Married Nancy McCrary
Eli-Charles-Charles William-Fenly-Clifford
Died 26 December 1849
Buried in Dallas, Texas
There is a sign at the Merrell Cemetery in Dallas that says this about Eli:
Elder Eli Merrell (1787 - 1849), minister of the Disciples of Christ Church, came with his wife, Mary, in 1844, to settle 640 acres near Bachman's Branch in what was then Nacogdoches County. This cemetery is on a part of his acreage, and his was the first marked grave at this site.
The Merrell Cemetery originally served pioneers from the surrounding area. Numerous prominent citizens and members of the historic Peters Colony are among those buried here. William Strait (1806-86) and his wife, Mourning (1806-77), came to Dallas County in 1853. Many of their family members remained in the area, serving the community in various positions. Strait's sons, William, Enoch, and Bennett, served with Merrell's sons, George and John, in the 19th Cavalry during the Civil War. Enoch Strait (1834 - 1917) served as Dallas County Commissioner and William Strait's grandson, Elmo (1876 - 1922), became the Chief of Police for the city of Dallas. Members of the cemetery association, which was organized in 1965, include many descendants of pioneer settlers.
Eli was an officer in the War of 1812.
Here is another note from this website:
Eli Merrell had been a minister in the Disciples of Christ Church since it was begun in 1832. (All the church’s ministers were all addressed as “Elder”.) According to Texas historian, A.C. Greene, Peters Colony records show Elder Merrell and wife Mary “settled along White Rock Creek”, but actually their home was located on what is now Joe’s Creek, off Rosser Road. Joe’s Creek was named for their youngest son, John M. “Joe” Merrell (b. March 30, 1847), also Elder Eli’s last surviving child, who lived, with his wife Susan, on the old homestead into the 1930’s. (Again, according to Historian Greene.)
Eli lived in Merrillsville, Missouri before he moved to Texas. While he was there he wrote this letter to a brother who was still living in North Carolina:
Merrellsville Mo. June 18th day 1842
Dear Brother and Sister,
I take my pen up to write a few lines to you. We are all well at this time my wife has a very fine son ten days old. She is as well as could be expected. This is her third child the other two are daughters.
Our crops look very prosperous. I have a field of corn shoulder high what is yellow and will be fit to cut in 12 days. We have plenty of old corn and wheat and all cheap-wheat 56 per bushel Corn, 20 cents per B. Bacon is very plentiful and cheap from $3 to $3.50 per hundred. Our land flows with plenty of everything but cash-that is scarce.
I have before me a letter you wrote to brother David Mar 22~ In that you want to know how I came out in my bacon speculation. I cannot give you a full detail. I suppose Taylor told of my sickness and that our produce was stored at Vicksburg, Miss. My son-in-law was I partnership with me he went down last fall
took yellow fever and terminated in death, left things in a scattered condition. I sent my son Benjamin. He got 650 dollars. I have not settled up the business yet, as to loss I sustained I might as well loaded our boats and turned them loose in the River and let them went.
This is a gloomy subject to think on. I will be compelled to sell my land to payoff the demands as the weight fell on me. I suppose my loss will be about five thousand dollars. I think I can yet obtain a small home. I will inform you in my next more on this subject.
I will give you a small detail on the subject of Christianity. I suppose you have heard I was one of those heretics as some please to call that oppose all creeds and doctrines of men not found in the Scriptures which the Baptist hold too many to tedious to give on this small sheet.
I left them because I choose to serve God rather than man. I have suffered persecution for righteousness sake but thanks be to God that over rules evil I have lived to see the reward of my labor etc patience in well doing I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the happiest scenes of my day last fall in about a month I Baptized thirty on their profession of faith in Jesus Christ. My wife two children, sister Jane Marrow, her two daughter's-son and his wife at the same time at Palmyra. Our Brethren was carrying on meetings they baptized about 75 in about the same time. We meet together on every Lords Day preach or teach the Word and partake of the Supper. Last Lords Day was the first I have failed to attend meeting for the last six months and generally preach one or two sermons in the day. I have now got more aid in the Congregation a young man I Baptized last fall commenced preaching and making a good discourse we have good congregations to speak to we have evangelist that rides and preaches constantly but their bounds is large. One of them was with us last fall at my house when we had our ingathering we numbered about 40.
I will leave this subject and notice some of your hard times-Brother you appear like Enthusiast on this subject comparing these times to the situation of the country at the close of the revolution and you say some wants war and all mad enough to fight who will you fight. You have called for a change of administration you got it you once called on me to help you rejoice and has your Joy turned to mourning you say its not uncommon to commit men to Jail till the Jail is almost full you say the change of times is alleged to be the cause (these modern Whig times). I think I can assign another cause to produce this effect if your people could become sober minded and Judge the present by the past we would see where the evil originated look at the expansion of the Banks the country flooded with spurious paper over gold and silver carried to Europe men quitting labor going into traffic and hundreds to Gambling and dissipating involving their friends as sureties in the Banks. One easy look at that you wrote to Brother David where one man left his Brother
and Brother-in-law to suffer. If men would go to work and get their living by the sweat of their Brow hard times would cease and peace and plenty would flow in our land again you say you have some Idea of visiting our Country. I would rather hear of you bringing your family you surely could do better if you could get here and commence even in the world than to raise lease land. You could settle land here and get a preemption that you could raise plenty on. I do believe you could do far better here than you can there.
I would not stay there, if I could get away. There many things here a man can turn his attention to-to make a living here that cannot there. I saw Brother David last night they was well. I have not heard from Br Levi for something like two months he is well as far as I know he and his family had not done as well as they ought to have done his two daughters have left home. One of them lives with my son William. The other lives in the same neighborhood so I am not able to give you a full account. I suppose he is got plenty of property-that is stock of different kinds. So I must conclude. Give my respects to Brothers and sisters and accept my best wishes yourself. June 25, 1842. Write as soon as this comes to hand.
Eli Merrell
Mary E. Merrell
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