The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-06-25
IN M e HAN.
Auren BtsseiI Merrill.

| 1t is seldom that the heart OF u community i
80 stirred rs was that OF Newton Fails and vi
| cinitY, on the announcement June 10TH OF thl
iecease OF A. Is. Merrill ESQ. alter few hours
illness. But a single tay had elapsed since hl
had been In town apparently in his usual he altt
and spirits Returning home. he was taEeI
with a severe pain i'll the he ii about midnip hi
OF Monday. The disease baified the skin o.
physicians and after a day AMI night OF great
suffering. he diei, seemingly ireet from pain
at 10: 10 II. N. OF Wednesday.
MIR. Merrill had long been rated as one of the
most prominent and i'll hHnentIal business men
uf Portage county, ami living as he did lust
upon the borders of GrumbuII County. he wHs
but little less connected with many Interests
[; erein.
lie ua' born in BracevilIe of the latter coun
~, June 24tn, LII at The age Of thirteen he
removed with his parents, Luna II, and hi
gail Merrill TO the size of his late home la Ia
rIs township. one mile we Of Newton Fails
whel { he has ever since resided The Inrm WI
then an unbroken forest the countr, around
nearly u wilderness, and the youth OF Young
MerriIl was spent, AS was that OF most of his
boy associates. in hard labor. with but few ed
ucntiOnaI advantages.
AS the country improved teaming between
PITTS .urgh and rairpOrt ami Cleveland bt. anne
d promIuenL industry, into which the Meri ills
managed to embark in conn. ctIon with their
farming. Thus by dint Of severe, XerIion ard
rigid &c JnOmy, by the time the younger brJ,h H.
er, Lauren e. became of age, the farm wa
nearly paid for, and the subject OF this sketcn
had formed AN extensive acquai -tance with
business men and methods oil the day IusteaI
Of separating and striking out Independently
the two brothers formed u cOparLnership since
widely known under the tile Of " A. r. SJ
e.. Merrill stock Dealers - and yielding to the
solicitations of the parents. remained on the
old iarm small though 1T was. rs n base of on
erations BY III :uStry, perseverance, and the
application of sound business management
tn at little farm III :reased by purchase after
purchase un il now it stretches out u domain OF
many hundred acres, and AIR. Merrill lived to
q is IN n
ling worth that OF II man OF lar more than Or
dtuary business s.Igaclty. His bu -Iness capac-
itY was of such an order rs to adapt itself NOT
only TO his own wants, but to those of otherS
and to he puDIIr; h. nee. his advice WIS early
and cons family called iatO requisitlnn IN cues
Lions OF private inteIe an public enterprise
His neighLors ever cons .dsrtd him a wise and
-afe counsellor, 60 ii ling to him many tow M hin
trusts, and hi f,lIow citizens hOnored him with
Two successive terms as aCommissIoner where
his judgment Was oi great va pc to the County
Mr.. Merrill was one of the early advocates
and earnest promoters of the Alliance d Lake
Erie Railroad. md upon him. probably more
than upon any one else, depeniei the e mDIe-
ton Oi the enterprise for he not OHly negolia-
ted much OF the right OF way, DuC became indi-
viduallY responsible Tor Il large part OF IL and
under the old organization was for some wears
n Director.
Politically Mr., Merrill " as originally WbiU
but on the organ Zttion Of the Republican paT'
ty he became one its unsW erwin q supnOrirrs
md ever emLlntd. 10 HIM the paI ~ from
It's beginning was tie emb Idiment OF all that is
Just and pure and patriotic in politics and he
gave TO it literally OF his time and his M ans
DOme>t >ticalIy and sociallv, he was "A loving
dutiI | son; AN affecti0naIe husband and hrnI6.
er; an III tut gent. though carefully discrimina-
ing father; and an earnest friend to all whom
tie considered worthy OF his friendship hut
worthles>ueSs and Incidence he could in no
wise brook and persons endowed with those
rharacIe ertStirS ere not ac, ustOmeI to sneak Of
him as sGnia C mpanion.
man OF ,."g convictions, he was accus-
toned to express himself unmistaL ably on all
questions legitimLtely Il lining his attention.
ana only yielded APPOINT under the force OF Su.
perior arg pumen Is and this he was seldom oblip-
ed 10 dr :tS re arrived, seemingly intuitiveIy
at almost universally Just conclusions.
Mr. Mcrr iii was mrrried to Miss Clara Tribbv
May 2Ist 1916. he only fruit OF this union is
alr, l.. f Merrill. row thirty one years OF age
dis father and uncle under the title uI a. B. S
[. e. Merrill & Co ana is by natural sndoW-
ment and careful training well fitted to assume
MS fathers place IN society and in the firm
which financially involving hundreds of thou
saude of dollars has heen run by the brothers
for per.Cd oil over thirty i've years without a
written contract or the scratch of pea by way
f agreement between them or word of dis
cord in their mutitudInous transactions
things unprecedented in the business world
That Mr. Merrill was cighly esteemed, was
well evinCed ny The great number of friends
rom far an nea'. who attendeI The funeral
Rich floral uiUuteS were brought from the alIs
and kaveuna; his official and business n, So
ciates nom various places appeared us bearers
ana assistants funeral discourse was elo-
qa6ntiy pronounced by Rev. John Tribby. his
6roIner- in law of Ravenna. from Ihe words.
= God is our refuge and strength, very pres
ent help IN time o. rrouble;'' and one hundred
and twenty carrii iges followed in broces
sion II Ihe cemetery, thus testi fying the gard
OF the community lor man who for nearly if,y
years had moved therein, q pattern of industry
propriety. public spirit. individual thrift and
and genuine citizenship.
NEWTON FALLS, o.. June l6, 1885.