The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-06-27
Our Ticket.

wx. Q. HOLDEN, bbs' proprietor,
it Our Ticket. .
! We take great pleasure in placin,
lat the head Of our columns to day tn,
ticket recently nominated at De
Moires, where it is to remain unit
their triumph ut the approaching fal
election. 81 s'.5'sl 1 la
The Convention was remarkable
for the great number in attendance
and the enthusiasm and unAnilnity
that characterized its action. Il
T For the Governorship there was
as as matter of course, a, more deter.
mined contest than fer any of the
subordinate positions, but owing to hi,
locality, and the great zeal and united
action of the people Of the entire
Northern part Of tho State in his sup
port, and the generally admitted fact,
that they had heretofore been depri.
we'd Of their due share Of the Offices
in that section, it became evident at
the outset Of the contest, that Col.
Merrill was the coming man. Never.
theless, the heavy vote received
by Mr.. Grinnell and Gen. William
son, on the two first. ballots (Which
combined was greater than that, cast
for Colonel Merrill), was flatterinr
compliment to their services in the
forum and field in behalf Of the peo-
pie Of Iowa. 81
For an account of the character.
civil and military services, OF our
for Governor, we arc in.
debted to tile able military work Of
our townsmen Captain Stuart, on,i-
tied Iowa Colonels and Regiments
Col. Samuel Merrill is native Of
the State which was first settled bv
traders and fishermen "on the Maine IL
and is reprosontacIve-man OF 1yew
Flo was born on the 9TH
day of August, 1922, in the town Of
Turner, Oxford co., where he resided
till the age of 16 when he moved
with his parents to Buxton, York
county, Of the same State. After re.
to Buxton, he taught and
school by turns, until he at
tanned his majority, and then visited
the Snutharn states, with rho inse.,-
ton OF settling there, and making
permanent business. But,
as the Colonel himself expresses it, {
:. he was born too far north" Sus-
picions were awakened, many ques-
tions asked, and he WAS finally ad.
yised to leave, which he did in dist
gust. Nor did he ever return, until
undor orders from his Government
he led his regiment to the fcld.--t
Returning to Maine after his rebuff
in the south, he purchased o farm,
and two years later married. In
1Si7, he lost his wife. after living
with her only fourteen months. Soon
after. be sold his farm and moved to
Tamworth, New Hampshire; where
in company with his brother, j., H..
Merrill. ESQ, he entered the mercan-
tile business. This,he followed with
good success, till the year 1856, when
he removed to McGregor, Iowa, and
established a branch house Of the
same firm. Ia tnt'G slFi G0ile'1a &
While q citizen of New Hampshire
Colonel Merrill was twice elected to
the State Legislature. He was q
member Of that body ain9 1854 and
in, 1855, the timewhen the celebrated
struggle for United States Senators
rame off which finally terminated in
the election Of John P.l Hale and Jas.
Bell. For nearly forty consecutive
years previous, the State had been
democratic e ia gf,@a JS9lell}
In 1874, Nathaniel B. Baker, our
present acknowledgement, was Cow
|ernOr Of New Hamshire, and Colonel
Merrill a member of the House,
Just elk years later, both Of these
gentlemen were elected to the Iowa
State Legislature, and served togeth.
er in that body.sSS al izsa
81 In January, 1851, Col Merrill was
again married, his second wifSs being
q Miss Hill Of Buxton, Maine. From
this union three chree children wore
born !; though all Of them died young
the oldest living to be only two and
| q half years DID, From i 1856>till the
spring of 1861. Col Merrill continued
| in the wholesale and retail dry goods
and grocery business but, at the las,
named date, sold out and became .
member Of the McGregor Brancl
/! Bank. .a45f ri iii sslsa tslss l5a1 .s.t
In the summer Of 1869, Colone
Merrill entered ia the United States
service. Acknowledgements ant
radical in sentiment, it was only bi,
unsettled business, rs I am crodibl,
Informed, that prevented him from
enlisting in the war sooner. He VA
commissioner colonel of the els
Iowa Infantry, on this 1st Of August
1862, and, on the 10th of Septembe,
following, lett Dubuque in comman,
of his regiment for st. Louis on tha
steamer Henry Clay. ieiF aa
Col. Merrillwasin actual comman,
Il - A L 4 l-sl -