Merritt House
John Abercrombie Merritt and Mary Rosa Turner Merritt were married in 1890 and moved directly into this house at 619 N. Baylen The home was built by her brother C.H. Turner.
John Abercrombie Merritt was named for his mother's brother, then fighting with Lee in Va., and Dr. Charles F. Abercrombie, on whose farm he was born (6 mi. southwest of Columbus GA on the Alabama side across Chattahoochee River). The Abercrombies were prominent Columbus businessmen, three brothers including Anderson who was a notable brick manufacturer. JAM's father, Lucius Manlius Merritt, had remained in Pensacola and was one of several citizens who stayed to hand over the city formally to the Union troops when the Confederate troops left. He was a political prisoner, and was held at Fort Pickens for several months. Lucius was eventually allowed to join his family (including infant John Abercrombie) who had gone to stay with other family members in New Orleans, and later became a blockade runner. At the end of the Civil War, the family returned to Pensacola.
John A. Merritt played second base for the Dudes, a club in Pensacola. When he was twenty he fell in love with Mary Rosa Turner, who was only 14. So he waited six years until she was old enough to marry.
Worked for a lumber company, at the time of his marriage, which maybe explains the extravagance of the woodwork in the 619 N. Baylen house. It is said that JAM handpicked every piece of lumber used in the house. Family lore also says that Mary Rosa refused to marry him until he had a home for them to live in. So much was spent on the house that the couple honeymooned in their new home, rather than travel.
Came to Sewanee 1876-78 (Sewanee Grammer School). Later said that he was fired for snowballing a professor. Lived at Miss Lillie Green's.
Always wore a jacket for dinner. He thought Betty Nick was very remarkable. Friendly and gentle with his family.
Had ten children, of whom five died in childhood. In the 1890's they experienced the death of a newborn in childbirth and young child from whooping cough on the same day.
Mary Rosa was nicknamed "Marmee" (sounds like Mawmee). This was a child's pronunciation of Mommy, maybe from Betty Nick, and a reference to the "Little Women" character, and was preferable to Mary Rosa than Granny or Grandma which she felt made her seem too old. Her great-grandchildren did refer to her as Granny Merritt.
Mary Rosa Turner Merritt was a devout Yankees fan. Knew statistics in her eighties. Her preference for the Yankees was possibly because shopping was better in NYC, therefore she rooted for them in hopes of going to the World Series in an auspicious shopping environment. New York Giants trained in Pensacola briefly, the Merritts always attended those games.
