William Merchant
William Merchant was born in Virginia, June 13, 1800. His parents, Abraham and Sarah (Bull) Merchant, were natives of Berkeley County, Virginia, and came to this state, in 1814, bringing with them their children: Joel, Lydia, Jonah, Rebecca, Abraham, jr., William, Fanny, Nathan, Isaac and Sarah. Joel served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and died years later in one of the Southern States; Lydia married Reese Morgan; Jonah married Sarah Brown; Rebecca married David Dunn; Abraham married Elizabeth Brown; Fanny married Mark Thurman; Nathan married Mary Davis; Isaac married Jane Todhunter; Sarah married Elias Simmons.
William Merchant was married May 18, 1822, to Elizabeth Smith; ten children were born to them, nine of whom grew to mature years: Isaac, William, John W., Sarah, Jonah, Rebecca, Nancy, Abraham, Elizabeth, and Nahum. Isaac married Nancy Caylor; William married Sarah A. Breakfield; John W. married Eleanor Breakfield; Sarah married Jacob Caylor; Jonah married Maria Johnson; Rebecca married Hugh Snyder; Nancy married Charles Fishback; Elizabeth died July 1, 1842, aged fifteen months. Abraham married Catherine Limes. He served in the Union Army during the civil war of 1861 and 1865, and was a member of the Second California Cavalry. He died, during his term of service, December 2, 1861, and is buried in "Lone Mountain Cemetery," near San Francisco, California.
Nahum, the youngest of the family, was born December 23, 1843, and was married September 8, 1866, to Eliza Priddy. To this union three children were born: Otis, Clara and Lida Belle. Mrs. Merchant died. May 2, 1870. He married his present wife, Emily A, DePoy, September 12, 1871. They have one son, born September 1, 1877. Nahum served in the late war as a member of Company G, 2d California Cavalry, campaigning against the Indians in California, Arizona and Nevada. He was mustered out of service, at San Francisco, in October, 1864, and returning to this state he engaged in farming the home place the next season, and ever since has given his attention to agriculture and legitimate trade. He has had some success, and is well known for his good judgment and business activity. He is a staunch Republican.
It can be said of William Merchant, that nothing could divert him from the path of rectitude. He lived a correct life and died a peaceable death. He had been an active and useful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for forty-four years preceding his death, and the light and powers of his Christian example outlasts his fleeting breath. He died December 27, 1878, in his seventy-ninth year.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County