J. B. Merritt,  E. Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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J. B. Merritt 
          East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana 
    J. B. Merritt, Baker, has been a lifelong citizen of East Baton
Rouge parish, La., and is a son of Turner and Ann (Bogan) Merritt.  The
father was born in Boston, Mass., in 1802, and removed to Louisiana in
1830, where he engaged in planting.  He reared a family of four
children, of whom our subject is the oldest.  The mother was the
daughter of the late John Bogan, who was prominently connected with the
history of the state of Louisiana.  She was one of a family of six
children.  Her death occurred in 1868, and that of her husband in 1882.
They were both honored members of the Presbyterian church, though our
subject is a Methodist.  Young Merritt received a common-school
education, and, after the war, engaged in agricultural pursuits on the
same plantation which he now occupies.  It is known as the "Cottonville
plantation," and contains 350 acres.  He also owned a steam-gin which
was destroyed by fire in 1890, but this he expects to rebuild in the
near future.  Mr. Merritt was united in marriage in 1873, to Miss Lila
Ligon, of Louisiana, and five children were born to them -- one son and
four daughters.  After the war he began with nothing, but by industry
and good management he has accumulated a considerable amount of
property.  He is now postmaster of Baker, and is agent for the L., N. O.
& T. railroad.  He has some mercantile interests represented by two
stores in which the annual sales amount to $10,000.  He is a member of
the Highland City lodge, No. 10, Knights of Honor, and takes a deep
interest in the success of the fraternity.  He is a man of push and
enterprise, and it is due to such citizens that the South has so soon
recovered from the depression and desolation to which she was reduced by
four long years of warfare.
 
 From Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, volume 2, p.
251. 
Submitted by Mike Miller