Hosmer Merry

Hosmer Merry's tombstone is found in the Bloomingville Cemetery in Erie County, Ohio. Six pointed stars are found on either side of a lovely weeping willow on his grave marker. Hosmer Merry was a pioneer settler of Milan, Ohio. Below is a transcription of a tribute to Hosmer Merry, which appeared on pages 28-29 in the June 1867 issue of "The Firelands Pioneer."

Hosmer Merry was born at Kinderhook, New York, in 1783. At the age of eleven his father moved to Genesee County. At the age of 17, he with his brother Ebenezer started for the then Far West, stopping at Mentor, Lake County, Ohio, at which place there was then no town. When he was 21, he returned to Genesee County remaining about one year, at which time he returned again to Mentor.


Feb.28th, 1807, he was married to Miss Sarah Frost, who was born in Watertown, Connecticut, Oct. 28th 1787. In Dec. 1810, he came to what is now called Milan, locating on a farm one and one-half miles below the village on which he built a log house. He did not however move his family there until in Feb. 1811. There they remained most of the time, during the exciting times of 1812 & 1813, seeking refuge and protection in case of alarm in the block House at Camp Avery, which was situated some 2 miles from his farm. In 1812 he was drafted for six months. He entered his team and went as teamster, and as such was engaged in transporting supplies for the army, and was frequently at Fort Croghan. He with two or three companions started the next day after the engagement on Lake Erie, from Huron, with a boat load of provisions to go to the fleet. On arriving near the fleet, they could see the red uniform of the British about the American vessel, and were in doubt as to whether they had better go ahead or retreat, when they were hailed from the fleet. On their being assured that Commodore Perry was victorious, one of the men in the boat by the name of Harvey, an old Revolutionary hero, sprang to his feet swinging has hat and calling on his comrades to “Row boys, for God sake row.” They were the first to board the fleet after the engagement.

In the spring of 1833, he moved to Oxford township. His first wife died August, 1825, leaving six children, viz: Ebenezer O., Henry F., Fanny, George A., William W., and Betsey P., all of whom are now living except Betsey, who died Sept. 2d, 1843. He was married the second time in 1826 to Sarah Reed, who is still (at this date) living in Milan. By her he had two children Mary A., and Stephen. He was Justice of the Peace of Oxford township, at the time of his death, which occurred August 23d, 1835. Age 52 years.

Note: While the tribute to Hosmer Merry indicates that he died on August 23, 1835 at the age of 52, Hosmer Merry's tombstone states that he died on August 25, 1835 at the age of 55.