Gilbert Merritt's Descendent age

Gilbert Merritt of Carmel NY: Revolutionary War Soldier and first of our documented ancestors. Died March 4, 1824 age 70

These maps show lots of land Belonging to Gilbert Merritt on Fair St in Carmel NY 10512,  They were copied from a map held at the Putnam county Office Building in Carmel, NY by E.P. Merritt.   The survey and map was made to show lands constituting the Philipse Patent because the owners of the Philipse Patent were Loyalists, and NY state had passed a law to confiscate the properties of Loyalists.  Many farmers who owned their land Like Gilbert Merritt did,  and who were not tenant farming, were able to keep their property due to their loyality to the new nation.  Gilbert Merritt's 3 Parcels of land were sold to Nathaniel Travis on March 23, 1825 (Liber B page 333). The selling price was $2000.75.  Jane and Nathaniel Travis later sold the land to Jonathan Fowler on May 18, 1830.  Gilbert's 3 parcels of land contained a total of 106 acres 4 rods and 6 poles.  The Lot no. 8 records of the Philipse Patent show that Gilbert Merritt's 5 acres and 89 acres were indeed in this lot number, in the Town of South East,  as was stated in Pelletreu's History of Putnam County.  A survey made by John Conklin in 1810 and Beverly Robinson showed Gilbert's lands in the Lot No. *.   In 1958 when Emmett P. Merritt visited the land,  the Farm was Called "Sunny Brook Farm".  (These Plot map photos were taken on this visit in 1958).  In 1973 on Emmett's last visit the land was owned by a Joseph P. Carizzo who kindly let Emmett and his wife Marjorie view the inside of the home, and confirmed that parts of the house were at least over 100 years old. (See farm below)

Two photos of The House that Stands on Gilbert Merritt's land on Fair St. in Carmel, Putnam County NY.   The photos were taken in Oct of 1958. 

Old Baptist Cemetery located on Route 52 in Carmel, Putnam County NY.  Monuments are located at the rear and center of the cemetery. These pictures of the Cemetery were taken on Oct 14, 1956 by Emmett P. Merritt.   On May 25 1972 Emmett P. Meritt and his wife Marjorie placed a cast aluminum "Veteran" marker on the grave and  anchored it in concrete. They cleaned the plot to the best of their ability and noted with some concern that there was a maple tree growing into Gilbert's head stone.  The Monument to the Revolutionary war soldiers the appears in this picture was just a temporary one,  It was replaced by a stone Monument in 1976, by the Carmel Garden Club, at a ceremony attended by Emmett and his wife.  Along with the Merritt's there were many  other descendents of the interned soldiers who attended the dedication, including a West Point cadet who's Commanding officer was invited to give a speech.

I have been to the cemetery myself in 1995, and though many of the stones are no longer legible, I was happy to find Gilbert's name and date still discernible,  with on sign of any damage.   I took  the color photos of the headstone and of  the monument below

William Merritt died March 30, 1806 age 83 and wife Elizabeth

Winchel Mountain Cemetery, Dutchess County NY. Located about 1 1/2 miles north of Amenia on a dirt road to the left of the the State Road as one travels north.  These photos were taken by Emmett Merritt in the month of July 1936.  When he and his wife Marjorie revisited the cemetery on May 23, 1986 they found that the cemetery was much improved in appearance but that these stones as well as some others  had been removed.