BIO: Berten MERRITT, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 875 - 877. _____________________________________________________________ BERTEN MERRITT, a prominent business citizen of Cooper township, was born in Bradford county, Pa., June 23, 1839, son of Elijah and Jane Ann (Yearington) Merritt. He is a grandson of Hezekiah Merritt, a native of New Jersey, who with several brothers, settled at an early day on the border of Bedford and Wyoming counties, Pa., where he followed the trades of carpenter and millwright, erecting most of the barns and water-mills in that section. In later life he followed farming. Elijah Merritt, father of our subject, was reared in Bradford county, near the Wyoming county line, and was twelve years old when he accompanied his parents to Wyoming county. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed in his younger days, but became a farmer later in life. He died in August, 1874, at the age of eighty-six years. He was a Democrat in politics and was always regarded as a worthy, reliable citizen. His wife, Jane, was of Scotch ancestry, her parents settling in the Wyoming valley. She died in 1844 at the age of forty-four years. Elijah Merritt served as a soldier in the War of 1812. He and his wife were the parents of five children - George, Elijah, Nelson, Clarinda and Berten, all being now deceased except the subject of this sketch. George and Nelson came to Clearfield county and died here. Berten Merritt attended the subscription schools for about four months in his boyhood, but devoted many of his leisure hours to private study, by which means he obtained a fair practical education. He entered into the lumber business in 1862 on the Morgan Run, he and his brother George purchasing the saw-mill of Munson & Hale, which they carried on together for some time. Later our subject bought his brother's interest in the mill and business and, taking a new partner, built a new mill and operated it under the firm name of Merritt & Mitchell. Of this also after a time he became the sole owner; and he still owns the land, about 700 to 800 acres - which is underlaid with about five feet of fire clay - a valuable holding. About 1887 he entered into a new partnership under the firm name of B. Merritt & Co., the firm being composed of himself, John F. Weaver, W. W. Betts, and A. B. Weaver, and this concern was operated until about 1899, when Mr. Merritt, with his son George, purchased the business, operating at Pine Glen, in Center county. The plant was subsequently destroyed by fire, and later Mr. Merritt started business on Morgan Run, conducting it until 1909, when he sold out. He rafted square timber down the river to Williamsport. Forty-nine years of his business life have been spent in this county, two years - from 1860 to 1862 - were spent at Philipsburg, Center county. During this time he has helped many business friends by indorsements. He is the owner, either entirely or in part, of 125 houses - a substantial result after so many years of effort. He has worked hard all his life and has a thorough practical understanding of the lumber trade, in which he has a wide acquaintance. Mr. Merritt was first married, March 4, 1866, to Catherine Coulter, a daughter of John and Mary (Meriman) Coulter. Her father was of Irish and her mother of Pennsylvania-German stock, the latter being reared in this county. Her father owned a farm in Woodward township, which he subsequently sold. Of Mr. Merritt's first marriage to Catherine Coulter, six children were born - three sons and three daughters, namely: George, John, June, Howard, Josephine and Martha, whose records in brief are as follows: George Merritt was educated in the district and high schools of Clearfield and read law under McEnally and McCurdy, being admitted to practice in Clearfield. Going to Oklahoma, he settled in Pawneetown, Pawnee county, where after a short residence he was nominated for judge of the court, but was defeated by fifty-eight votes, leading his ticket, however, by one hundred votes. He married Miss Stella Barrett, of Erie county, Pa., of which there is one child, Mildred. John Merritt resides at Winburne, Clearfield county, Pa., and is a fireman. He married Miss Etta Wertz, and has three children, Berten, George and Marguerite. June resides at home. Howard M. is superintendent of schools at Somerset, Pa., being elected for three years, and served one year as principal. He was educated in the public and normal schools at Lock Haven and in Lafayette college, also taking a special course at Columbia University, N. Y. He married Miss Nellie Buzell of Philipsburg, Center county, Pa., and they have three children - one daughter and two sons, namely: Alfretta, Royden, and Donald. Josephine is the wife of A. E. Hess of Winburne and has two children, Catherine and George Merritt Hess. Martha is the wife of W. F. Straw of Philipsburg, and has two children, George and Merritt. Mrs. Catherine Merritt died January 16, 1885, and Mr. Merritt married in December, 1885, Mrs. Jane (Dixon) Wiser, a widow, and daughter of James and Sarah Dixon, of this county, both now deceased. Her father died in 1875 and her mother in 1873. Mr. Merritt belongs to the Knights of Pythias, having been a member for two years. He is one of the elders of the Presbyterian church and has always been active in church affairs. He served for fourteen years as school director and assessor of the township one year. He came to Winburne from Kylertown in 1898 and erected his present residence. At one time he owned all of Winburne and sold part of same to Sommerville. He owns an interest in the butcher shops and is vice-president of the Bituminous National Bank of Winburne. He erected a saw-mill here and through his instrumentality also the coal bank was opened. Mrs. Merritt had one daughter by her first marriage, Fannie, who is the wife of Charles Lenig, and she and her husband are the parents of seven children: Ruth, Jane, Sallie, Lavina, Berten, Ray and Elizabeth. Mr. Lenig is a carpenter by occupation.