Life History

Notes

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  Leo Earl Merryman and Oda N. Reynolds
  
  My Great-Grandfather Leo Merryman, born in Kully Chaha (Kulli Cha ha), Sugar Loaf Co., Moshulatubbee Dist., Choctaw Nation, Ind.Ter., (near present Poteau, LeFlore Co., Oklahoma) and later married Oda N. Reynolds....
  
  My Great-Grandfather (Leo) was born in 1891 and his father before him was David C. Merryman born also in the Choctaw Nation in 1853; while his grandmother Anny Scott-Merryman (and David's mother) was born in Mississippi before the 'Trail of Tears' removal to the new Choctaw Nation there in what of course became Oklahoma (aka land of the "red people").  Other spellings in past generations on Merryman - Merriman.
  --  Russ Merryman choctawSonaol.com, Oklahoma Chahta Clan of California, accessed 19 January 2015, http://www.oklachahta.org/Smoke%20Signals.htm
  ------------------------
  
  Leo was reported as 5 years old in the 1896 Choctaw census.
  
  1896 Census, Sugar Loaf County, Choctaw Naton, Indian Territory, page 478
  Merryman, David C Head  Male 43
  Merryman, Gipson V Male 18
  Merryman, Abraham Male 13
  Merryman, Mary J F Female 12
  Merryman, Wm H Male 9
  Merryman, Leo E Male 5
  
  Leo's brother Walter is next door in his own household.
  
  Merryman, Walter G Head  Male 20
  Merryman, Jno Z Male 4
  Merryman, Zoybo C Female 18 mos
  
  U.S. Native American Enrollment Cards for the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914
  1899, Sugar Loaf County, Choctaw Nation, P O Bengal, Card (Field) #2879
  1 Dawes' Roll #8455, Merryman, 49 (in 1899) David C, Age 46 Male, Birth Abt 1850, 1/8, 1896 Sugar Loaf Co #14560;  Fath W P Merryman Dead Non Citz, Moth Annie Merryman Dead Skullyville
  2 Dawes' Roll #W.915 Merryman, Cordelia E, 45 [sic] (in 1899) Wife, Age 38 [sic], Female, Birth Abt 1858, Intermarried White, 1896 Sugar Loaf Co #14806;  Fath John W Blair Dead Non Citz, Moth Mary Revard 1896 Non-Citz
  3 Dawes' Roll #8456, Merryman, Abraham, 18 (in 1899) Son Age 15, M Birth Abt 1881, 1/16, 1896 Sugar Loaf Co #8519, Fath #1, Moth #2
  4 Dawes' Roll #8457, Merryman, Mary J F, 16 (in 1899) Dau Age 13, F Birth Abt 1883, 1/16, 1896 Sugar Loaf Co #8520, Fath #1, Moth #2
  5 Dawes' Roll #8458, Merryman, William H, 14 (in 1899) Son Age 11, F Birth Abt 1885, 1/16, 1896 Sugar Loaf Co #8521, Fath No 1, Moth No 2
  6 Dawes' Roll #8459, Merryman, Leo E, 11 (in 1899) Dau [sic; Son] Age 8, F [sic; Male] Birth Abt 1891, 1/16, 1896 Sugar Loaf Co #8522, Fath No 1, Moth No 2
  7 W.1314, Merryman, Ora, 16 [in 1899] Wife of No 3, Age 16, F IW Birth Abt 1883; [no prior registration] Fath John Graham Non Citz, Moth Orminda Graham Non Citz
  ___________
  Notes:
  Record as to enrollment of No 7 forwarded Department, Mar 14, 1906; Record returned.  See opinion of Assistant Attiorney General of March 15, 1906 in case of Omer R Nicholson
  No 2 on 1896 roll as Cordelia Merryman
  No 4 on 1896 roll as Mary
  No 5 on 1896 roll as Wm H
  No 3 is now the husband of Ora Merryman on Choctaw card #S807 Sept 24, 1902
  On Aug 10, 1902 No 7 was married to No 3
  No 7 originally listed for enrollment on Choctaw Card D807 sept 24, 1902:  transferred to this card Feb 1, 1905.  See decision of Jan 16, 1905
  For child of Nos 3 & 7, see NB (Mar 3-05) Card #137
  For child of Nos 4, see NB (Mar 3-05) Card #589
  Enrollment of No 2 hereon approved by the Sec of the interior Aug 3, 1904
  Enrollment of Nos 1,3,4,5,6 hereon approved by the Sec of the interior Jan 17, 1903
  Enrollment of No 7 hereon approved by the Sec of the interior Mar 14, 1905
  No 7 P O LeFlore, IT
  Date of application for enrollment 6/19/99 #1 to 6
  
  1900 Federal Census, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, 7 June, Township 4, District 94, Page 16B, House/Family #4
  Merryman, David C  Head Indian Male Feb 1853 47  Married 26 years  Choctaw b Ind Terr  Father b Tenn  Mother Choctaw b Miss Farmer Owns Farm
  Merryman, Cordellia Wife W F Aug 1858  41  Married 26 years  4 children/2 living IL IL IL
  Merryman, Abel Son Ind M Aug 1883  16 Single Choctaw b Ind Terr  Choctaw b Ind Terr  Mother b Illinois Farm Laborer
  Merryman, Mary Dau Ind F Feb 1886  14  Single Choctaw b Ind Terr  Choctaw b Ind Terr  Mother b Illinois
  Merryman, Henry Son Ind M Apr 1888  12 Single Choctaw b Ind Terr  Choctaw b Ind Terr  Mother b Illinois Farm Laborer
  Merryman, Leo Son Ind M Mar 1891  9 Single Choctaw b Ind Terr  Choctaw b Ind Terr  Mother b Illinois
  Merryman, Izora Niece [granddaughter?] Ind F Jan 1900 4mos Single Ind Terr Ind Terr Texas
  
  Leo was listed in his father's household on the final rolls of Choctaw by Blood.
  
  Chickasaw Roll Citizens by Blood, 9 May 1904 (birthdates as of 1899 census)
  #8455 Merryman, David C Age 49 [Birth abt 1850] Male Blood 1/8 Census Card #2879
  #8456 Merryman, Abraham Age 18 [Birth abt 1871] Male Blood 1/16 Census Card #2879
  #8457 Merryman, Mary J F Age 16 [Birth abt 1873] Female Blood 1/16 Census Card #2879
  #8458 Merryman, William H Age 14 [Birth abt 1875] Male Blood 1/16 Census Card #2879
  #8458 Merryman, Leo E Age 11 [Birth abt 1878] Female [error brought forward form 1899] Blood 1/16 Census Card #2879
  --  Choctaw Roll, up to 1907, U S Dept of the Interior Printed edition 1961
  
  His older brother Walter was enumerated on the same page.
  
  Chickasaw Roll Citizens by Marriage, 9 May 1904 (birthdates as of 1899 census)
  #8460 Merryman, Walter G Age 26 [Birth abt 1863] Male Blood 1/16 Census Card #2880
  #8461 Merryman, John D Age 7 [Birth abt 1892] Male Blood 1/32 Census Card #2880
  #8462 Merryman, Zado C Age 5 [Birth abt 1894] Female Blood 1/32 Census Card #2880
  #8463 Merryman, Izora Lula Age 3 [Birth abt 1896] Female Blood 1/32 Census Card #2880
  #8464 Merryman, Gabe Age 2 [Birth abt 1897] Male Blood 1/32 Census Card #2880
  --  Choctaw Roll, Citizens by Blood, up to 1907, U S Dept of the Interior Printed edition 1961
  
  Note that Leo reported his race as White when he registered for the WWI military draft.
  
  U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
  Leo E Meryman [Leo E Merryman]
  Residence Mena, Polk County, Arkansas
  Birth 29 Mar 1891 Cameron, Le Flore County, Oklahoma
  Self-Employed Farmer, Race White
  Has Kidney Trouble
  Tall, Medium Build, Gray, Black
  Registered 5 June 1917 Potter, Polk County, Arkansas
  
  Leo married Oda Reynolds on 1 January 1911.
  
  "Leo and Oda Merryman have been united in marriage for more than 70 years.  The young couple were wed in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on January 1, 1911."
  --  "After 70 years, she's still his sweetheart," Grandview Herald, Grandview, Washington, 30 april 1981, p 1
  
  Leo and Oda moved at some point to Phoenix.  There are several other households of Merrymans in the directory, but none we can identify with the immediate family
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1937, p 346
  Merryman Leo E (Oda) h 1725 S 1st av
  
  There is a similar entry in the 1938 directgory.  They were reported in several editions of the Phoenix City Directory.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1940, p 322
  Merryman Leo E (Oda) h 1725 S 1st av
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1947, p 369
  Merryman Leo E (Oda) h 2034 W Hadley
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989
  Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1948, p 539
  Merryman Leo (Oda) E h 2048 W Hadley
  
  U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
  Leo Merryman
  Born 29 Mar 1891
  Died Nov 1981
  Last Residence Grandview, Yakima, Washington 98930
  SSN 526-14-3428 issued Arizona (Before 1951)
  
  The memorial for Leo on Find a Grave reports that he was born in Poteau, but we are following the family info reported by Russ Merryman that Leo was born in Kully Chaha.  We are viewing it as Chcotaw Nation, since he was born before the state of Oklahoma was created.  Kully Chaha is not a currently used name in location databases that FAG uses.  Kully Cha Ha was in the High Spring area of what is now LeFlore County, Oklahoma, of which Poteau is the county seat.
  
  Leo Earl Merryman
  Birth Mar 29, 1891 Poteau, Le Flore County, Oklahoma
  Death Nov 16, 1981 Yakima, Yakima County, Washington
  Spouse Oda Naomi Reynolds Merryman (1897 - 1991)
  Inscription:  Married 11/1911
  Burial Grandview Cemetery, Grandview, Yakima County, Washington, Blk 5, Lot 2, Space 4
  Maintained by Naomi Merryman, Originally Created by lloker Dec 27, 2010
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #63353782, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=63353782
  

Sources

• 1. Oklahoma Chahta Clan of California
• 2. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
• 3. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
• 4. 1900 Federal Census, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory
  • 7 June, Township 4, District 94, Page 16B, House/Family #4
• 5. U.S. Native American Enrollment Cards for the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914
• 6. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 7. Lawmen and Outlaws, RootsWeb
  • Name: Name: http://marti.rootsweb,com/law/pic/lterry.htm;;
• 8. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1948, p 539
• 9. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1937, p 346
• 10. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1947, p 369
• 11. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Phoenix, Arizona, City Directory, 1940, p 322
• 12. Grandview Herald, Grandview, Washington