Building History

Ralph Palmer Merritt, Sr., (born 02/26/1883 in Rio Vista, CA-d. 04/03/1963 in Los Angeles County, CA), the Comptroller of the University of California Berkeley (UCB) lived at this house at 1712 Arch Street between c. 1920-1923. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1922, p. 1000.) In 1920, he lived here with his wife Varina Pearl Morrow (born 07/17/1883 in Oakland, CA-d. 10/14/1965 in San Bernardino County, CA), and their three children, Mary Varina Merritt Gilkey (born 03/27/1913 in Oakland, CA-d. 07/22/1977 in San Bernardino County, CA), Katherine S. Merritt Price (born 09/20/1912 om Oakland, CA-d. 06/16/2001 in Modeston, CA) and Ralph Merritt, Jr., (born 07/09/1916 in CA-d. 05/22/1994 in Inyo County, CA), his sister Charlotte Hazel Merritt (born 07/06/1886 in CA-d. 02/03/1966 in Alameda County, CA), his sister-in-law Marion K. Morrow (born 09/11/1884 in Oakland, CA), and two servants, Isao Hararo (born c. 1884 in Japan) and Kiyo Hararo (born c. 1890 in Japan). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Berkeley, Alameda, California; Roll: T625_93; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 191, accessed 04/27/2022..)

Demolition

It burned in the Berkeley Fire of 09/17/1923. After fire destroyed their Berkeley House, the Merritts moved to Fresno, CA.

PCAD id: 24359