Descendants of Mary Elizabeth Merrell

Generation No. 4

MARY ELIZABETH MERRELL (ABEL, CHARLES MERRILL, CAPTAIN BENJAMIN MERRILL and JEMIMA SMITH) was born 1826 in Wayne, Mississippi, and died 1894 in White County, Arkansas.  She married JESSE JACKSON TOUCHSTONE 25 Aug 1843 in Clarke County, Mississippi.  He was born 1823 in Saliene, Mississippi, and died 1859 in Clarke, Mississippi.

Notes for MARY ELIZABETH MERRELL:

Mary Elizabeth (Polly) Merrell (mother of Nancy Priscilla Touchstone Moore) and husband Jesse Jackson Touchstone (1823-1859/60) had eight known children (Martha A., Elizabeth Delaney, Sarah Jane, Nancy Priscilla, John, Daniel David, Green Berry and George Washington) born from 1845 to 1859. In either 1859 or 1860, Jesse Touchstone died leaving wife Polly with the eight children on the eve of the Civil War. The Federal census of Clarke County, Mississippi of 1860 lists Mary, a widow with real estate holdings worth $200 and personal property valued at $300. Jesse’s death called upon all the skills and courage that the young widow could summon. According to descendant, Ned Touchstone, "the widow and family were at one time so poor they could not buy salt." By careful management of affairs of the family and some modest assets passed from her parents, she made a good life for the children and saw them grow to adulthood with families of their own. Polly Merrell can be considered a matriarch of the Touchstone, Moore and McKeehan lineages that descend from her.   According to descendant, Nettie Moore Camp, Polly Merrell is listed on the Cherokee Rolls, a list of residents of Indian territories in the 19th century.  Family legend persists that descendants of Polly Merrell Touchstone carry "Indian blood," but no link has been verified.

Children of MARY MERRELL and JESSE TOUCHSTONE are:

                    i.    MARTHA A. TOUCHSTONE, b. 15 Apr 1845, Clarke County, Mississippi.

                   ii.    ELIZABETH DELANEY TOUCHSTONE, b. 1846, Clarke County, Mississippi.

                  iii.    SARA JANE TOUCHSTONE, b. 1848, Clarke County, Mississippi.

                  iv.    NANCY PRISCILLA TOUCHSTONE, b. 1851, Clarke County, Mississippi.

                    v.    JOHN TOUCHSTONE, b. 1854, Clarke County, Mississippi.

                  vi.    GREEN BERRY TOUCHSTONE, b. 1857, Clarke County, Mississippi.

                 vii.    DANIEL DAVID TOUCHSTONE, b. Clarke County, Mississippi.

                viii.    GEORGE WASHINGTON TOUCHSTONE.