I am the daughter of the late Geraldine "Jerline" Merchant-Walker and Mervin Lee Walker Sr., PFC US ARMY WORLD WAR II (Service start date May 1, 1943 - 1946) of Canebrake, West Virginia. Mervin and Geraldine "Jerline" were married in Tazewell, Virginia on December 30, 1949, both are now deceased. Geraldine "Jerline" died in January 1995, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Mervin died in February 1989, Harlem, New York. I am also the Foster Daughter of the late Annie Lee Scott, Whom I affectionately called "Mother" of Eckman, WV.

I am the Granddaughter of the late Samuel and Cassie B. (Katie)Walker of Vallscreek, (Hartwell) West Virginia. Samuel and Cassie's children are Irvin, Mervin, Melvina, and Sammy Lee. The Great Granddaughter of the late Henry and Georgia McGlothlin; Marion, Alabama (Perry County); Samuel and Pick are Henry's children. I am also the Granddaughter of the late Arben and Lillie Jones-Merchant (Mulattos) of Coeburn, Virginia. Birthplace Newark New Jersey, Father unknown. She lived in Wise County, Coeburn, Virginia for the greater part of her life. Ten children came from Lillie's first Marriage with Arben Merchant. Lillie's marriage to Arben was in 1927). The marriage was in Abbington, Virginia. The children of Lillie's and Arben are Janette, Geraldine (Jerline), Richard, Katherine, Joe Louis, Phyllis, James Orbin, David, and Carolyn. Arben died in 1946, Arben was a coal miner. Lillie married a second time to Albert Williams, June 30, 1952, in Wise County. The children from this marriage are Albert, Rosemary, Billy and Oscar. Lillie gave birth to a total of fourteen children. I am the Great Granddaughter of Minnie Jordan. Year of birth 1871 - 1981, Birthplace, Birmingham Alabama. This is Lillie's mother! Minnie Lived in Detroit Michigan for the greater part of her life. She died in 1981. Minnie's Mother's name is Eileen Holman, her birthplace is Georgia. My Great-Great-grandmother, Minnie's husband name is Tom Jordan, Lillie's stepfather. Minnie had five children. Lillie, Estella Trent, Lena Jones, Mattie Jordan and (Jessie Mae Jones, the daughter of Minnie's raised Lillie from the age of eight until Lillie's marriage to Arben in 1927). And I am the Great granddaughter of the late LouVon (Lula) and Mack Merchant of Johnson City TN;(Washington County). Their children are Arben Merchant, (year of birth 1905) Geraldine Merchant-Tarter, (1908) Willie Mae Merchant-King, (1910). I am the Great-Great-Great granddaughter of Richard J. Merchant, Rockbridge County, Lexington Virginia, 1880 Census. Richard J. Merchant is now 18 years old. His year of birth 1862. Richard is the grandfather of Arben Merchant. Richard has a twin named Martha. 1870 Census record, Rockbridge County. Martha whereabouts are not known; However, several questions remain unanswered. Has Margaret married and changed her name? Or is Nancy Long (age seven) Margaret's child? The very first original Merchant I am a descendant from is James H. and Rebecca-Sorrells-Merchant, I am the Great- Great -Great-Great granddaughter of James H. and Rebecca Sorrells - Merchant. Rockbridge County 1870 Census records indicate that James H. Merchant has returned to Rockbridge County (Collerstown). James is now fifty-six years old. James's H. Merchant year of birth is 1814. James H. Merchant married twice. James had five children from his second marriage: their names are, Richard J. and Martha (Phoebe) twins aged eight; Nancy V. age five; William J. age three; Isaac age one) Also living in the household is Rebecca's mother Lucy Sorrells, aged seven.
The Merchants clan came to America from Nova Scotia in the early 1800's. The ethnic make-up was French Canadian, English, and Blackfoot Indian. The family name was French in origin and was pronounced as Mer-shant. However, upon arriving in America, several changes took place. The family name changes from French pronunciation to the American as we now know it today. The Merchants initially settled in around Rockbridge County (Lexington, Virginia). However, because of their adventurous nature and love for travel and occupation (boatman), it was not long before they branched out into neighboring counties such as Allegheny, Bote tout, Giles, West Virginia, Greenbrier, West Virginia, Raliegh County, West Virginia, and Summers County West Virginia. The West Virginia Counties were part of Virginia before the Civil War. Very Few, if any official records such as birth, deaths, marriages, or Census were maintained on Blacks and Mulattos prior to 1885. Records prior to 1885 revealed possible members of the original Merchant Family. James H. Merchant (my Great-Great-Great-Great grandfather can be traced and verified through official records from Allegheny and Rockbridge counties for a period of 30 years. This represents the longest existing record found to date). James H. Merchant is first located in the Rockbridge County Census. He is currently thirty-six years old and married to his first wife Rachel Merchant (maiden name unknown). He is working as a boatman and has a daughter Margaret age sixteen. Ten years pass and James H. and Rachel Merchant are living in Allegheny County (Covington, Virginia). Living with them is Nancy Long, age seven. Margaret's whereabouts are not known. However, several questions remain unanswered about Margaret. Has Margaret married and changed her name? Is Nancy Long age seven, Margaret's daughter? (No further record is found of Margaret Merchant). My lineage is from the second marriage. My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother is Lucy Sorrells, her birth year is 1800, Rebecca's Mother. Lucy Sorrells can be traced all the way back to 1800 Legally, and James H. Merchant can be traced to 1814.
I was married on October 24, 1970, in New Brunswick, New Jersey to Edward Lee Burger Sr., we have two children, Edward Lee Burger Jr., of Imperial CA. and La'Kisha La'Kay Burger of Belbrook OH.

Edward Sr., and I have 7 amazing grandchildren: Christian, Edward III, Yoshua, Jordan, Kyesha, Darricka, Destiny and 8 Great Grandchildren:
My siblings' names are Nathaniel, Saundra, Mervin, Daniel, James, Joyce Ann, Diane, Ventress, Jeffrey, Sabrina, Tonya, Sherry, and Kerry.

Looking for and finding my roots (Ancestry) have been a hobby and passion of mine for many years. I have come to the conclusion that if a person doesn't know where he or she come from, then he or she don't know where they are going in this life, or how to gather the resources to become the best human being possible.

I am always at the public library looking up deaths and funerals of relatives and friends in the News Paper Archives; or I'm at the Courthouse looking up Birth Certificates and other Documents of my ancestors and talking with relatives and Friends about their past.

The people I mainly research are relatives, friends and people who have influenced my life, and my children lives for the better. My Legacy will outlast me! Your Legacy will outlast you too!
If you find a mistake, please let me know so I can correct it. (Blessed are those who die in the Lord) Revelation 14:13
m/o Mother of
f/o Father of
s/o Son of
d/o Daughter of
c/o child of
M. or Marr. Married
h/o Husband of
w/o Wife of

I am the daughter of the late Geraldine "Jerline" Merchant-Walker and Mervin Lee Walker Sr., PFC US ARMY WORLD WAR II (Service start date May 1, 1943 - 1946) of Canebrake, West Virginia. Mervin and Geraldine "Jerline" were married in Tazewell, Virginia on December 30, 1949, both are now deceased. Geraldine "Jerline" died in January 1995, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Mervin died in February 1989, Harlem, New York. I am also the Foster Daughter of the late Annie Lee Scott, Whom I affectionately called "Mother" of Eckman, WV.

I am the Granddaughter of the late Samuel and Cassie B. (Katie)Walker of Vallscreek, (Hartwell) West Virginia. Samuel and Cassie's children are Irvin, Mervin, Melvina, and Sammy Lee. The Great Granddaughter of the late Henry and Georgia McGlothlin; Marion, Alabama (Perry County); Samuel and Pick are Henry's children. I am also the Granddaughter of the late Arben and Lillie Jones-Merchant (Mulattos) of Coeburn, Virginia. Birthplace Newark New Jersey, Father unknown. She lived in Wise County, Coeburn, Virginia for the greater part of her life. Ten children came from Lillie's first Marriage with Arben Merchant. Lillie's marriage to Arben was in 1927). The marriage was in Abbington, Virginia. The children of Lillie's and Arben are Janette, Geraldine (Jerline), Richard, Katherine, Joe Louis, Phyllis, James Orbin, David, and Carolyn. Arben died in 1946, Arben was a coal miner. Lillie married a second time to Albert Williams, June 30, 1952, in Wise County. The children from this marriage are Albert, Rosemary, Billy and Oscar. Lillie gave birth to a total of fourteen children. I am the Great Granddaughter of Minnie Jordan. Year of birth 1871 - 1981, Birthplace, Birmingham Alabama. This is Lillie's mother! Minnie Lived in Detroit Michigan for the greater part of her life. She died in 1981. Minnie's Mother's name is Eileen Holman, her birthplace is Georgia. My Great-Great-grandmother, Minnie's husband name is Tom Jordan, Lillie's stepfather. Minnie had five children. Lillie, Estella Trent, Lena Jones, Mattie Jordan and (Jessie Mae Jones, the daughter of Minnie's raised Lillie from the age of eight until Lillie's marriage to Arben in 1927). And I am the Great granddaughter of the late LouVon (Lula) and Mack Merchant of Johnson City TN;(Washington County). Their children are Arben Merchant, (year of birth 1905) Geraldine Merchant-Tarter, (1908) Willie Mae Merchant-King, (1910). I am the Great-Great-Great granddaughter of Richard J. Merchant, Rockbridge County, Lexington Virginia, 1880 Census. Richard J. Merchant is now 18 years old. His year of birth 1862. Richard is the grandfather of Arben Merchant. Richard has a twin named Martha. 1870 Census record, Rockbridge County. Martha whereabouts are not known; However, several questions remain unanswered. Has Margaret married and changed her name? Or is Nancy Long (age seven) Margaret's child? The very first original Merchant I am a descendant from is James H. and Rebecca-Sorrells-Merchant, I am the Great- Great -Great-Great granddaughter of James H. and Rebecca Sorrells - Merchant. Rockbridge County 1870 Census records indicate that James H. Merchant has returned to Rockbridge County (Collerstown). James is now fifty-six years old. James's H. Merchant year of birth is 1814. James H. Merchant married twice. James had five children from his second marriage: their names are, Richard J. and Martha (Phoebe) twins aged eight; Nancy V. age five; William J. age three; Isaac age one) Also living in the household is Rebecca's mother Lucy Sorrells, aged seven.
The Merchants clan came to America from Nova Scotia in the early 1800's. The ethnic make-up was French Canadian, English, and Blackfoot Indian. The family name was French in origin and was pronounced as Mer-shant. However, upon arriving in America, several changes took place. The family name changes from French pronunciation to the American as we now know it today. The Merchants initially settled in around Rockbridge County (Lexington, Virginia). However, because of their adventurous nature and love for travel and occupation (boatman), it was not long before they branched out into neighboring counties such as Allegheny, Bote tout, Giles, West Virginia, Greenbrier, West Virginia, Raliegh County, West Virginia, and Summers County West Virginia. The West Virginia Counties were part of Virginia before the Civil War. Very Few, if any official records such as birth, deaths, marriages, or Census were maintained on Blacks and Mulattos prior to 1885. Records prior to 1885 revealed possible members of the original Merchant Family. James H. Merchant (my Great-Great-Great-Great grandfather can be traced and verified through official records from Allegheny and Rockbridge counties for a period of 30 years. This represents the longest existing record found to date). James H. Merchant is first located in the Rockbridge County Census. He is currently thirty-six years old and married to his first wife Rachel Merchant (maiden name unknown). He is working as a boatman and has a daughter Margaret age sixteen. Ten years pass and James H. and Rachel Merchant are living in Allegheny County (Covington, Virginia). Living with them is Nancy Long, age seven. Margaret's whereabouts are not known. However, several questions remain unanswered about Margaret. Has Margaret married and changed her name? Is Nancy Long age seven, Margaret's daughter? (No further record is found of Margaret Merchant). My lineage is from the second marriage. My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother is Lucy Sorrells, her birth year is 1800, Rebecca's Mother. Lucy Sorrells can be traced all the way back to 1800 Legally, and James H. Merchant can be traced to 1814.
I was married on October 24, 1970, in New Brunswick, New Jersey to Edward Lee Burger Sr., we have two children, Edward Lee Burger Jr., of Imperial CA. and La'Kisha La'Kay Burger of Belbrook OH.

Edward Sr., and I have 7 amazing grandchildren: Christian, Edward III, Yoshua, Jordan, Kyesha, Darricka, Destiny and 8 Great Grandchildren:
My siblings' names are Nathaniel, Saundra, Mervin, Daniel, James, Joyce Ann, Diane, Ventress, Jeffrey, Sabrina, Tonya, Sherry, and Kerry.

Looking for and finding my roots (Ancestry) have been a hobby and passion of mine for many years. I have come to the conclusion that if a person doesn't know where he or she come from, then he or she don't know where they are going in this life, or how to gather the resources to become the best human being possible.

I am always at the public library looking up deaths and funerals of relatives and friends in the News Paper Archives; or I'm at the Courthouse looking up Birth Certificates and other Documents of my ancestors and talking with relatives and Friends about their past.

The people I mainly research are relatives, friends and people who have influenced my life, and my children lives for the better. My Legacy will outlast me! Your Legacy will outlast you too!
If you find a mistake, please let me know so I can correct it. (Blessed are those who die in the Lord) Revelation 14:13
m/o Mother of
f/o Father of
s/o Son of
d/o Daughter of
c/o child of
M. or Marr. Married
h/o Husband of
w/o Wife of