Son of Levi and Arrminta North. According to 1860 census records, the entire North family lived together in Utah.

There are some discrepancies regarding the vital information of Merari. The inscription on his grave stone simply shows his birth and death dates as 1852-1933.  His death certificate show his date of birth as 13 March, 1852, and his obituary gives his birth date as 17 January 1852.  The 1860 census record also shows that he was born in Iowa, so his travel to Utah with the Wimmer company definitively occured.