Riley Merrick, I Thought You Might Be Family
Now who the heck is Riley Merrick, you're probably asking. Well, Riley Merrick is someone who can be found on the same page of the 1880 Federal Census as my maternal 3rd great grandparents Thomas Whitney and Margaret Merritt Whitney. Riley and my ancestors resided in Swan Quarter, NC that year. When researching Hyde County records in the past I noticed that sometimes individuals with the surname of Merritt, sometimes were recorded as Merrick and vice versa. I have always had a hunch that there was some sort of connection between my 3rd great grandmother Margaret and him but was unable to prove it. That is, until now. First, here's a visual of my connection to Margaret Merritt Whitney. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com . Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Swan Quarter, Hyde, North Carolina; Roll: 968; Family History Film: 1254968; Page: 534A; Enumeration District: 076; Image: 0297 1880 Federal Census showing the Margaret Merritt Whitn...