San Saba County Historical Commission

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Merrill Graves

Inscriptions

There are only two graves in this burial plot and there is no evidence of any other burials at this location.

The brother and sister twins buried here are clearly identified by the inscriptions on their tombstones:

 1. "In Memory of ELIZABETH MERRILL Born in North Carolina on December 16th of 1798 - Died April 16th of 1880"

 2. "In Memory of DAVID MERRILL Born in North Caroline on December 16th of 1798 - Died November 10th of 1880"

Footnotes:

1. It is not known exactly when Elizabeth and David Merrill moved from North Carolina to Texas or under what conditions.

 2.  Federal census data for San Saba County indicates that the Merrill family settled in the Algerita community of San Saba County after the taking of the   1870 census and before the taking of the 1880 census.

 a. The 1870 census does not list a Merrill family in San Saba County.

b. The 1880 census lists two families of Merrills living in adjoining household in the Algerita community.

 C.  The 1880 census finds David Merrill, a farmer, age 37, as head of household #87 in the Algerita community. David Merrill, Sr., age 80, is listed as the father living with the family of his son David Jr.

 d. Also listed in the 1880 census is William Merrill, a cattle farmer, age 30, as head of household #88 in the Algerita community.

 e. The 1880 census lists all three of David and Mary Merrill's children as having been born in Texas. Elizabeth, the oldest, is fisted as age 5. Thus the Merrills were in Texas a early as 1874 or 1875.

 3.  Elizabeth Merrill, the twin sister of David Merra Sr. died on April 16, 1880 before the 1880 census was taken and thus is not listed in the 1880 census.

 4.  The Poe Cemetery? Previous inventories and historical notes have stated that the Merrill graves are the only remaining headstones in what was known as the 'Toe" Cemetery, and there were several graves in this cemetery. There is, however, no evidence that there ever had been other burials at this location, and the rock fenced Merrill plot is not large enough for more than the two graves that are there.