Zachariah & Athela M. Coffey Maritt

This surname is found variously spelled as Marit, Maritt, Marritt, Merit, Merritt, etc.  I have chosen to use Maritt. Not all facts on hand are included here. To fact check this genealogy, search all spellings.

Zachariah was second youngest of 11 children born to Samuel and Elizabeth Wolfenbarger Maritt.   He was born Apr. 25, 1847 in Bradley Co., TN and appeared with his parents and siblings in the 1860 census as a 13 year old child[1] Six years later, on Oct. 27, 1866, 19 year-old Zachariah and 14 year-old Athela M. Coffey were married in Ozark Co.[2] The first of their eight children [at least] was born Dec. 17, 1867 in Ozark Co. and was named Samuel, after several generations of ancestral Maritt grandfathers.

Their Children

Samuel married Emma Ann Sallee, daughter of James H. and Emerine Martin Sallee on Sep. 18, 1887 in Ozark Co.  Emma was born Feb. 10, 1870 in Thornfield, Ozark Co. and died there on Dec. 2, 1950.[3] The only child I know born to the union was Effie B., born Aug. 18, 1888 in Missouri and died May 16, 1952 in Kansas.  Effie married, date unknown, Jasper Callaway "Callie" Taylor, born Nov. 20, 1883, died Sep. 24, 1960 in Kansas. Both are buried at Fairview Park Cemetery in St. John, Stafford Co., KS.

Miles Jackson was second born.  He joined the family on Aug. 2, 1870 in Ozark Co. and died in Oklahoma on Jul. 18, 1910.  His wife was Mary Ann Sallee, sister to Emma who married Samuel.  She was born Dec. 25, 1870 and died Mar. 23, 1954 in OK.  Miles and Mary Ann had three children, Arthur, born Sep., 1872; Ella, born Jul., 1895 and James, born Feb., 1898, all in Ozark Co. The family appeared in the 1900 census for Ozark Co. but by 1910 they were in OK and Miles died there in July 1910. He was buried at Elm Grove Cemetery in Muskogee. Mary Ann died Mar. 23, 1954 and was buried at Ridgelawn cemetery at Collinsville in Tulsa Co., OK.  None of her children have been subsequently located.

Elizabeth was third. She was born in Mar., 1873 and died May 30 at Norman, Cleveland Co., OK. She was buried at the IOOF cemetery in Norman.  Bettie, as she was called,  married James H. Ridenhower [sometimes Ridenour] on Nov. 4, 1888 in Ozark Co. James and Bettie have not been found in the census record as a family.  They had at least two children, found in the 1930 census at Norman, Cleveland Co., OK.  Their daughter Athelia, born c1895 in MO married Luther Gaither on Sep. 13, 1913 in Muskogee Co., OK and they were found in the 1930 Federal census for that county.  They had one son at that time.  His name was Howard and was born c1915 in OK.  Also in the household then was Bettie Ridenour, mother-in-law and Arvil or Orvil Ridenour, age 14, brother-in-law.

Thomas Jefferson was born Mar. 19, 1876 in Ozark Co. and died Jul. 17, 1929 in Choctaw, Oklahoma Co., OK.  Thomas married Flora Ella Smith, a daughter of Alfred and Mary L. Vickers Smith on Jul. 18, 1894 in Baxter Co., AR.  Flora was born in TN on Apr. 26, 1878 and died in CA on Apr. 21, 1954.  Thomas was returned to OK and buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Choctaw. Flora was buried at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park Cemetery in Westlake Village, Los Angeles Co., CA. They were parents to at least eight children: James Wesley, born 1895, died 1971 in Norman, Cleveland Co., OK; Alfred T., born 1897, died 1943; Ella, born c1900; Abraham Lincoln, born 1903, died 1952; Nellie Mary, born 1906, died 1966; Chester Glen, born 1909, died 1977; Agnes Cynthia, born 1912, died 1989; Allie May, born c1915 and Mattie Lee, born c1917.

Joseph, born c1881 in MO, married c1902 Lillie Melton. This couple apparently had no children.  They are found in the 1910 and 1930 OK federal census census with none in the household. Joseph died in 1965 in Noble Twp., Cleveland Co., OK; Lillie Mae died in 1956.  Both are buried at New Zion Cemetery in Chandler, Lincoln Co., OK.

Louisa Jane was born in 1884 in MO and married Elick Permonia Reich c1901.  He was born 1875 in MO and died in LA on Oct. 30, 1963.  She died Apr. 11, 1957 in Pineville, Rapides Parish, LA. This couple had at least 13 children: Albert, 1900; Willie, c1902; Montie Cleve, 1903; Cleo, c1906; Mollie, c1908; Jewel, 1911; Tommy; 1913; Annie, c1914; Amy, 1915; Elvin, c1917; Orval, 1917; Virgil, 1920 and Josephine, 1922.  Both parents are buried at Greenwood Memorial Park in Pinville. See photo blog for this family.

Delphia married Thomas Gilbert Melton, likely some relation to Lillie that married Joseph. Thomas was born in 1877, Christian Co., MO and Delphia was born 1887 in Ozark Co., MO. Found in 1910 and 1920 federal census for Kiowa Co., OK. Children: Olas, born c1906; Orpha, born 1907; Ovid, born 1909, Orion, born c1913; Olavelle, born c1917; Oletha, born c1918 and Otho, born c1920. Orpha married Ray Eldon Reser in 1925, Tillman Co., OK. Ray died in 1983 and Orpha in 1985. Both are buried at Fairlawn in Snyder, Kiowa Co., OK. Odd that every child's name began with an 'O.'

Child number eight was Grover Cleveland, born 10 Oct 1890 in Ozark Co., MO and died at Tillman Co., OK in 1972. His wife was Myrtle E. born 1894, died 1945. Both are buried at Rogers Cemetery in Tillman Co.







[1] 1860 Ozark Co., MO, Falling Spring PO. page 50, family/dwelling 334
[2] Missouri Marriages, 1750-1920 index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V28B-7S7 : accessed 23 Sep 2014), Z. T. Maritt and Atheley Coffey, 27 Oct 1866; citing Ozark,Missouri; FHL microfilm 929570.
[3] Missouri Digital Heritage, http://www.sos.mo.gov/mdh/; Emma Lang, Pondfork, rural Thornfield, Ozark Co., Cert. No. 41673. 
Other sources: US Federal Census, Find A Grave