Monroe County FlArchives Biographies.....Demeritt, William W. July 20, 1880 - 
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Nancy Rayburn http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006128 October 9, 2012, 3:02 pm

Source: The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. II  pg.305  1923
Author: The History of Florida:  Past & Present

DEMERITT, WILLIAM WELLESLEY, superintendent of lighthouses for the Seventh 
District, with headquarters at Key West, was educated for the profession of 
marine engineering, grew up in the lighthouse service under his father, and 
has had a long record of duty well performed in this branch of the Federal 
Government.
	Mr. DEMERITT was born at Key West, July 20, 1880, son of WILLIAM H. 
and HARRIET (GRIFFIN) DEMERITT, both now deceased.  His great-grandfather was 
reared in Canada, and went from there to the Bahama Islands, and his 
grandfather was reared in the Bahama Islands, and subsequently came to Key 
West, Florida, and served with the Union army during the Civil war.
	WILLIAM H.  DEMERITT was born at Key West, and throughout practically 
all his active years was in the service of the United States Government, 
rising to the post of chief engineer in the lighthouse service.  HARRIET 
GRIFFIN was born in the Bahama Islands, and was about eight years of age when 
her parents moved to Key West.  Her father was a sea captain, and his 
headquarters for many years were at Nassau N. P., Bahama Islands.
	WILLIAM WELLESLEY DEMERITT received a public school education in his 
native city, and when about eighteen years of age began the regular study of 
marine engineering with the International Correspondence School of Scranton, 
Pennsylvania.  He took the full course and fitted himself for all the duties 
of marine engineer on ocean vessels.  In the meantime he was working as a coal 
passer on the boats in the lighthouse service under his father, and after a 
year was made assistant engineer under his father, then chief engineer, on one 
of the vessels of the Lighthouse Service, and four years later was promoted to 
chief engineer to succeed his father.  In 1907 Mr. DEMERITT was transferred to 
new duties as inspector of machinery for the Government at the New York Ship 
Building Company's plant at Camden, New Jersey.  In 1907 and again in 1910 he 
received special commendation from the United States Lighthouse Board for 
special service he had rendered.  In 1910 Mr. DEMERITT returned to Key West, 
resuming his duties as chief engineer in the district, and in 1911 was 
promoted to superintendent of lighthouses in the Seventh Lighthouse District.  
In 1913 he was made inspector of the Seventh District, and an active Congress 
in 1918 changed the title of his office to correspond and describe more 
accurately his duties, his present office being superintendent of 
lighthouses.  The Seventh District includes all the Florida Coast from 
Hillsboro Inlet on the east to the Cedar Keys on the Gulf Coast, and includes 
Government property valued at $15,000,000.  His jurisdiction also extends to 
ten vessels used in the lighthouse service, and the personnel in his 
department includes about eight hundred men.
	In November, 1904, at Key West, Mr. DEMERITT married CLAUDIA A.  
ALBURY, daughter of JOHN AUGUSTUS and SOPHIA (WATKINS) ALBURY.  Her parents 
came from the Bahama Islands, and her father was a sea captain.  Her mother is 
still living.  Mr. and Mrs. DEMERITT have two children, CLAUDIA LOUISE and 
WILLIAM WELLESLEY, Jr. Mrs. DEMERITT is a member of the Congregational 
Church.  Fraternally Mr. DEMERITT is a Royal Arch, Knight Templar and a 
Scottish Rite Mason, an Odd Fellow, an Elk and a member of the Woodmen of the 
World.  He belongs to the Association of Marine Engineers.


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