Person:Merrick Conklin (1)

Merrick Martin Conklin, son of David and Freelove (Martin) Conkling was born on 19 May 1816 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He worked as a confectioner and baker, in Cincinnati, Ohio and then in Richmond, Indiana. Merrick is named in his father's will and was left a house and lot on House Street in Cincinnati which backed up to his uncle, Isaac Conkling's lot. The Cincinnati city directory of 1849-50 shows Merrick as a confectioner living on Rittenhouse. The 1850 census shows Merrick living in the eighth ward of Cincinnati with Margaret Conklin and two children. Margaret was born ca. 1819 as she was 58 years old when she filed for a pension based on her son’s service in the Civil War. The ages for this family appear inconsistently in all census entries. Merrick and his wife Margaret are named in several Hamilton county deeds in December, 1855 pertaining to the sale of land from his father’s estate. The deeds identify them as residents of Wayne County, Indiana. The 1860 census shows the family living in Richmond (Wayne County), Indiana. The Richmond city directory of 1860-61 lists Merrick as a baker and states that he resides at 44 S. 8th St. in Richmond. In both the 1850 and 1860 census Merrick refers to himself as a confectioner by trade. Both Merrick and his son Joseph were in the 17th Regiment of the Indiana Voluntary Infantry (Co. D, 8th regiment) during the Civil War. Merrick served from September, 1861. He was discharged at Camp Chase, Missouri in January, 1863 due to physical disability from diabetes. His pension papers indicate that he received a twenty percent temporarily disability due to “general debility and a broken down constitution”. The application dated 11 February 1863 states that Merrick was 45 years old, had a light complexion, gray hair and gray eyes. In 1865 the family lived in Dublin, Indiana. Merrick died in Indianapolis, Indiana on 6 April 1875. He died of tuberculosis. His death notice gives his last address as 107 North Noble Street in Indianapolis and says that he died at age 59. He is buried with his wife in Crown Hill Cemetery (lot 32, section 4) in Indianapolis. On 31 March 1877 property in Hamilton County, Ohio which Merrick and his brother William H. Conklin had owned went through foreclosure for non-payment of real estate taxes. Merrick owed $638.50 for taxes from December, 1850. This land had been part of his father’s estate. The court also found that Merrick owed $ 836.40 to his brother, Henry Conklin. In December, 1877 Margaret filed a Civil War pension application as the mother of Joseph. The pension file is very thick. It contains testimony form several people. One piece of testimony says that the family was always poor, but deserving people. Merrick’s brother, Jeremiah testifies that Merrick was “broken down in health” from 1863 to 1870 and was unable to support his family. During that time period Jeremiah states that he made several contributions to the family’s support, the largest amount being $500. Letters which her son, Joseph sent during the Civil War show that he sent much of his pay home. Apparently Joseph always directed the money to his mother, although once he sent home $80 and said “let father have $15 if he needs it, if he don’t keep it yourself and do what you please with it.” Margaret was awarded the pension from the date of her son’s death at a rate of $8. per month.