On Sunday, February 27, 2022 at the Merrifield Cemetery in Oak Cliff, Dallas County, Texas the Craig Austin Rowley Chapter, The Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Texas, and the John Cavet Chapter of the United States Daughters of 1812 honored John “Jack” Merrifield (1792-1873) for his service in the War of 1812.
(Photos courtesy of Paul Ridenour)
Biography of John Merrifield:
Private John Merrifield was born in Hardin County, Kentucky on December 29, 1792. His parents were Alexander and Rachel Merrifield. He died in Dallas, Texas on July 21, 1873, and is buried in Merrifield Cemetery on what was part of his original land purchase.
Private John Merrifield served in the Kentucky Militia, under Captain Thomas Joyes from November 10, 1814, to May 10, 1815. He fought in the battle of New Orleans, also known asthe Battle of the Cotton Bales from the report that cotton bales were used by Andrew Jackson’s men as fortifications.
Merrifield married three times. Hist first marriage was in 1816 to Sally Welsh. Their children were Milton, William, John Welsh, Sarah, Samuel, Jefferson, and Rachel born 1832. Sally died in August 1833 in a cholera epidemic.
Merrifield was married the second time to Elizabeth Foreman. Their children were Thomas, Susan, Joseph, Katherine, and Benjamin Franklin. Elizabeth died in Dallas on 16 Sep 1869. Merrifield’s sons Milton, William, Samuel, and Jefferson came to Texas in 1847 seeking land.
By February of 1851, John and second wife Elizabeth had joined them, and John recorded his first deed which was for a half section which already had a log house. The northwest corner of the property is at what is now Hampton and Jefferson in Oak Cliff and ran south on Hampton to Clarendon.
Merrifield married a third time to the widow Harriet Linebarger Murphy in Dallas on 6 October 1870. She applied for a widow’s pension based on Merrifield’s service and it is from the 72 pages of documentation for that pension that we find most of John Merrifield’s biographical details.
