Josiah Merritt

Who was Josiah Merritt?

Josiah Merritt, sometimes known as "Uncle Si" was an early pioneer of the Pacific Northwest. Mount Si and Little Si near North Bend, WA were named in his honor. Merrit built a cabin at the base of the peak in 1862. He raised vegetables and hogs and kept an orchard. According to local historians, he was a rugged man who sometimes hauled bacon to the large settlements. "He had a native American wife but when his legitimate spouse, 'Aunt Sally' as the settlers called her, arrived from the east, the Indian woman had to go back to her people." He was known for playing the fiddle. Josiah Merritt is buried in the old Fall City cemetery.