Cleburne County AlArchives Biographies.....Merrill, J. B. 1843 - living in 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 15, 2004, 10:06 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    J. B. MERRILL, attorney of Edwardsville, was born in Georgia in 1843, a son
of Joseph and Susan (Lamberth) Merrill, both natives of Georgia. The father was
a son of Joseph and Maria (Bell) Merrill, both natives of South Carolina. The
mother was a daughter of John and Permelia (Garrison) Lamberth. The grandfather
was one of the pioneer settlers of Tallapoosa county, Ala., and served as tax
collector of that county for many years. J. B. Merrill was raised on the farm
and attended the common schools of his county, and in the winter of 1860 he
entered Irwin college, Tenn., but when the war came on he, in company with about
sixty other students, in May, 1861, enlisted in company B, cavalry, under Capt.
Wilcoxon. He served as a private until 1862, when he was elected second
lieutenant and as such served about one year, when he was made first lieutenant
and served eight months, when he became captain of the company and served in
that capacity till the close of the war. The first fight of the company was at
Cotton Hill, and he also took part in several others among which may be
mentioned Sharpsburg, Wilderness, Yellow Tavern, Jack Shop and Gettysburg; he
was also with Stuart at the time he went around the Federal forces. After the
war he returned home to Georgia and followed the plow for two or three years; in
1866 he began reading law, was admitted to the bar in 1872 and began practice at
his old home, where his ability was at once recognized, and where he built up a
large practice; in 1886, having by this time large interests in mineral lands in
Alabama, he came here to look after the same and settled in Edwardsville, where
he now stands at the head of his profession. In 1867 he married Mary Faver,
daughter of Sanders and Caroline (Davis) Faver, both of French descent. This
union has been blessed with five children: Walter B., a graduate of Oxford
college and now a practicing attorney with his father; Rosa, wife of John W.
Abercrombie, and the mother of one child, Myrl; Hugh, Myrtle and Clyde. The
mother was born in Georgia. She is a member of the Baptist church and he is a
member of the Masonic order. Mr. Merrill has served three years as mayor of
Edwardsville, having been elected without any solicitation on his part. He has
lately prepared, at a cost of $13,000, to mine gold, owning a large tract of
land which is underlaid with a rich vein of the precious metal.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 652

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