MERRILL FAMILY CEMETERY: Litchfield Twp, Bradford County, PA (abandoned) Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: CHRISTINE MERRILL-BEERS cricket10@excite.com USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm NOTE: I also have considerable John / Abraham / Eleazer Merrill (originally from Litchfield / Hartford, CT) geneaology commencing in 1500s. Additionally, we descendants have an annual reunion in June (week prior to Father's Day). Please contact me for further information. I have several photos of the headstones in this cemetery. If you would like a photo e-mailed, please contact me and I shall do my best to oblige. Cemetery Location: Litchfield Township, Litchfield Road, Bradford County, PA (Across from the "T" intersection of Sayre Hill Road and Litchfield Road) Approximately 15 minutes SOUTHWEST of Nichols, New York Approximately 21 miles NORTHEAST of Towanda, PA (Bradford Co. Seat) This cemetery borders the current landowner, Ms. Jean Minielly. The now Minielly residence was the original Solomon and Eleazer Merrill homestead in Litchfield Township. The cemetery is relatively hidden from the main road by a large meadow filled with buttercups, clover and timothy. It is surrounded by a rusty wire fence and carpted with daffodil greens, pine needles, and crunchy leaves. Most tombstones are over 150 years old and some are very hard to read. While I have examined every stone in the cemetery, some have toppled over, some have moved (throughout the seasons and years) and some appear to be footstones with no sign of any past headstone. In order to efficiently record the data, I have elected to present the information here in "rows" instead of headstones with footstones. Row One ALMA wife of James Burns Died Dec. 1839 Aged 41 Yrs. Gone, but not forgotten. 4 small unmarked stones spaced periodically to the right ------------------------------------------ Row Two 3 small unmarked stones (appear to be footstones without headstones) ------------------------------------------ Row Three Tall thin marker stone engraved with inverted triangle design W.W. (on reverse) ------------------------------------------ Row Four ELEAZER MERRILL Died Apr. 4, 1855 AE 82 Yrs 8 Mo & 21 ds. Here you may remember the just while he lies sleeping in the dust NANCY wife of Eleazer Merrill Died Aug. 29, 1842 AE 74 Yrs Here you may remember the just while she lies sleeping in the dust (One-half partially broken white stone) Partial white stone - unmarked (perhaps footstone) ELEAZER MERRILL died Dec. 1819 AE 80 Y. REBECCA MERRILL died Jan 3, 1927 AE 85 Y. (Sunburst design at top and bottom of stone) SOLOMON W. MERRILL died Oct. 3, 1844 Aged 74 Yrs. (Willow tree in center of two temples as design on top of stone) ABIGAIL wife of Solomon W. Merrill died Aug. 13, 1833 aged 55 Yrs. (Willow tree in center of two temples as design on top of stone) --------------------------------------- Row Five G.A.R. Marker with U.S. Flag #202 flanked by two shotguns (appears to be for Eleazer Merrill #1 in Row 4) Small white marble unmarked stone Small marked stone E.M. (on reverse) (appears to be footstone for Eleazer Merrill #1 in Row 4) Small marked stone S.W.M. (on reverse) (appears to be footstone for Solomon W. Merrill, Row 4) Small marked stone A.M. (on reverse) (appers to be footstone for Abigail Merrill, Row 4) ----------------------------------------- Row Six MARION C. dau of Ira & Murial Merrill died Jan 23, 1854 AE 6 mo Large marked stone E.M. (located immediately behind the MARION C. stone above) (possibly footstone for Eleazer Merrill, #3, Row 4) JERUSHA wife of George Merrill died April 17, 1828 Aged 23 Yrs. (Sunburst design on top of stone) (this stone is broken into two pieces) HANNAH B. daughter of George & Jerusha Merrill died June 20th, 1828 aged 2 years (Sunburst design on top of stone) JOSIAH Gone from earth to live in heaven. (broken white marble stone w/ pedestal base) -------------------------------------- Row Seven THOMAS B. MERRILL died April 18, 1879 Aged 74 Yrs 1 M's 11 d's (Design of clasped hands at top of stone) ELIVA R. wife of Thomas B. Merrill died Feb 20, 1894 Large unmarked stone (perhaps footstone of Marion C., Row 5) Large marked stone J.M. (on reverse) (appears to be footstone for JERUSHA, Row 5 above) JAMES L. son of Thomas B. & Eliva R. Merrill (the "face", or writing of this stone has been chipped away - but pieces found were mended using cement) MATILDA JANE daughter of T.B. & Elivia Merrill died June 24, 1852 Aged 21 Yrs 9 M's & 18 d's. ALBINA S. daughter of T.B. & Elivia Merrill died Sept. 12, 1852 Aged 4 Yrs & 7 M's & 21 d's. THOMAS P. son of T.B. & Elivia Merrill died Oct. 1, 1852 Aged 9 Yrs, 4 M's & 9 d's ALMON R. son of T.B. & Elivia R. Merrill died July 6, 1860 Aged 8 Yrs & 20 d's Kind parents, now I bid adieu' Brothers & sisters dear good bye It is, I know, a grief to you But 'tis a joy to me to die. Large stone embedded flat in ground. ---------------------------------------------- Row Eight Large marked stone T.M. (appears to be footstone of Thomas B. Merrill) Large marked stone J.M. (appears to be footstone of James L. Merrill) Large marked stone M.J.M (appears to be footstone for Matilda Jane Merrill) Large marked stone A.S.M. (appears to be footstone for Albina S. Merrill) Large marked stone T.P.M. (appears to be footstone for Thomas P. Merrill) ------------------------------------------------- Row Nine Large "pedestal" husband/wife headstone reads: JOSHUA MERRILL born Sept. 3, 1824 died Sept. 30, 1897 FRANCIS P. his wife born May 11, 1850 died April 6, 1922 MERRILL J. Merrill b Sept. 3, 1824 (numbers "3" and "24" are engraved backwards) P.M.M. b-Feb 17, 1827 died Nov 10 1890 the right side of stone shows a large encircled M and a hands clasped design with the words "Father and Mother" beneath the reverse of stone reads: PHEBE M. wife of J. MERRILL born Feb. 17, 1827 died Nov. 10, 1890 ASOM, their son born Oct. 13, 1847 died Oct. 27, 1847 Marker stone MOTHER ASOM son of J & P.M. MERRILL died Oct. 22, 1847 Aged 14 d's ELIAS R. WOOD 1847-1915 SALLYANN N. his wife 1849-1922 Large unmarked stone Large unmarked stone with U.S. Military Marker. Large unmarked stone Large unmarked stone Large unmarked stone Large unmarked stone -------------------------------------------------- Row Ten Large unmarked stone (appears to be footstone for Asom Merrill) -------------------------------------------------- Row Eleven IRA MERRILL died March 31, 1878 Aged 69 Yrs 11 M's & 11 d's Dear patient sufferer Thy toils on Earth are o'er Soon we shall all meet on the Evergreen shore. MARIA C. wife of IRA MERRILL died Oct. 3, 1900 Aged 86 Yrs 8 M's & 20 d's Dear patient sufferer Thy toils on Earth are o'er Soon we shall all meet on the Evergreen shore. EDWIN E.S. MERRILL May 22, 1840 Aug 10, 1901 A kind and true friend (granite stone) PERRY William F. Perry 1861-1924 MATTIE M. his wife 1856-1905 MERRILL I.F. Merrill 1847-1915 (granite stone with 3 link chain design at top) MERRILL Susie C. Merrill 1843 - 1921 Emily L. Merrill 1845-1929 ----------------------------------------------- Row Twelve LESLIE son of S.B. & J.C. Benson 1917 ------------------------------------------------ Row Thirteen Large marked stone I.M. (appears to be footstone for Ira Merrill) Large marked stone M.C.M. (appears to be footstone for Maria C. Merrill) Large marked stone E.M. (appears to be footstone for Edwin Merrill) U.S. G.A.R. Military marker and flag dates 1861-1865 Large marked stone W.F.P. (appears to be footstone for William F. Perry) Large marked stone M.M.P. (appears to be footstone for Mattie M. Perry) Large marked stone FRANK (appears to be footstone for I.F. Merrill) Large marked stone SUSIE (appears to be foootstone for Susie Merrill) Large marked stone EMILY (appears to be footstone for Emily Merrill) NOTE: Information provided to the Spaulding Memorial Library (Athens, PA) by Howard J. Merrill (now or formerly of Ontario, California) for this cemetery contains several errors. It is unknown exactly when that information was recorded, or by whom. You may wish to visit the following site to view this information: http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabradfo/cemetery/merrill.htm (cut and paste address to your browser)