Letter of Marjorie A. (Bullock) Quigley requesting information about the line of Gilbert Merritt of Carmel

10 St. James Drive
Sound Beach, N.Y. 11789

Sept. 16, 1985
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Merritt,

Encolsed rough diagram endevors to explain who I am. Your names were given me by a Mrs. A. H. Behr, of Carmel, N.Y., who does volunteer work for Dutchess Co. Genealogical society. Co-incidentely I have a long ago copy of a letter 6 Jan. 1949- from and Emmett P. Merritt of Mc Dowell Pl., Newbury----this was sent to an Edith Bullock Miller of Sull. Co., when she was doing Bullock-Merritt family history search. I met her just once (1980) and she loaded me the material she had collected in her research, it was mostly names & responses to letters she'd written, but I copied most of it for future reference. Wondered if above mentioned Emmett was yourself or perhaps your father (Emmett being an uncommon name). also have a couple of letter from my father G.M. Bulloc, then of Placerville, Ca. (1948/49) In one he refers her to a cousin of his, a James Merritt of 3rd. St., Newburgh, saying he was a perons much interested in Merritt-bullock research. The reason I am mentioning all of this is that you are the first Merritts in that area (Or.Co.) that I have been refered to. Rather than go on & on, better get to what I am seeking!
I wondered if you knew if the Wm. Merritt (Merrett) of Northeast, later of Amenia was in fact the father of Gilbert Merritt, of Patterson, bur. in Carmel (Rev.Sol.) and if he ideed was, do you know the last name of his 1st wife Tamar? Said to be mother of his children. Also seeking proof of names of said Wm's father and grandfather. (In Gil. S. Merritts "Whence Came These Stones", 1982- his conjecture is that Samuel of white Plains & Thos. Sr. of Rye were father & grandfather.) GSM put much effort into his book (he is aksi a decs. of Gil. M. of Patterson & so a 'cousin', of mine. I admire effort but like proof!!
Of great interest to me is when & how the CORNBURY name got started in this line----Wm. Merritt of Amenia had a Cornbury b. ca. 1754--but seems there must have been one before that. The name, as you probably know goes on down thru the generations...viz: Gil.&Eliza M. have a Cornbury (1780) cornbury & Permelia, Ira Bullock & Jane M. , and Gil. M. & Fanny Emigh etc. but all in same line. I have read that Wm. Merret (Merritt) of NYC., who was mayor 1795/98- Alderman before that among 1st Vestrymen of Trinity church, 1st. Judge & Justice Orange Co. to name some of his credits---had a connection, either politically, friendship or whatever with the infamous (so historians call him) Lord Cornbury. he was a few times (at least) at Wm. & Margery M's home 'Cheer Hall', Or. Co., now Rockland, also Wm. & son John had partnership in Waywanda patent with men who had come here with Cornbury, when his cousin Queen anne appoined him Gov. of N.Y. In bois. of Wm. of NYC it wasy she had only the one son John & that John had no sons. I don't wknow which was to turn but 'feel' that info could be incorrect. In "history of Orange CO. " 1881 by Ruttenar & Clark--pg.18 re: Waywanda patent- item 8. John (misprint, should be Wm.) "Wm. Merritt held his share at time of his deathand his heirs, margery Merritt widow and John Merritt eldest son, sold 1/2 to Adrian Hoagland" etc. ----first & only place I've found a clue that there may have been another son & perhaps this son named a son after Lord Cornbury??? purely my imagination but will all the different Merritts there were at the time- in Westchester, Orange Co., etc. some could have been overlooked.
would be interested to know which line you are from--am sure, beign a Merritt, you have much more correct information that I do-but I would be more thatn willing to share anything I do have.
Have enclosed an S.A.S.E.
Sincerely,
Marjorie A. Quigley

Handwritten on yellow legal paper
Marjorie Bullock Quigley
b 1915 Rockville Centre, L. I. N.Y.
Gilbert Merritt Bullock Jr- b 1893- d 1981 Calif. (b. Green Co. grew up in Orange co. ) m 1914 Alvina Bichterman (divorced 1920/21)

Gilbert Merritt Bullock Sr. b 1829-d. 1901 married 1890 his first cousin Patience Merritt Halsted (Widow) b 1850-d? she was th daugher of Gilbert Merritt 1809-1873 and Fanny Emigh 1812- 1902, both buried in Bethlehem Ce. Town of Cornwall, Orange Co. NY)
Gilbert Bullock's father was Ira Bullock b 1795-died? married (by 1840 Jane head of household). Jane Merritt b c. 1800 Dutch Co. - 1875 Green Co.

Jane Merritt and her brother Gilbert Merritt above mentioned the children of:

Cornbury Meritt b 1780 Dutch Co. d 1853 Green Co. m Permelia Jones b 1779 Dutch Co. d 1867 Greene co. both bur. Cornwallville Ce., Gre, Co., N.Y.

Gilbert Merritt b 1753/4 d. 1824 bur Old Baptist Cem., Carmel. name on Rev. War Memorial in "N.Y. in Rev."pag 242 Dutch Co Militia 3d reg.
married Elizabeth Green
They lived in Patterson, Putnam Co.

William Merritt b 1712 b.p. ? d. 1807 age 95 Amenia dutch Co. 1st wife Tamar? 2nd wife Eliabeth Wixon
Wm. and 2nd wife bur. Winchell MT burying Ground, name spelled Merett on Gr.stone.

According to Gilbert S. Meritt's book "Whence came these stones' pub 1982 he has Wm. as son of Samuel of White Plains, who was son of Thomas of Rye. Said GSM has no proof just conjecture- GSM is in same line as mine, a 5th cousin

M.Q

My Sources
Marriage lic of my mother & father- divorce papers
marriage lic & cert. of Patience M. & G.M. Bullock Sr. (1890)
Census Ira B. & Jane M. 1820-30 Salon, cortland Co.
Census Cornbury M.- perm- 1850 Census Gil M & Fanny 1855
Permelia Jones Merritt's estate papers 1867 Naming children & gr. children
Will of Gilbert Merritt- Carmel, NY names children & wife
Will of Wm. Merritt of Amenia- names children

P.S. I have names of isuue of most of persons mentioned- also Spouses

Note:

On May 3, 1987 Marjorie Merritt wrote a response to this letter, giving the Merritt lineage as Gilbert being the son of Gilbert Esq. She tells Mrs. Quigley that the Emmett P. Merritt she mentioned was her husband who has passed away, etc

Of the Bullock information she gives the following
1. There is a will in the Catskill Surrogate's office inCarmel box 38 p 1122 for an amelia bullock
2. She tells her the following Bulocks are buried in the Stone Bridge Cem., East Durham, source being "Dutch Settlers Society, Vo. XXIII 1947-1948 page 34
Benjamin Bullock d 4-11-1871 ae 83y 2m
Charles G. Bullock d. 3-6-1847 ae 23yr.
Robert Bullock, d 3-9-1835 ae 85y
Joseph Bullock d 9-2-1828 ea 54y8m9d
Elizabeth d. 9-11-1846 ae 73y
Ellen Bullock, wife of Henry J. Robinson d 7-3-1832 ae 32y7m7d

of the Wm. Merritt