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This is part of a series of “For The Record” posts. Each post will be devoted to one member of our family tree. I plan to compile what I’ve been able to document about the person in a timeline format. I hope it helps to paint a little picture of the lives of these characters.

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Relation to me: My Great Grandfather – maternal side

Parents: George Wadsworth Merry and Martha Banning

Siblings: Ida, Ella, Clara, Jessa, Albert, Mina, Bertha, Florence

Spouse: Alice Violet Fielding

Children: Frederick James Merry, Stafford Fielding Merry

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Born: September 5, 1882 in Beaver Falls, NY

Lived: 1900 at 32 Taylor Ave., Utica, NY. Works as a “machinist” (per 1900 Utica City Directory).

Marriage: To Alice Violet Fielding – June 30, 1906 (per Utica City Clerk record).

Birth of son: Frederick James Merry – April 26, 1907

Lived: 1910 in Whitestown, NY (per 1910 US Census). Address – 637 Whitesboro St. George works as a “machinist” in a “knitting mill”.

Birth of son: Stafford Fielding Merry – August 15, 1910 (per NYS Birth Index).

Lived: 1915 in Whitestown, NY (per 1915 NYS Census). Address – 2519 Whitesboro St. George works as “machinist”.

Lived: 1920 in Utica, NY (per 1920 US Census). Address – 707 Chestnust St. Husband, George works as “foreman” in a “knitting mill”.

Lived: 1921 in Utica, NY at 711 Court St. (per newspaper article dated July 25, 1921.

Death of son: Stafford Fielding Merry – July 25, 1921. Eleven year old Stafford was killed in a hit and run accident involving a drunk driver.

Busted: July 4, 1925, with son Frederick James Merry, for illegal taking of undersized trout. The combined fines of $257 is equal to $3733 in today’s dollars!

Lived: 1930 in Utica, NY (per 1930 US Census). Address – 814 Oswego St. George is a “proprietor” of a “gas station”. Son, 22-year-old Frederick is still living in the household and working as an “office clerk” for the “phone company”.

Military: April 27, 1940 – Registered with the Selective Service, though he was never called to serve.

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Lived: 1940 in Utica, NY (per 1940 US Census). Both Alice and George work at the “gas station” – George as “attendant” and Alice as “helper”.

Lived: circa 1950 in Vernon, NY where Alice and George ran The Basket Shop (per Utica Observer Dispatch news article on the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary.)

50th Anniversary Celebration: June 30, 1956. Dinner celebration held at Dibble’s Inn in Vernon, NY.

Death of Wife: Alice Violet Fielding Merry died May 18, 1960.

Death: February 8, 1962. George Harold Merry was 80 years old when he passed.

Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY

Last Will and Testament: March 2, 1962. George’s estate was left to his son, Fred James Merry.