Merrill family papers, 1920-1985

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Merrill, Lorin Asa, 1876-1919
Title
Merrill family papers
Dates
1920-1985 (inclusive)
Quantity
4 boxes, (2 linear ft. )
Collection Number
UUS_COLL MSS 117
Summary
Notes, correspondence, newspaper articles, genealogical data, and religious documents related to Lorin Asa Merrill, his wife, children, and posterity, covering the years 1876 to 1986.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions
Restrictions

Open to public research.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

In the winter of 1918-1919 a devastating flu epidemic spread throughout the United States, affecting even rural communities like Richmond, Utah. In this small Cache Valley town Lorin Asa Merrill was one of the first victims of the dreaded influenza. On January 26, 1919, Lorin passed away, at the age of 42, leaving his wife Laura and seven children: Milton, Asa, Harold, Dean, Laura, Lorin, and Liona.

Lorin Asa Merrill was born April 4, 1876, to Marriner Wood Merrill and Almira Jane Bainbridge in Richmond, Utah. As a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Marriner had moved from Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1853. Seven years later he left Salt Lake City under assignment by the LDS church to help settle Richmond, Utah. In 1865 Marriner married Almira and she became his third wife. Marriner helped build the Logan LDS Temple and served as its first president, and in 1889 accepted a call to be an Apostle in the LDS hierarchy.

Lorin grew up on the family farm in Richmond and later attended Utah State Agricultural College (USAC). Following graduation he worked as an assistant in the college dairy. Through associations at USAC, Lorin met his future wife Laura Liona Reese (6 Feb. 1876-13 May 1963). After serving an LDS mission to California, Lorin returned to Cache Valley and in June 1900 married Laura Reese. Together the Merrills had eight children. Lorin worked in a variety of jobs, including managing a dairy in South Salt Lake and later a saw mill in Richmond. When the mill shut down Lorin served as Assistant Recorder at the Logan LDS Temple. Eventually he hired on as a Farm Demonstrator in the Extension Service at USAC. From this experience, and years of personal farm management, he obtained the position of Farm Agent over Seiver County Utah. Lorin was active in religious and civic matters, and filled the position of Bishop and Highpriest in the LDS church and served for many years as a Logan City Councilman.

After Lorin's death in 1919, Laura assumed the care of her family. From profits earned by selling milk and eggs, Laura and her children were able to support themselves on their farm in Richmond. As the children grew older and reached college age, Laura sold the farm and moved to Logan. For a number of years Laura worked as the Cache County Recorder and later obtained a job as librarian at the Logan Jr.-Sr. High School. Laura also served as librarian at the Topaz Internment Camp in Southern Utah during World War II. She fulfilled two LDS missions and served in various religious positions in the LDS church. The true scope and content of this collection revolves around Laura. From her experience through the challenges of life Laura influenced not only her husband and children, but the whole community as well. The love that Laura had for her family and others are expressed in family correspondence between children and friends. For more information on the Merrill children and extended family see the Lorin Asa Merrill and Laura R. Merrill and Family book (929.2 M552-M).

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Lorin Asa Merrill Family Papers consist of four boxes containing notes, correspondence, newspaper articles, genealogical data, and religious documents related to Lorin Asa Merrill, his wife, children, and posterity, covering the years 1876 to 1986. The collection is of importance to Merrill family history, Utah State University history, and Cache Valley history.

Box I contains genealogical data on the Lorin Asa Merrill family, including information related to Lorin Asa Merrill, Laura Reese Merrill, and Milton Reese Merrill. Box II consists of documents pertaining to Asa June Merrill, Harold Reese Merrill, and Dean Reese Merrill. Box III is a continuation of Dean Reese Merrill's collection, and also includes Laura (Dot) Merrill and Lorin Christian Merrill's files. Box IV contains Liona Merrill's material and also includes information collected from family histories, notes, and sketches used in preparing the Lorin Asa Merrill and Laura Reese Merrill family book (a copy of the book is included).

Other Merrill family material can be found in MSS # 90 and MSS # 119, especially information on Laura Reese Merrill. Family histories pertaining to Lorin Asa Merrill, his wife, children, and posterity are available in the Lorin Asa Merrill and Laura R. Merrill and Family book (929.2 M552-M). Also, material relative to Lorin Asa Merrill can be found in a book he coauthored with R. J. Evans and Lorin Asa Merrill entitled County Agent and Farm Bureau Work in Utah, 1918 (University Archives 19.4, Vol. 7, No. 3).

A separate collection of photographs, albums, and scrap book materials pertaining to the Merrill family (some of which were included in the Lorin Asa Merrill and Laura R. Merrill and Family book) can be found in the Photograph Archives, where they are housed for preservation purposes.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Permission to publish material from the Merrill family papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Merrill family papers, 1920-1985. (COLL MSS 117). Utah State University. Special Collections and Archives Department.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The material is arranged in chronological sequence, first for Lorin Asa Merrill, then his wife, Laura Reese Merrill, followed by their children: Milton Reese, Asa June Reese, Harold Reese, Dean Reese, Laura (Dot), Lorin Christian, and Liona. (Note: The Merrill's second child, Virgil Reese, died as an infant and is thus not included in the collection).

Acquisition Information

Unknown.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Lorin A. Merrill family directory, draft 1985
1 2 Lorin Asa Merrill - Church certificates and blessing undated
1 3 Notes on Lorin A. Merrill undated
1 4 Funeral notes and remembrance drafts undated
1 5 Notes and clippings undated
1 6 Correspondence undated
1 7 Laura Reese Merrill - Biography undated
1 8 Biographical materials undated
1 9 Geneological materials undated
1 10 School items undated
1 11 Notes and clippings undated
1 12 Camp Topaz library job undated
1 13 Missionary materials undated
1 14 USU Faculty Women's League programme undated
1 15 Funeral condolences undated
1 16 Milton Reese Merrill - Biographical materials undated
1 17 Correspondence undated
1 18 Notes and clippings undated
1 19 Notes and clippings undated
1 20 School and publications undated
1 21 Funeral speeches undated
1 22 Bessie Merrill funeral undated
1 23 Milton Merrill family histories undated
2 1 Asa June Merrill - Geneology sheets undated
2 2 Divorce papers undated
2 3 Crimson 1921
2 4 Correspondence undated
2 5 Medical records undated
2 6 Notes and clippings undated
2 7 Autobiography, hand dra£ts undated
2 8 Autobiography, type drafts undated
2 9 Family histories and blessing undated
2 10 Harold Reese Merrill - Geneological materials and biography undated
2 11 Journal transcripts undated
2 12 Letter transcripts undated
2 13 Family letters and oral history transcripts undated
2 14 Notes and clippings undated
2 15 Dean Reese Merrill - Geneology sheets undated
2 16 Divorce papers undated
2 17 Recent family correspondence undated
2 18 Biography undated
2 19 Family history materials undated
2 20 Notes and clippings undated
2 21 Correspondence, to-from DRM undated
2 22 Miscellaneous undated
3 1 Dean Reese Merrill (con't) - Corresponcence 1930-1939
3 2 Correspondence 1940-1949
3 3 Correspondence 1950-1959
3 4 Correspondence 1960-1969
3 5 Correspondence undated
3 6 Family correspondence undated
3 7 Laura (Dot) Merrill - Biographical materials undated
3 8 Notes and clippings undated
3 9 Divorce papers undated
3 10 Recent family correspondence undated
3 11 Laura Merrill and husbands' materials undated
3 12 Laura Bailey Curcie undated
3 13 Charles R. Bailey undated
3 14 Dorothy Bailey Mitchell-Beck undated
3 15 Paul M. Bailey family papers undated
3 16 Karen Ann Bailey sketch undated
3 17 Glen M. Bailey sketch undated
3 18 Lorin M. Bailey family papers undated
3 19 Oral tape transcriptions undated
3 20 Lorin Christian Merrill - Genealogy materials undated
3 21 Notes and clippings undated
3 22 Divorce papers undated
3 23 etter transcripts undated
3 24 Biographical sketch undated
3 25 Family correspondence undated
4 1 Liona Merrill - Notes and clippings, correspondence undated
4 2 Death and funeral items undated
4 3 Biography undated
4 4 "Book Notes" - Laura R. Merrill materials undated
4 5 Family remembrances-Laura R. Merrill undated
4 6 Lorin A. Merrill materials undated
4 7 Lorin A. Merrill family record undated
4 8 Lorin A. Merrill family sheets undated
4 9 Bessie A. Merrill oral history undated
4 10 Individual personal sketches undated
4 11 Family Christmas letters undated
4 12 Recent correspondence undated
4 13 Notes undated
4 14 Notes and clippings undated
4 15 Miscellaneous (not Merrill items) undated
4 16 Unidentified items undated
4 Filed in box - Dean Reese Merrill missionary items and journals (photocopies) undated
Folder
5 1 Photograph of Laura R. and Liona Merrill undated
5 2 Lorin and Laura R. Photographs undated
5 3 Laura alone undated
5 4 Milton Merrill's Pictures undated
5 5 Asa J. Merrill's Pictures undated
6 1 Harold Merrill's family Pictures undated
6 2 Photographs from Dean Merrill's Photo Album undated
6 3 Photographs from Dean Merrill's Photo Album undated
6 4 Photographs from Dean Merrill's Photo Album undated
6 5 Dot's Family Photographs undated
6 6 Chris's Family Photographs undated
6 7 Liona's Scrap Book contents undated
6 8 Liona's Scrap Book contents undated
6 9 Liona's Scrap Book contents undated
6 10 Liona's Pictures Book: 1 Dean's Photo Album Book: 2 Liona's Scrap Book undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Personal Names

  • Bailey, Laura Merrill, 1909-1969.
  • Merrill, Asa June Rees, b. 1903.
  • Merrill, Bessie Austin, b. 1904.
  • Merrill, Dean Rees, 1907-1981.
  • Merrill, Harold Rees, 1905-1968.
  • Merrill, Laura Liona Rees, 1876-1963.
  • Merrill, Laura Rees, 1901-1971.
  • Merrill, Liona, 1918-1938.
  • Merrill, Lorin Asa, 1876-1919.
  • Merrill, Lorin Christian, 1911-1977.
  • Merrill, Milton R., 1901-1971.

Family Names

  • Merrill family.