Thomas Merritt Sr. House circa 1890

NATIONAL REGISTER of Historic Places: 222 Water Street - Unusual three-bay "I" house with a two-tier front porch and two-room plan. The house may have originally been one-story in height.

Thomas Merritt 
Death Certificate

Thomas Merritt, born in South Carolina May 5, 1854, was 56 in the 1910 Swansboro census, with his occupation noted as "passenger boatman." In his household were wife Nettie Moore 37 (married 19 years), along with children George A. 18, Thomas J. 16, Nellie M. 15, Edna B. 10 and four-year-old Lillian M. Merritt. The census also noted that Thomas Merritt's father was born in England; his mother was born in North Carolina.

Thomas Merritt's wife Nettie Moore was born in Onslow County in 1873 to Joseph Francis Moore and Martha Ann Bell.

Thomas Merritt died on July 11, 1932 at the age of 78. According to his death certificate, Merritt was involved in an automobile accident on Highway 24, three miles from Swansboro. He suffered from a broken neck and contusions to his head and face. Attending physician was J.P. Corbett. Thomas and Nettie were both buried in Swansboro's Ward Cemetery.