• Merritt Cheek
  • Frances Hunter
  • Elizabeth Weaver

Merritt Cheek
of Orange County, NC

Merritt Cheek, son of Robert "Robin" CHEEK, Jr., & Martha "Patsy" Andrews, was born Nov. 8, 1811, in Orange Co., NC, and died Oct. 10, 1898, in Orange Co., NC. He married (1) Frances "Fanny" Hunter, Jan. 1, 1832, in Orange Co., NC. She was born abt. 1812 and died between 1840-1848 in Orange Co., NC. He married (2) Elizabeth Weaver, Jan. 25, 1848, in Orange Co., NC. She was born Apr. 7, 1820, and died Dec. 15, 1880, in Orange Co., NC. Merritt Cheek is buried at the Bethel Baptist Church in Orange Co., NC; Elizabeth (Weaver) Cheek is buried at the Weaver Cemetery in Orange Co., NC.

Children of Merritt Cheek & Frances "Fanny" Hunter:

  1. Martha Jane Cheek, b. Mar. 8, 1834, Orange Co., NC; d. Oct. 20, 1915, Alamance Co., NC; m. (1) Manly ANDREWS, son of Rev. Levi ANDREWS & Elizabeth BREWER, Aug. 25, 1853, Orange Co., NC (b. abt. 1822; d. 1876); (2) Joseph ARBURTENOTT(?), bef. 1880. Children: Leonidas Andrews (c.1856), Amelia Flora Andrews (c.1859), Elizabeth Frances Andrews (1863), Mary Ella Andrews (c.1865), Robert Macon Andrews (1870); Martha "Mattie" Andrews (c.1875). The youngest daughter, Mattie, was born in Tennessee. Note, in the 1900 census Martha is listed as Martha ANDREWS, widow. She is also Martha ANDREWS on her death certificate. Maybe she divorced her 2nd husband?
  2. Mary A. Cheek, b. Aug. 3, 1841, Orange Co., NC; d. Apr. 11, 1920, Orange Co., NC; m. William H. ADAMS, Nov. 8, 1866, Orange Co., NC (b. abt. 1832; d. unk); bur. Bethel Baptist Church, Orange Co., NC. Children: Oly Adams (c.1868), Fanny Adams (c.1870), Charles Davis Adams (c.1873), Robert Adams (c.1875), Mary Adams (c.1879).

Children of Merritt Cheek & Elizabeth Weaver:

  1. Sarah Frances Cheek, b. Nov. 9, 1848, Orange Co., NC; d. Feb. 20, 1929, Orange Co., NC; m. James Ruffin WHITAKER, abt. 1867 (b. abt. 1839; d. unk); bur. Bethel Baptist Church, Orange Co., NC. Children: Thomas Whitaker (c.1868), John Whitaker (c.1873).
  2. Brandon (Boardman) Reid Cheek, b. Oct. 16, 1850, Orange Co., NC; d. Oct. 3, 1927, Orange Co., NC; m. Tabitha Elizabeth "Bettie" LLOYD, daughter of Atlas J. LLOYD & Mary Ann STROUD, abt. 1876 (b. Oct. 18, 1852; d. Nov. 17, 1914); bur. Bethel Baptist Church, Orange Co., NC. Living in Lauderdale Co., TN, in 1880, then back in Orange Co., NC, by 1910. Children: Lula Cheek (c.1872), John Cheek (c.1874), Merritt Cheek (c.1876), Ella Cheek (c.1879), James Cheek (c.1883), Luther E. Cheek (1886), Bert Ray Cheek (1892), Mack Cheek (c.1894), Ben Reid Cheek (c.1900).

Notes

Merritt Cheek operated a cotton brokerage business in Chapel Hill, NC. He was elected Constable of Chapel Hill Township on Aug. 5,1869, and was was the first Mayor of Chapel Hill, 1879-1881. He was also an Orange County Commissioner from 1884-1886. Merritt Cheek is listed as an heir of Robert "Robin" CHEEK in estate papers filed after Robert's death in 1866. Merritt CHEEK purchased 80 acres of land from his father's estate, adjoining William CHEEK. Merrett CHEEK's will was recorded in Orange Co., NC, in 1899. (WB I, p.145.)

Jan. 1, 1832. Merritt CHEEK & Fanny HUNTER posted a marriage bond in Orange Co., NC, with bondsman Ruffin ANDERS.

1840 Census, Orange Co., NC, So. Div., p.238: MERRITT CHEEK
1 w/m 20-29 1 w/f 5-9
  1 w/f 20-29

Jan. 25, 1848. Merritt CHEEK & Elizabeth WEAVER posted a marriage bond in Orange Co., NC, with bondsman Alvin HUNTER.

1850 Census, Orange Co., NC, 1st Dist., p.183 (HH#449):
MERRITT CHEEK, 38, farmer, $400, born in Orange Co. NC
-- Eliza, 26, Orange NC
-- Martha, 16, Orange NC
-- Mary A., 9, Orange NC
-- Sarah, 1, Orange NC

1850 Slave Schedule, Orange Co., NC, 1st Dist., p.18: MERRITT CHEEK, 1 slave

1850 Agricultural Census, Orange Co., NC: MERRITT CHEEK, 40 acres improved land, 38 acres unimproved land, cash value of farm $400, value of farm implements $100, value of livestock $255

Mar. 17, 1859, Merritt CHEEK was appointed by the Democrats of Orange County to serve as a delegate at the District Convention. (The Weekly Standard, Raleigh, NC, Mar. 30, 1859.)

1860 Census, Orange Co., NC, Durhamsville P.O., p.627 (HH#1450):
MERRITT CHEEK, 49, farmer, $1000, $3900, NC
-- Mary, 18, NC
-- Brandon, 9, NC

1860 Slave Schedule, Orange Co., NC, 1st Dist., p.432: MERRITT CHEEK, 4 slaves

1870 Census, Orange Co., NC, Chapel Hill Twp., p.170 (HH#358):
MERRITT CHEEK, 58, farming, $800, $500, NC
-- Martha, 91, NC
HOLLY, Crenshaw, 18, works on farm, NC
ADAMS, William, 38, house carpenter, NC
-- Mary Ann, 28, NC

Note: Elizabeth was living separately 1870 with her daughter Sarah who married Ruffin Whitaker.

1870 Census, Orange Co., NC, Chapel Hill Twp., p.174:
RUFFIN WHITAKER, 29, NC
-- Sarah F., 22, NC
-- Thomas, 2, NC
CHEEK, Elizabeth, 48, NC
STROUD, Everett, 16, mu, NC

1879-1881. Merrit Cheek was the mayor of Chapel Hill, NC. (Orange County: 1752-1952, by Hugh Lefler & Paul Wager, eds. (Chapel Hill: 1953), p. 364.)

1880 Census, Orange Co., NC, Chapel Hill Twp., p.220:
RUFFIN WHITAKER, 41, NC NC NC, farmer
-- Sarah, wife, 32, NC NC NC
-- Thos, son, 12, " " "
-- Johny, son, 7, " " "
CHECK, Merit, f-in-law, 71, " " ", merchant
-- Elizabeth, m-in-law, 61, " " "
WHITAKER, James, uncle, 20, " " "
DUKE, Rosa, dau, 3, " " "

1884-1886. Merrit Cheek was County Commissioner of Orange Co., NC. Orange County: 1752-1952, by Hugh Lefler & Paul Wager, eds. (Chapel Hill: 1953), p. 358.)

Top