Notes:

* 1900 Jan. Fifth Generation, 1900 Jan. Fifth Generation,
1st child,1st child, J. Merritt: Born September 30th, 1868, married Juliet d. DeWitt, February 24, 1892.

* 1900 Jan. Sixth Generation, [Parent:]
J. Merritt Willson, Born September 30th, 1868. Married Juliet D. DeWitt (daughter of Nelson & Emeline McCoy DeWitt). Born Nov. 18, 1868.

. Obituary: J. M. Willson, Bank Director, Dies In Sussex
Retired Merchant in Business here 37 Years -
John Merritt Willson, age75, of 47 Band Street, who was engaged in the mercantile business in Sussex for 37 years until his retirement in the spring of 1931, died Sunday morning in Linn Hospital. He had been in failing health for several years & a patient in the hospital a few weeks.
Mr. Willson was born in the Pond district of Wantage township, a son of Evi A. & Adeline Cox Willson. He attended local schools & Peddie Institute at Hightstown. More than 50 years ago he joined his father & purchased the mercantile business of Couse & Hornbeck. A few months later the late Jefferson J. Coons purchased an interest in Evi A. Willson & Son & the business was then operated as Coons & Willson. Eventually Mr. Willson bought the Coons interest, acquired the business of the late Charles C. Kyte & continued to operate a double store until 1931, where Markovits Brothers are now located in Hornbeck Block.
He had been a director of Farmers National Bank for about a quarter of a century. He was a member of Samaritan Lodge, F. & A.M., & a charter member & first worthy patron of Northern Chapter, O.E.S. A member of Sussex Baptist Church, he had held various offices & at one time was assistant superintendent of the Sunday school.

Surviving are his wife, Juliett DeWitt Willson; only son, M. Lawrence Willson, of South Orange; a sister, Madge, wife of Jack Snodgrass, of San Marino, Calif. & 2 grandchildren.
Funeral services, conducted by his pastor, Rev. A.G. Graham Jr., assisted by Rev. A.J.W. Mowatt, of Presbyterian church, were held at the home Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Interment was in Deckertown Union Cemetery. 
Ref: Sussex Independent, December 9th, 1943.

*John Merritt WILLSON, b. 1868 Sept 30 - 1943 Dec 5
X Juliet Dewitt, B, 1866 Nov 18-1959 Apr & their children:
Eva A Willson.II, b: 1892;
Nelson DeWitt Willson b: 1896 - 1918 Mar 30 New Jersey, & Mr. Wilson.
. Papakating Cemetery - Tombstone Inscriptions:
Willson, J. Merritt*; wife Juliet DeWitt*; daughter Eva A., b. 1892, d. 1909. (In Asa Willson plot). - - -

Birth:


Died:
COD: hypostatic pneumonia.

John married Juliett DEWITT on 24 Feb 1892 in Wantage, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Juliett was born on 18 Nov 1868 in Wantage, Sussex Co., New Jersey; died on 25 Apr 1959 in Wantage, Sussex Co., New Jersey; was buried in Deckertown-Union-Papkating Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Jasper David JACK SNODGRASS. Jasper was born on 16 Oct 1885 in Chouteau, Mayes Co., Oklahoma; died on 4 Jun 1977 in Huntington Beach, Orange Co., California; was buried in Rose Hills Memoiral Park. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Eva Adelia is the daughter of J Merritt Willson & Juliet D DeWitt.

* 1900 Jan. Fifth Generation,
1st child: Eva Delia: Born August 24th, 1893. died May 16th, 1909. A Student at Blair Hall. Aged 16 years, 8 months, 22 Days. - - -

Birth:


Died:
Aged 16y 8m 22d. = 1892 Aug 25.

Buried:
Black square granite monument.

Notes:

DeWitt is the son of Juliett DeWitt & John M Willson.

* 1900 Jan. Fifth Generation,
1st child, Nelson DeWitt: Born May 14th, 1896, died March 30th, 1918.

1918 April 5, Friday, OBITUARY: Death of Dewitt Willson
First of Sussex Volunteers Passes Away at Naval Hospital, Newport. Nelson DeWitt Willson, oldest son of Mr. Mrs. J.M. Willson, a volunteer in the U.S. Navy, died in the Navy Base Hospital at Newport, Rhode Island, at 6:30 o'clock Saturday morning from acute diabetes. He would have been 22 years of age on the 14th of May, had he lived.

The announcement of his death was a great shock, not only to his parents but a large circle of friends & the townspeople generally, the more so from the fact that a letter written his brother, Lawrence, on Wednesday & received here on Friday night, told of his feeling fine, & was in the best of spirits, anticipating a visit from his brother, who had arranged to call on him on his way back to college.

A few hours previous to the receipt of the letter came a telegram to his brother, stating that he was in the hospital. Early Saturday morning his father wired the hospital, asking the cause of his being taken to the institution, & shortly afterward a telegram was received announcing his death. Soon after Mr. Willson & his son, Lawrence, Ford Ackerson & Clarkson Potter started for Newport in Mr. Ackerson's car.

On arriving at Newport the next morning particulars of his illness were ascertained. He had been taken to the hospital Thursday. His symptoms were not alarming at first & the boy seemed of good cheer. Early Saturday morning the nurse in charge reported that DeWitt was not doing well. His case was diagnosed as acute diabetes. Everything known to medical skill & good nursing was at once brought to bear in his case, but to no avail. He passed away as above stated. The body was brought to Sussex Monday.
DeWitt was born & raised in Sussex. He passed though all the grades of the local school. At the end of his second year in High School he entered the Irving School for Boys at Tarrytown, NY, & graduated with honors. The next fall he entered the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, & later became a member of the Sigma Phi Sigma fraternity. At the close of his college year he went into the first agricultural battalion of the University of Pennsylvania, under government supervision, with about a hundred others of his class at Wilson, NY, returning late in September.

Like nearly all of his college & schoolmates, he became imbued with patriotism & the military spirit, & late in October [1817], after the death of his grandfather, he enlisted in the United State Naval Reserve Force at Newport, RI. He got the training accorded all the navy volunteers & seemed to enjoy the work & preparedness experiences & wrote frequently to his parents & friends, always most cheering & hopeful.

His last visit home was in January. Then he was as happy as ever. He was the last boy in the world that anyone would imagine would fall victim to a natural disease. Nearly six feet in height, he was always robust, jolly, pleasant & courteous to all. He sure was a young man of promise, & equipped with a good education, good habits & a clean life, his future seemed assured so far as human insight could conceive.

He did his bit while in life, & died a hero in the service of his country, never murmuring for a minute at the exacting duties & personal sacrifices demanded of all who enter the service. Like with his home companions & chums of his school days, he was popular & loved by his navy associates & friends.

His death brought indescribable grief to the dear ones at home. We can recall few instances more sad in a long life of newspaper work. In this they have the most profound & heartfelt sympathy of all who know them & the circumstances of his death. The tender memories of his happy life, as boy & young man, will ever linger green in the hearts of the who knew DeWitt.
Ref: Sussex Independent Newspaper. - - -

Died:
US Naval Reserve, Died in his country's service.

Notes:

M. Lawrence is the son of Juliet D DeWitt & J. Merriett Willson.

* 1900 Jan. Fifth Generation,
3rd child, Born September 3, 1808. - - -

Buried:
Sussex, NJ. Bronge plaque lays on the found.

Merritt married Isabel ADAMS in c 1929. Isabel was born on 1 Feb 1906 in New York State; died on 22 Apr 1970 in Sussex, Sussex Co., New Jersey; was buried in Clove Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

* 1900 Jan. Seven Generation,
John Adams, born 6 Nov 1935.
son of Merritt Lawrence & Isabelle Adams Willson, at South Orange, N. J. - - -

Buried:
Sussex, NJ. Bronze plaque lays on the ground.