Nan Merriman

Nan Merriman
Basic Information
Full Name	Nan Merriman
Birth	c. Summer 1768
Series Data
First Appearance	Meet Felicity
Family Relationships
Father	Edward Merriman
Mother	Martha Merriman
Sibling(s)	Felicity Merriman William Merriman Polly Merriman
Grandparents	Grandfather

Nan Merriman is the younger sister of Felicity Merriman.

Personality and Facts

Nan is the younger sister of Felicity and, at the start of the series, is six years old. A summer birthday is implied, as she is seven by the summer of 1775 Felicity Saves the Day. The name "Nan" is a short form of Anne; however, if this is her full name it is never stated so.

Nan is very prim and proper, in contrast to her older sister. She wants to be a lady and often tries to get Felicity to teach her what Felicity learned with Miss Manderly. Nan also loves fancy gowns and clothes and is fond of baby animals. Unlike Felicity, she is a careful seamstress even at her young age and enjoys helping with household duties. Despite their differences, Nan does look up to Felicity as an older sister.

In the Books

Meet Felicity: An American Girl

Nan in the background as Felicity is riding Penny.

Nan is first mentioned in contrast to Felicity's sewing as she is a more careful sewer at her young age than Felicity is.

Nan is sent with Felicity and William to deliver preserves to Mrs. Deare. Nan walks in tiny ladylike steps and picks around the puddles, making Felicity wait on her. Nan sees a fine hat in the milliner's window and asks Felicity to go and see it. She is disappointed when Felicity refuses but puts on a sweet face at Mrs. Deare's, who gives her and William a cake and fusses over them. When they are on the way to the tannery Nan says she won't go any further and refuses to go as the tannery stinks. Felicity bribes her by saying that she can pick flowers and put them in her hat to mimic the hat in the window. Nan agrees but refuses to talk to Mr. Nye.

When Felicity explains that Penny's name is because she's independent, Nan asks what she means and is told it means that Penny has a free spirit. She warns Felicity not to go near Penny when she tries to.) Nan is shocked at the amount of sugar Felicity has for Penny and Felicity warns Nan not to tell when they get home before she confronts Jiggy Nye. Jiggy Nye calls her a brat and scares her badly, causing her to cry and drag Felicity away from the tannery. She tries to shush William when he gives away that they were at the tannery, but when her mother presses Nan says that Felicity made them go and that he threatened to skin them alive, prompting Mother to hush her. Nan continues to say that Mr. Nye was going to beat the horse.

Nan is the first member of the family to see Felicity astride Penny as she is carrying the breakfast bread from the kitchen; she calls for her parents. When Jiggy Nye denies that that he said that anyone who could ride Penny could have her, Nan stands up for Felicity.

Felicity Takes a Dare

Nan praises Felicity's walking on the fence, saying she looks just like the high walkers at the fair. She and William clap and cheer loud enough to alert Mother, who comes out and fusses at Felicity.

At the fair, Nan shrieks when a starting gun is set off for a footrace and claps for tumblers. She also enjoys the fiddle music and claps her hands and taps her feet to it. She chooses a tart at a treat booth. Nan and William accompany Felicity to the horse pen and Nan sits on a stump to finish her tart. She comes to Felicity's side when the rowdy boys come by. When the horses are startled, Nan screams. When Felicity breaks her arm and gets out of the pen, she sends a frightened Nan to fetch Mother. Nan also tells Mother about the boy daring Felicity to feed the horses.

Felicity's New Sister

Nan afraid to leave the broken carriage.

Nan is at the breakfast table that morning when it is suggested that the family go to King's Creek for a break before the birth due soon. She cheers when it is agreed to.

On the ride to the plantation, she falls asleep, but is jolted awake when the carriage crashes. She fearfully doesn't leave the carriage until Felicity coaxes her out, and says that the water they are in is cold. She and William both fall asleep before Polly is born.

Traitor in Williamsburg

Felicity plays checkers with Nan at their gaming table in their parlor using polished peach stones. Felicity intentionally loses the game to her so she can pay attention to her parents' conversation about Mr. McLeod. Nan is delighted and Felicity pretends to be sad, but tells her the winner has to clean up the board.

When Felicity stays up late waiting for Father to return from a mob, she sleeps in the next day, and Mother sends Nan to wake Felicity. Nan requested to go to the market that morning with Mother and Felicity, but Mother told her that she needs to stay home to watch William and Polly so Rose can do the spinning. Nan bites her lip and tries hard not to ask questions, as her mother instructed. Her expression amuses Felicity.

Nan plays jackstraws one evening with William and Ben. After Mr. Merriman is pronounced innocent and returns home, Felicity explains what happened at dinner. Nan listens so intently that she is uncharacteristically quiet during the whole story. She also asked, awed, if Felicity was scared. When Father and Mother give Felicity a book as an early birthday present, Nan is eager to see what it is and lets out a delighted cry at its reveal. Mother later tells off Nan for talking with her mouth full.

Lady Margaret's Ghost

Nan, along with William and Polly, accompanies Mother on her two-week trip to visit Mother's elderly Aunt Prudence in Norfolk. Nan mentions she'll miss seeing Ben riding Penny in the horse race. Nan asks Felicity if she'll give Penny an extra lump of sugar for her, and Felicity agrees to do so. Felicity also tells Nan that she'll be the big sister while they're away because she knows this will make Nan feel important.

In the Film

Nan is played by Eulala Grace Scheel. She can be seen playing with the Tea Lesson set.