The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
Stephen Merritt was born about 1747 in Granville, North Carolina. His parents were Ephraim Merritt and Agnes Ragland. Stephen married Winifred Rose on July 1, 1771. Stephen and Winifred had 3 children together, Ephraim, Nathaniel P. and Alfred.
Information obtained from “History of Wayne and Clay Counties Illinois 1884,” the web site Carolana.com, Ancestry.com, and the narrative from an accepted Daughters of the American Revolution application record provide the following biographical sketch of his service.
Stephen was a commissioned officer in the Granville County Regiment (militia) of North Carolina. His service record narrative from the Wayne County History and the DAR (initially as a Lieutenant) state that he was engaged the following battles in North and South Carolina: Charleston, Monks Corner, Georgetown, Kings Mountain, and a very hard contested battle at Guilford Courthouse. Captain Merritt was wounded in a charge by Tarleton’s cavalry at Cowpens.
Captain Merritt served for the entirety of the war. Although wounded at Cowpens he would never draw a pension.
Per Carolana.com, in1780 he was promoted to the rank of Captain. As a Captain he served under Col. Joseph Taylor in 1780, and was also attached to Col. William Moore (Caswell County Regiment). 1780-1781, also attached to Lt. Col. Thomas Farmer (Orange County Regiment). Known battle engagements listed from this source were Cowan’s Ford, Tarrant’s Tavern, Guilford Court House, and Eutaw Springs (South Carolina).
Information from Ancestry.com suggests that Captain Merritt continued to live in North Carolina after the war and probably lost his wife Winifred near the turn of the century. In 1805 it appears he obtained a 40-acre land grant in Barrens, KY. An 1820 census in Barrens shows a senior Stephen Merritt with 3 children, which suggests he likely remarried. No conclusive information on a 2nd wife and family has been found.
Circa 1830 Stephen Merritt died, likely in Kentucky. No date of death or location has been found. His son Ephraim (my direct ancestor) moved through Kentucky and ultimately settled in southern Illinois. It appears Stephen’s mother Agnes remarried a Langston and also died in Kentucky.
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