruby, Ann, and Eva Mae. Most of the family members referred to Marion as Dad Merritt. He had a long white beard and bushy white hair, and we have been told by family members that he liked to scare the young children.