William George Merritt 1857–1938
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A Public Tree Person is an ancestor documented independently by multiple YourRoots tree owners. When several researchers' family histories converge on the same person, we publish a shared page that combines what they've documented.
Why this is a Public Tree Person
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- A 3 criteria (Strong)
- B 2 criteria (Medium)
- C 1 criteria (Basic)
- Record available
- Descendant's record available
- Star tree owner
2 researchers on YourRoots have William Merritt in their family trees — each with their own records and documentation. Trace the migration path across 16 generations. If this ancestor is in your tree too, you can compare what you've found and fill in the gaps together.
Last updated: August 25, 2026 · Reliability: A — verified across 2 independent trees, with linked records
Immediate Family
Biography
The story of William George Merritt began in 1857 in Burnt Prairie, Wayne, Illinois, United States. In 1870, William George Merritt resided in Barnhill, Wayne, Illinois, USA. William George Merritt married ida a churchwell, sarah elizabeth powless, and had children including emma bell merritt, ethel jane merritt, leona may merritt, luna marie meritt, mary catherine merritt, rebecca ann merritt, sarah merritt. William George Merritt passed away in 1938 in Fairfield, Wayne County, Illinois, United States of America.
Sources
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1Census 1870 United States Federal Census
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2Burial Records U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
Life Timeline
Oldest Ancestor Line from William Merritt
This ancestor line traces from Drayton Beauchamp, Buckinghamshire, England (1362) to Burnt Prairie, Wayne, Illinois, United States (1857) across 16 generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- William Merritt (1857–1938) was born in Burnt Prairie, Wayne, Illinois, United States and died in Fairfield, Wayne County, Illinois, United States of America. 2 researchers on YourRoots have this ancestor in their family trees, each with their own records. This page combines what they've independently documented and assigns a Reliability Score (A) based on cross-tree validation.
- Right now, 2 researchers on YourRoots have William in their trees. They're working independently, so connecting with them is a good way to cross-check your records and find things you might have missed. You can also explore the ancestor migration map that traces 16 generations of this lineage geographically.
- It varies by researcher — some have census records, others have marriage certificates, parish registers, or family Bible entries. Scroll up to see exactly what each person has cited.
- Use the "Compare Tree" button on any researcher's profile above. You can compare your tree side by side with theirs, see where your records overlap or differ, and collaborate to fill gaps.
William Merritt's Ancestors
Pedigree chart — 3 generations on record