Civil War Stories: Joseph S Merrick

Our oldest known Merrick ancestor is Moses Merrick: spouse unknown. This couple had at least six children, but we only know of two; brothers Hiram Leonard and William 'Lester' Merrick. Grandpa Hiram married Joysa Whitney; his brother, Lester, married Joysa's sister, Caroline. They were daughters of Jeremiah Whitney, a shoemaker, and Susan Resseguie.

This Hiram is not our grandfather, Leon Arthur Merrick's, father. This was his grandfather, for whom our own great grandfather was named.

Joseph Sylvester Merrick, our second great grandfather, was the son of Hiram the elder and the father of Hiram, the younger. He served twice in the American Civil War.

Summer 1861

Wheeler and Moses Merrick

Seven sons and nephews from the Merrick families served in the 'War of the Rebellion.' Wheeler Otis Merrick, first cousin 'twice over' of grandpa Joseph, was the first of the family to join. He enlisted into the 45th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company F on September 19, 1861. His younger brother, Moses, joined into the same unit a year and a half later on February 29, 1864. Both brothers were wounded at Cold Harbor June 3, 1864.

Moses would die of his wounds on July 12, 1864. Wheeler survived and was wounded three more times. He was in the hospital from an injury received at the battle of Petersburg, July 30, 1864,  when he mustered out. The bullet from that wound was never removed.

Summer 1862
Velorus C, Joseph Sylvester, Bradford William, and Elias Merrick

On August 14,  1862, grandpa Joseph and two cousins - Elias and Bradford William - enlisted for nine months in Company A of Pennsylvania 136th Infantry Regiment in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Two days later in Potters County, grandpa Joseph's older brother, Velorus C Merrick, signed into the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G. Cousin Wheeler - already a year into his service - was at Brooke's Station on Aquia Creek. One month later he'll fight in the battle of Antietam.

Autumn 1862

For two months in 1862, the Merrick brothers and Whitney sisters had five boys in the war. On October 10, 1862 - one month after the battle of Antietam and two months after his enlistment - grandpa Joseph's older brother, Velorus Merrick of the 149th Pennsylvania Infantry, died of typhoid fever at the Regimental Hospital. He was newly married and childless. He's buried in the Soldier's Home Cemetery, Washington DC.

His name is spelled Felorous on his military records. The  headstone reads, incorrectly,  F. C. Merrick.

On September 17, 1862, grandpa Joseph and his cousins - Bradford and Elias - were clearing trees for two miles outside the fortification of Washington, D.C., after the first battle of Bull Run; for better defense. His cousin Wheeler, with Pennsylvania's 45th Regiment, was fighting at the battle of Antietam.

Original Military Records (hosted large zoomable files)  

 

Joseph Sylvester Merrick: Pension Index   Death Certificate   Burial Card
Velorous C Merrick:   Muster Roll    US Register of Deaths   US Burial Register   Pension Index    National Internment Card 
Wheeler Otis Merrick:  Pension Index   Death Certificate   Obituary    
Moses Merrick:   Muster Roll    US Burial Register   Burial Card
Bradford William Merrick:   1890 Veterans Schedules   Pension Index   Burial Card
Elias Merrick:    Death Certificate

The aftermath of the Battle of Antietam

*Note: Relationships, such as grandmother, 2nd great, etc., are expressed from the perspective of the grandchildren of Leon Arthur and Anna Grace (Fuller) Merrick.

Terms of relationship - grandmother, uncle, aunt, cousin, etc.  - are used here generically to include relatives such as fourth great grandfathers, great grand uncles, second cousins twice removed, etc.