The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-08
Cache Valley Pioneer.


I'm the early spring of 1854 Elder Mer-
rill moved TO Bountiful. where he en-
gagged In shingle making At this time
there were very few Inhabitants In the
town and the land was In process OF dis
trlbution Elder Merrill received Ger
tncate from President Young granting
him loo acres, an unusually lerge ia,noun.
at that time. OF this Elder Merrill gave
one third TO his father-in-law, and later
divided what was left with a poor scan
dinaYian ncighboT A few months latvT
President Young spoke to Elder MerrlL
about the land and was pleased thouSh
not surprised to learn that he had dl-
vided It up among his brethren. Presldent
Young remarking that when INC eerti.
flcate was given he felt satished that
Elder Merrill would not keep 1t all
Moves to Richmond
During the winter OF 1863 and 1850 Ell
ders Benson md Hyde called at the nome nome
to Cache valley. the first settlers having
gone TO that place In 1888 Obedient 10
the advice given. Elder Merrill IN com,
pany with others. journeyed to Richmond
and encampcd for some time Where the
dairy north OF the town now stands, ana
they were about to continue In a norther-
ly direction when voice came TO Eldcr
Merrill, saying Turn around ana go
south. Without saving Il word TO his
companions he obeyed the voice, started
southwark and stopped when he reacheo
the point where Richmond now stands
BlSnOp OIL tSlcnIuobu.
'sIn 1851 he became the second bishop
In Richmond, WHICH office ~, ne ii1S nled iSr lSr
Utah Northern railroad was under con-
structon from Ogden 10 Idaho and Mon
tana, and Elder Merrill became q con-
tractor distributing among the people Tor
work done something like $4,000. HIS
lnbors were highly satisfactory 10 the
company and the most cordial relations
existed between them Later he became
possessed of 800 acres OF land and grlst
mill which proved OF great benefit to the
people of that settlement From this
time on he engaged in farming and stock
raising, in which business nc has been
very successful. E.E,-
Ordained an Apostle.
In 1879 he was given three months
leave of absence to take short mission
To Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. but
in two months was called home. In 1879
he was called to act as counselor to
office which he held for ten years. and In
1884 he WAS counselor In the stake to
President c. o. Card and In the same
year was appointed president OF the
Logan Temple, with Elder Moses Thatch-
er and Elder n. c. Edlefsen as his coun-
selors. In 1888 he was ordained an opos-
tie by President Wilford Woodruff,
George Q. Cannon and Joseph +. Smith
eight OF the apostles being present. The
following year he went TO gather family
gcnealogy. and In October, 1889 he was
OF Zion. u-".
Prominent in Civil Affairs.
During his residence in Cache valley
he has been prominent in the civil affairs
of the county and State In 1876 and 1878
he served two terms In the Legislature,
one In the House and one in the Senate.
He WAS a member OF the County court
for more than ten years and was post
master OF Richmond for twenty years.
In 1896 he was appointed member OF tho
Agricultural College board. which office
he held for nearly four years. He was
also a member of the Brlngham Young
college board He leaves a large and hon
orsble family to cherish his memory and
emulate his good deeds"