George Milton Merritt
George Milton Merritt (1858-1927) and son George Wood
Merritt (1895-1951) [Provided by Edward H. Preston]
Biographical
Sketch of George M. Merritt
From Centennial History of Columbus and
Franklin County,
Ohio. By William Alexander Taylor, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago-Columbus,
1909. Vol. II, pages 756-757. The spelling of the names of his wives
varies. This article is transcribed as written.
Click images above to enlarge. A free scan of the complete book is available Archive.org - it can be searched.
See pages 376 to 377 for another reference to the Merritt family in the
sketch of Milton E. Thompson
What the world demands today is not that men shall be capable but that
they shall do the things of which they are capable and Mr. Merritt has
met the world’s demands in every particular. He has worked his way
steadily
upward by his earnest effort and is recognized as one of the forceful
factors
in business circles in Columbus, accomplishing what he undertakes and
recognizing
his own powers and capacities so that he never undertakes that which
would
be impossible to accomplish. He is a native son of Ohio, born in Vinton
county, July 2, 1858. His paternal grandfather, William Merritt, was of
English lineage but the family was founded in America during colonial
days
shortly prior to the Revolutionary war. Imbued with the desire to aid
the
country in her struggle for liberty William Merritt joined the Colonial
army. William C. Merritt, father of our subject, was born in New
Hampshire
September 22, 1822, and on his removal westward to Ohio settled in
Athens
where he engaged in contracting and building. He became one of the
contractors
of the Hocking Valley lines and was prominently identified with many
important
building interests. He voted with the democracy but never took an
active
part in political work nor sought office as a reward for party fealty.
He married Cynthia [Cynthian] Sisson, a native of Linton county, who
was born in
1822 [she died in 1871].
Her family was from Massachusetts and came to Ohio at an early day in
the
development of the state. Her mother was a Fuller and belonged to the
same
family as Chief Justice Fuller of the United States supreme court.
George
M. Merritt was educated in the public schools of Lancaster, Ohio,
passing
through consecutive grades until he graduated from the high school with
the class of 1875. On putting aside his text books he entered business
life as a representative of the Hocking Valley Railroad Company,
remaining
in that employ for thirteen years during which time he was promoted
from
one position of responsibility to another until he became chief clerk
of
the shops. He left that service to become connected with the traffic
association
of western Ohio and eastern Pennsylvania and was secretary of this
organization,
serving for thirteen years. In 1902 he severed his connection with that
company and began dealing in coal lands. He has since handled large
contracts
of this class of property in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and
has
also operated coal mines extensively. No citizen of Columbus has a more
comprehensive or accurate knowledge of business affairs of this
character
than has Mr. Merritt. He has made a close study of the coal resources
of
the state and has thus been enabled to carry on his business interests
in a manner that has brought him gratifying success.
On the 28th of May, 1878, Mr. Merritt
was united in marriage
to Miss Katharine Schory and their children are: William, Mary,
Lillabridge
and Gladys. On the 7th of November, 1891, Mr.
Merritt was again
married, his second union being with Katharine Wood and to them have
been
born three children: Kathleen, George and Donally, They make their home
in the Bryden apartments and Mr. And Mrs. Merritt have many warm
friends
in the city. Prospering in his undertakings Mr. Merritt has become
identified
with numerous important interests which have not only benefited by his
financial investment but by his sound judgment and keen discrimination.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Presbyterian
church—associations
which indicate much of the interests which govern his life and the
principles
which control his actions. His political views are in harmony with the
principles of the republican party and his influence at all times is on
the side of justice, truth and right, of municipal progress and of
civic
virtue. He stands today as one of the prosperous men of Columbus not by
reason of the fact that fortune has favored him above his fellows but
because
he has labored diligently, neglected no opportunity and used every
chance
that has come to him to the best advantage. His judgment is sound and
he
has always possessed the courage, which many men lack, of taking a
forward
step where favoring opportunity has offered.
Burial sites at Find-A-Grave
- George Milton Merritt: Forest Rose
Cemetery, Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, Plot: Section C2
- Katherine Schory Merritt: Green
Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio
- Katharine Wood Merritt: Forest
Rose Cemetery, Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, Plot:
Section C2
- William Cummings Merritt: Forest
Rose Cemetery, Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, Plot:
Section C2
- Cynthian Sisson Merritt: Forest
Rose Cemetery, Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, Plot:
Section C2
- Kathleen Merritt Dresbach: Forest
Rose Cemetery, Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, Plot:
Section C2
Identical stories in different newspapers.
Above: Ohio Democrat, Logan Ohio, March 17,
1904. W. C. Merritt
probably
stands for William Cummings Merritt, the name
of George's brother.
Right: Hocking Sentinel, Logan Ohio, March 10,
1904
Railway Age, Volume 39, 1905,
page 431 lists "ROCKBRIDGE & SOUTHERN. — Rockbridge to
Portsmouth,
Incorporated. George M. Merritt, Lancaster,
O." |
|
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