Obituary--Frank Merchant

It always amazes me how many of our residents came from other states.  I always think of Fremont as being solely Dutch heritage.  So many of the churches are Reformed and Christian Reformed that and with several pages in the phone book of names beginning with "Van" it is easy to forget the many citizens who are of other backgrounds.  I think the many who came from Germany also got lumped into the Dutch/Deutsch group.  But in reality, many were simply restless people who liked to be on the move, especially after the Civil War.  Frank is one of those, who after the war, eventually made his way to the Fremont area.


From the 25 October 1917 Fremont TimesIndicator:


Frank Merchant

Frank Merchant was born August 15, 1843, or New Gloucester, Maine, and died at his home on North Division Ave., October 23, 1917, aged 74 years , three months and eight days.
In 1861 he enlisted in the 10th Main Infantry, serving two years in the Civil war and participating in seven hard fought battles, including the battle of Antietam.  After leaving the service he went to VanBuren county, a little over fifty years ago.  From there he came to Fremont more than forty years ago and lived here the balance of his life here.
While living in VanBuren county, he married Elizabeth Waldron, who died November 11, 1898.  On December 17, 1902 he married Mrs. Anne Woolston, who survives him.  Besides his wife, Mr. Merchant leaves one son, Frank Merchant Jr. , and one daughter, Mrs. Herbert Somers of Fremont, and a sister, Mrs. Abbie O. Marston, of West Pownal, Maine.
Funeral services will be held from the residence on North Division St., at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26, under Masonic auspices.  Rev. R. A. Thibos, pastor of the Church of Christ, will officiate.

A simple, basic obituary.  But a good obituary.  It lists names, places, dates, and war record.  The only thing I would like to see was parents names.  But of course, by the time he passed away, it may be that none of his survivors had that information.  It happens so often today, that I can't be surprised that that information was lacking nearly one hundred years ago.