Growing Up Roxton

Oleamon Merritt Turns 100!

Back in the 1940’s when I was a youngster, everyone in Western Lamar County knew where Jones Lane was. It got its name from all the Jones families that lived along it. It was a properly paved, all-weather road. Perpendicular to Jones Lane, extending to the east, was another well-known road, Merritt Lane. I’m not sure if it was an all-weather road or whether it was like many of the county roads in the area: When it rained, the black land mud would stop most any car from passing over it. It got its name from all the Merritts who lived along it.

My family was connected to the Merritt family because my older sister Sybil married Earnest Merritt. They lived less than a mile apart as the crow flies, but about 5 miles apart by the shortest road route. I guess it’s no surprise that they found each other. I attended a Roxton School reunion many years ago and I met Jencie Springer Wilson, who told me that she was in Sybil’s class at Roxton. She said she was so happy that Sybil had gotten married because, in those days, married girls could not attend school. Therefore, Jencie got to be valedictorian, rather than Sybil.

Earnest was the oldest child in his family, followed by Oleamon and Haskell (also known as Hack.) Their parents were Leonard and Emma Winn Merritt. Leonard was the youngest son of James Ethridge and Frances Elizabeth (Fanny) Merritt. Leonard’s older siblings were Sadie Merritt, Exa Merritt Lynch, Annie Merritt Griffin, Eunice Merritt Colley, and Alvin Merritt. I went to Roxton School with several Merritts who were cousins of each other.

Oleamon joined the US Army in 1943 and served in the European Theater. He received four bronze stars for his efforts there. He made it through the Battle of the Bulge and other battles in France, Germany, and Belgium. His niece, Judy, remembers him telling her that his army unit was moving toward the town of Bastone (in Belgium) from one side while General Patton was leading his forces toward Bastone from the other side.

He returned home and settled in Paris, Texas where he worked for Campbell Soup until his retirement in 1981. Oleamon moved to Texarkana in 2018 to be near his niece Judy Merritt Davis (Earnest’s daughter.) He outlived his three wives, Sally, Mary Evelyn, and Dorothy Tilley.

On Friday, March 5, Judy arranged a big party for Oleamon and his friends at the Retreat at Kenwood Senior Adult Assisted Living Center in Texarkana. She hoped to get 100 cards wishing her uncle a Happy Birthday. (The cards are still coming in).

Texarkana, Texas, mayor, Bob Bruggerman came with various proclamations and said, “We and our nation owe a great deal of gratitude to Mr. Merritt and his generation--’The Greatest Generation’--not only for their dedication and valuable service to our country, but for their public service when they came back home. Mr. Merritt continued to serve his community in a variety of ways, including as a member of the Kiwanis Club. His service is an inspiration for