St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-14
WILLIAM r. MERRIAM,
the Youngest of the Distin-
guished GrOun

Conspicuously a financier of unde-
nlable ability, eX-Gov. William r.
Merriam is included in this sextette of
mlil1onaires. His wealth is estima ted
to be between two and three millions
Gov. Merriam was born in the village
OF Madham's Mills, Essex county, n.
Y, in July, 1919, and Is therefore the
youngest of this distinguished group.
His remote ancestors on the paternal
side were Scotch, but his parents were
Amerfcan-born, their ancestors having
come to this country in the early part
OF the seventeenth century, first set
Ting in New England. Gov Merriam s
mother was Of French descent
Gov. Merriam passed his childhood
, in his native village. In 1861, when but
lad Of twelve, his father removed to
Minnesota and located in ST. Paul. In
! this city Gov. Merriam grew to man
hood, and achieved his success. In
1865 he attended school at Racine, Wis.
, Subsequently he entered the Racine
college, his entire academic training
extending over a. period of seven years
At the close of every college year he
stood at the head of his class, though he
was far from being a bookworm, as he
was noted for his fondnesS for sport
and diversion, and his buoyancy of dis
! position. His was a sound mind in a
sound and active body. 1t was said
of him that he cultivated almost
| equally This mathematics and his
muscle, and was equally proficient in
! calculus and cricket
Upon his return to ST. Paul after re-
| ceiving his diploma, he at once entered
| upon his business career as a clerk in
! the First National bank, at a salary
| of $50 month. He soon manifested
his peculiar aptness for the work, and
| won the confidence and esteem of his
| employers. He remained in the employ
| of the bank until 1873. Not long after
the Merchants National Bank of ST.
! Paul was organized, and Mr.. Merriam
was entrusted with the responsible post
! of cashier, thus demonstrating the con-
fidence that his ability and honesty
| inspired. This opportunity was a
golden one for the young financier, and
so rapidly did his rare business quail
ties develop that in 1880 he was elected
| vice president of the bank, and two
years later became president of the in
stitution, which office he now holds.
| One who is conversant with the history
| of the bank writes:
|
constant and faithful attention, that the
bank has grown to be one of the largest
institutions Of the kind in the North
west"
The political career of Gov. Merriam
is too we'll known to repeat in detail in
this connection. In 1882 he was elected
| to the state legislature, where he rem
dered valuable service as a member of
tn committee on finance and banks and
chairman of the committee on public
| banks. For two years succeeding 1889
he devoted his entire time to private
! business, but in 1886 he was again
elected to the Legislature, this time
/ from the Twenty-sixth district. He
was chosen speaker of the house, an
! Office which he filed with such signal
ability and fairness that his party
nominated him for governor in 1888.
! He was elected over Hon. e. M. Will
| son, of Minneapolis, a most worthy OPP
| ponent, by a majority in excess of
! $4,000. His first administration of the
! affairs of the state and his subsequent
! reelection are so recent as to be
within the knowledge of all citizens.
As a citizen of st. Paul Gov. Mer-
RAM enjoys the highest esteem. He is
celebrated for his liberality and char
! ity. Gov. Merriam is a man who in
spires the confidence of the people in
the success of all his undertakings, for
he himself is the personification of
confidence and self-raliance. Person
ally he is of a jolly disposition, genial
and good-natured to degree, fond of
! field and athletic sports, and blessed
with the disposition to enjoy life as well
as the means which none begrudge him.