Moses and Fanny (Wheeler) Merrick

My grandfather on my mom's side of the family was Leon Arthur Merrick, He was born on March 1, 1916, in Leroy, Pennsylvania, when his father, Hiram, was 44 years old and his mother, Laverne (Wilcox) - known as Vernie - Merrick was 34. His ancestors were early settlers in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.

Leon Arthur Merrick

Norfolk Virginia: Rats Attack Again

This is the scene of the rat attack -- Here is the room where little Joey Waterman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ryland W. Waterman, was sleeping when the rats mutilated his body. In the center is Joey's crib. In the far room can be seen the bed in which his parents were sleeping, and at the right is the bed where four children, Joey's sisters and cousins, were sleeping.

Foxes Book of Martyrs: Rev. Rowland Merrick

Previously, we blogged about the Right Reverend Rowland Meyrick. We descend from him,*. One of his claims to fame is his enmity with Bishop Robert Ferrar. The Right Reverend Meyrick - for this - is immortalized in Foxes Book of Martyrs.

The Book of Martyrs
1653 edition

Wales: Travel Tips

We recently connected our Merrick family line* (see relationship notes below) to the Bordorgan Hall, and our ancient family lineage in Anglesey, Wales (see blog post here).

Bordorgan Hall

William Merrick: Mayflower Marriages

In 1902 George Byron Merrick wrote the definitive family history on the Merricks of Massachusetts. In his work, he writes,

George Byron Merrick

 

'The endeavor of the author has been to follow the lines originating in the four brothers Merrick who landed at Charlestown, Mass., in 1636.' - Genealogy of the Merrick-Mirick-Myrick Family of Massachusetts, 1636-1902 (link to Preface).'

The brothers - listed according to age - are:

1. William (b 1603)
2. James (b 1612)
3. John  (b 1614)
4. Thomas (b 1620)

This post is about the oldest brother, William.

Myrick: A Family Visits Bordorgan, Wales

The Daily Mail article of June 16, 2012, in our blog post (here) announced Prince William and his new wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, would rent their first home from Sir George and Lady Jean Tapps Gervis Meyrick.

Prince William's and his wife, Kate's first home

Merrick Family: Welch Kings

Our grandpa, Leon Arthur Merrick* is Welch.

George Byron Merrick

The Meyricks are of the purest and noblest Cambrian blood and have possessed the same ancestral estate and residence at Bodorgan, Anglesey, Wales, without interruption above a thousand years.  

Merrick Memories: At the Movies

Merrick Children
At the Drive-In

 

From left: Darlene Merrick, behind her  Carl Merrick holding dog, the baby is Barbara Merrick,  Karl Merrick sitting by Barbara, Charlotte Merrick behind Barbara. Picture was taken circa 1952, in Oceana Va. They built a drive-in movie theater next door to the house. 

In the afternoons, when the theater parking lot was empty, the kids turned the volume up on all the speakers so they could hear the sound later that night. Unfortunately, the theater workers came in and usually turned them down. Though they couldn't usually couldn't hear the movie', mom says.' "There was no internet then; we had to do something."

Drive-In Movie Memories

We are Family: Fuller atDNA

The last post was about our possible Mayflower ancestor, Edward Fuller. We're researching that connection with yDNA testing. This post is about using atDNA testing in our effort.

Descendants of Edward Fuller

A Mayflower Family 

The Mayflower Compact, signed by 41 English colonists on the ship Mayflower on November 11, 1620, was the first written framework of government established in what is now the United States.