Old Merritt Cemetery

Malpass Corner Road & Porter Road

 

This cemetery is on land not owned by family and is grown up. The elders state that it was not on family-owned property, but on a plot that a local family had given to the Merritts for burial.  This was not uncommon.  

The graveyard is in the Currie/Grady community of Pender County.  The closest address is 6640 Malpass Corner Road.  Google Maps lists it as 'Lamb Cemetery'. https://goo.gl/maps/cvVycv5RyZfG6cpr7

The last person to be buried there was Julia Jacobs Messick Merritt in 1965.  Julia Merritt's death certificate and family history state that she is buried in Merritt Cemetery.  It is logical to conclude that her husband, Oscar Merritt, who died ten years prior was buried there as well.  If Oscar's second wife is in Old Merritt Cemetery, it is safe to assume that his first wife, Minnie Jacobs (Julia's aunt) is also.

Oscar's father, Joe Louis Merritt, also lies there.  His death certificate says that burial was "near Currie".  His wives -- Minerva Walker and Blanche Jacobs -- are expected to be interred in Merritt Cemetery, also.

Dock Merritt (brother of Oscar, son of Joe Louis) died in 1920 in his early thirties  He was married to Annie Jacobs, sister of Julia Jacobs Merritt.  Annie remarried and was interred in the 1970s on Cypress Creek.  Dock was laid to rest here in the Old Merritt Cemetery, according to his daughter Lottie Merritt Glover.  Lottie also confirmed that Dock's brother, Joe L. 'Buddy" Merritt, and sister, Katie Merritt Hayes, are there.  Buddy Merritt's death certificate states "Merritt Cemetery".

Joe Louis Merritt's parents, Malvin Merritt and Sarah Jane Williams Merritt died in Pender County sometime between 1880 and 1900. Depending on how old the cemetery is, they may rest there too.  Lastly, more research will be needed amongst the descendants of Joe Louis Merritt's other children.  It is likely that others are interred in Merritt Cemetery.

(For more explanation of this family's relationships see An Analysis of Marriage Patterns in PenderROCK)

Burial YearSorted By Burial Year In Ascending OrderNameBirth-DeathRelationDeath Cert verbiage
1880+Benjamin Maryland Merritt1870-1880+Son of Malvin Merritt & Sarah J. Williams*assumption
1910Mary Minerva Walker Merritt1856-1910?First wife of Joe Louis Merritt*assumption
1920Dock Merritt1887-1920Son of Joe L. Merritt & Minerva Walker Merritt----
1924Joe Louis Merritt1850-1924Son of Malvin Merritt & Sarah J. Williams"near Currie"
1931Blanche Jacobs Merritt1875-1931Second wife of Joe Louis Merritt----
1936S. Eliza Merritt West1862-1936Daughter of Malvin Merritt & Sarah J. WilliamsCurrie RFD
1946Joe L. Merritt Jr.1882-1946Son of Joe L. Merritt & Minerva Walker MerrittMerritt Cemetery. Currie.
1947Jesse James Lamb1946-1947Grandson of Wm R. Lamb & Katie Jacobs. (Martha Lamb)Lamb Cemetery. Burgaw.
1950William Richard Lamb1875-1950Husband of Katie Jacobs. SIL of Joe L. Merritt.Lamb Cemetery. Burgaw.
1951Katie Merritt Hayes1900-1951Daughter of Joe L. Merritt & Blanche Jacobs MerrittMerritt Cemetery
1951Narcissus Merritt1873-1951Daughter of Malvin Merritt & Sarah J. WilliamsLamb Cemetery. Currie.
1955Oscar Merritt1893-1955Son of Joe L. Merritt & Minerva Walker MerrittMerritt Cemetery. Currie.
1959Lenora Merritt Walker1891-1959Daughter of Joe L. Merritt & Mary M. WalkerLamb Cemetery. Currie.
1965Julia Jacobs Messick Merritt1900-1965Second wife of Oscar MerrittMerritt Cemetery. Currie.