Just half a century ago Elisha M. Merritt, a retired farmer, now living
in Troy Grove, LaSalle county, came to this locality from the east, and
during this long period he has made his home within the boundaries of this
county, and has been actively connected with its development and progress.
He is thoroughly posted in its history and geological formation, having made
a special study of the subject for years. Since he retired from active labor
he has devoted much of his time and attention to collecting, classifying and
arranging geological specimens and Indian relics of this region, and few
persons can be considered better authority along these lines of research.
The paternal and maternal ancestors of the above-named gentleman
were of Holland-Dutch origin. His grandfather Merritt was a native of New
Jersey and a farmer by occupation. He lived to attain advanced years. His
children were six in number, five sons and one daughter. The maternal
grandfather of our subject, Isaac Ray, likewise born in New Jersey, was a
farmer and had two daughters, but no sons.
The parents of E. M.
Merritt were Henry and Christiana (Ray) Merritt, both of New Jersey and
members of the Society of Friends. The father, who followed in the footsteps
of his ancestors in the choice of an occupation, removed to New York state,
where he died in 1861, aged sixty-four years. Mrs. Christiana Merritt, who
was his second wife, departed this life in 1857. There were two sons and two
daughters by the previous marriage, but none of them are living now. Of the
three sons and three daughters born to our subject's parents, only two
survive. Laura P. is the wife of Alonzo Woodford, of Victory, Cayuga county,
New York.
The birth of Elisha M. Merritt occurred in Auburn, Cayuga
county, New York, April 7, 1826. His boyhood was spent upon a farm, and,
after finishing his elementary education in the district schools, it was his
privilege to attend the local academy. He assisted his father until he was
twenty years of age, when he secured employment in a hotel at Little Sodus
Bay, for a few months. Then, going to Auburn, New York, he obtained a place
as jailer, serving under the command of the sheriff. In 1849 he started to
seek a new home in the west, and. coming to LaSalle county, worked by the
month in Ophir township for a period, and then bought and improved a
forty-acre farm in the same district. A favorable opportunity presenting
itself, he sold that place and purchased another. This also he disposed of
later, and invested his capital in a quarter-section of land in McLean
county. He did not leave this county, however, but leased his farm to
responsible tenants, until he sold it, in order to buy stock in the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad. For the past twenty-two years he and liis
estimable wife have made their home in the village of Troy Grove, where they
are very highly respected. He is a believer in the Prohibition party, and
uses his franchise on behalf of its candidates.
The marriage of Mr.
Merritt and Miss Ann L. Searls took place on the 22d of December, 1852. She
is a daughter of Captain Gurdon and Eunice (Lathrop) Searls, who were
natives of Connecticut. They removed to this state in 1838, and were among
the earliest settlers of Rockwell, LaSalle county, there being no house
between their own and Ottawa for some time. They came west with a colony, by
way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, taking three weeks to make the trip,
and coming over the Alleghany mountains in tram-cars, which had stationary
engines for motive power. Mr. Searls was a successful farmer and was
actively engaged in his chosen vocation until his death in 1856, when he was
sixty-three years of age. After surviving him for a few years his widow
passed away, in 1862, aged sixty-three years and six months. Mr. Searls was
generally called by the title of captain, as he held that rank in a cavalry
company during the war of 1812, and won lasting honor in that second great
conflict of this country with England.
Extracted 13 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 658-660.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
