MERRELL REUNION NEAR QUITAQUE TEXAS

By Tom Merrill

On July 20-21, 2007 the Merrell family originating in Floyd, Motley and Briscoe Counties of Texas held their annual reunion. This yearly affair has been going on for as long as anyone there can remember. This family is descended from David Alexander Merrell, who brought his family to the area in 1890 from San Saba, Texas.

HOW ARE THEY RELATED TO CAPTAIN BENJAMIN MERRILL?

Penelope Merrill, the daughter of Captain Benjamin Merrill and Jemima Smith, married Benjamin Merrill, the son of Captain Benjamin’s brother William. Benjamin and Penelope settled in Buncombe County, North Carolina following the Revolutionary War. Many of their children were part of the wagon train that headed west around 1827 and stopped in northern Missouri to settle. From Missouri, many of the Merrell clan spread out over the mid-western and western states. Of Benjamin and Penelope’s children, Nimrod, Eli, Benjamin, and David all settled in Texas. David lived in San Saba, Texas and it is his son David Alexander that homesteaded near Quitaque. Carolyn Merrell Jones, a descendant of David Alexander and who attended the 2007 Captain Benjamin Merrill Reunion in North Carolina, is the fifth cousin (once removed) from those of us that are of the eighth generation from Captain Benjamin (except those descended from Penelope, to whom the relationship would be closer).

WHERE THE HECK IS QUITAQUE?

Quitaque is located east of the South Plains of Texas, east of Amarillo and Lubbock. It is in the middle of cattle country and in a sparsely populated area. The old Merrell homestead is a few miles south of Quitaque in Floyd County. It is not likely that anyone would run across this homestead by accident. Even if you knew where you were going it would be difficult to find.

Overview of the location of Quitaque

In San Saba, the Merrells were small-time cattlemen and horse breeders. In the 1880’s, the larger cattle ranchers began to harass the smaller outfits. After resisting as long as he could, David Alexander Merrell acceded to his wife’s pleas and moved his family northward to the panhandle of Texas. After one false start in raising cattle in the area, David moved his family to the still-standing homestead near the present-day Caprock Canyon State Park. There they remained and many of the children worked on nearby ranches such as the Matador or the huge F-Ranch that was started by Charles Goodnight who had been a pioneer in blazing cattle trails from Texas to Kansas and Colorado.

Alex & Mary Merrell Family, circa 1900

GETTING TO THE REUNION SITE

I had been invited to this reunion by Carolyn Jones at the last Captain Benjamin Merrill Reunion and decided I would attend. Getting there was another story. Since I was going by myself, I decided to fly to Lubbock and stay in Plainview, about the nearest town to the reunion. As I drove my rented car from Plainview, I passed through some of the most vacant looking country side I had ever visited. At first, all you could see for miles around were fields, mostly uncultivated, stretching forever. On rare occasions, the fields would be planted with crops or have some cattle grazing. It did not take long to figure out why Texans think so “large” because this part of the state has a “hugeness” feel about it because of the flat, seemingly vacant landscape. After leaving U. S. Highway 70 and passing through the sleepy town of Lockney, the scenery became even more desolate. Mesquite trees (or bushes?) and tall weeds lined the road. It was a surprise whenever another vehicle was spotted or a farmhouse could be seen off in the distance.

Suddenly I topped a hill and a fantastic view was there before my eyes. At this place God had chosen to create a canyon with peaks and valleys and odd rock formations. Now I cannot tell you that this surpassed the more famous Grand Canyon or Monument Valley, but its unexpected explosion in my view from the drabness through which I had been passing was so startling that the pleasant sensations knocked my socks off.  Here are some photos I took upon seeing this for the first time:

I continued on to the Fairmont Baptist Church, where I was supposed to turn next. I was surprised when I looked where I was headed and saw a dirt road leading off in the distance. I knew I might be in trouble now even though Carolyn had provided me with a set of written instructions. My anxiety was almost immediately relieved because Carolyn pulled into the church parking area at that time. Not only could I follow her to the reunion site, but she was putting up signs to direct others. That way I could help her and also get my bearings straight. We took off down the dirt roads that were for the most part very well kept. There were some spots where the sand was loose or potholes had developed, but they did not present any real problems. I had to stay a fair distance behind Carolyn because of the huge dust cloud that we were creating. My next surprise presented itself when we came to the creek crossing, another hazard for which I was not prepared:

We drove straight through but I am glad the creek was not any higher. Immediately after crossing the creek we turned right through a field and suddenly came upon the reunion site. Situated amid a grove of trees were several travel trailers, pop-ups and tents. Barbeque and camp cooking areas were setup and dinner preparations were in progress. I met and talked to several reunionists. Hamburgers were grilled and potatoes and onions were fried. I felt right at home although I could have used a cowboy hat and boots to fit in a little better. There were several young men and women that left for the drive-in theatre where a triple feature was playing. Although many of the people there were set to spend the night camping out, Carolyn and I returned to our respective motels for the night.

Saturday I arrived back around 11:00 a.m. The crowd had grown a little larger. More people trickled in and by dinner time, I would guess that there were over 100 people present. The younger children were kept entertained by a plastic swimming pool and the older kids and young adults went off hiking in the various canyons and hills surrounding the area. The older ones, including me, sat around and swapped lies.

Carolyn took me to the old cemetery where many of her relatives were buried. The cemetery is called the Goodnight Cemetery, but had a sign over it saying “Elgin”. Carolyn explained that there used to be a village there named Elgin but it no longer existed. It was so hidden from view of the dirt road we were traveling that Carolyn missed it the first time past. The cemetery, although, was well kept. Here are a few photos from there:

After lunch, I wandered around taking other photographs. The entertainment for the afternoon was a baseball game. Here are some of my photos:

Horseshoe competition was fierce.

Relief from the heat was had by the kids in the swimming “hole”.

Baseball uniforms, Texas style

This is an old abandoned railroad tunnel in Caprock Canyon State Park, near the Merrell homestead.

Jerry, the dentist, was Captain of one of the baseball teams. I had observed Jerry in action in getting his area  of the reunion organized. He has that Merrell obsessive drive about getting things done and if a bookie had been around, I would have bet on his team. I would have won! Doug, perhaps not in shape to play, took a tumble while attempting to make a play at third base. My impression of this Merrell clan was one I feel whenever I am around our relatives: what a great group of people that would give you the shirts off their backs if you needed it. They are all individualists, obsessive to a degree, believe in a fair world but realize that unfairness is all around us. They know how to have a good time and they know how to be serious. They revere their elders, believe in a just God, and love the United States of America. They work hard, play hard, and they live life. Captain Benjamin would have been proud!

My last surprise came late Saturday evening. Just when I thought things were winding down, Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty, and Daughter Liberty came parading out of one of the trailers. They were passing out little American flags to one and all. Then, with the help of a portable karaoke, they began to lead the group in a set of patriotic songs including God Bless America, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. To top this off, they dedicated the ceremony to Carolyn’s daughter Lt. Colonel Jayme Sutton, the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Captain Benjamin Merrill. She will be deployed to Afghanistan later this year. Many of the men I talked to had previous military experience. If you attended the 2007 Benjamin Merrill Reunion, then you probably met Jayme there. A fireworks show followed.

I hope to get back to this reunion next year but I plan to bring camping gear so I can experience the friendship even better.

God Bless the United States of America and the descendants of Captain Benjamin Merrill!