He married Mertie Agnes Dyer on September 21, 1898 according to the Lucas County marriage records. Mertie was born on January 11, 1878 in Cherokee County, Iowa. Her parents were Aaron Wright Dyer and Mary Malinda Gilham.
Merritt and Mertie's children were both born in Alberta, Canada:
Walter Elvin Fox (1902, married Gertrude Luella Day), and
Flossie O'Neill Fox (1905, married DeWitt Clinton Smyth).
Merritt died on May 28, 1908 when he was 38 years old in Alberta, Canada of heart failure.
Two months after Merrit died, Mertie married Dennis Augustus Kennedy on July 20, 1908 in Alix, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. Dennis was born on June 2, 1866 in St. Paul, Neosho County, Kansas.
Dennis and Mertie's children were:
Ivan Augustus Kennedy (1911),
Wilfrid W. Kennedy (1912),
Elsie Sevilla Kennedy (1915),
Elmer Albert Kennedy (1916), and
Vincel Kennedy (1918).
In 1916 they were in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. The household consisted of Gus Kennedy age 50, Myrtle age 35, Ivan age 10 , Wilfred age 8, Gelda 9 months, Elmer 9 months , Walter Fox age 14, and Flosie Fox age 12. Walter was identified as an employee and Flosie a boarder. The Kennedys were Roman Catholics and the Foxes were Methodist.
In 1920 the household was in Myers Falls, Stevens, Washington. The household consisted of Dennis Kennedy age 55, Myrtie age 43, Ivan age 9, Wilfrid age 8, Elsie age 4, Elmer age 4, Vincel age 2, Walter Fox age 17, and Flossie Fox age 14.
Dennis died on May 15, 1942 in Spokane, Washington. Mertie died on January 14, 1952. They are buried together at Calvary Cemetery in Colville,
Stevens County,
Washington.
In the 1830s settlers began arriving in Iowa from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. Iowa became a state in 1846.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright Dyer, of near Russell, have received the sad news of the death of their son-in-law, Merritt Fox, formerly of this county, which occurred suddenly at Alberta, Canada, on Thursday, May 28, 1908. Death was due to heart failure. He had been in ill health for over a year, but was able to be about and attend to his duties. On the day of his death he went to his work in the field in the morning. At noon when he did not come into dinner his wife became alarmed and went in search of him, and found him lying dead in the middle of the field. He is survived by his wife and six children, a boy six years old and a little girl three years old. Six years ago last March 4th the family moved from this county to Canada, where they have since resided. The news of his sudden death will be a great shock to his many friends here who will extend heartfelt sympathy to the sorrowing relatives. The remains were laid to rest in Alberta, Canada.
