Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 42

Author: Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry Sweetser, 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 802

USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I > Part 42

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(II) Joseph (2), son of Joseph (I) and Sara (Goldstone) Merriam, was born in Eng- land, about 1629, and came to New England in 1638 with his father. He lived first in Concord, and afterward in that part of Cam- bridge which was called The Farms, and still later was set off for the parish and sub- sequent town of Lexington. He was made freeman and admitted to church communion May 22, 1650. He became possessed of a good estate and, like his father, died in early middle life. He married, in Concord, July 12, 1653. Sarah, daughter of Deacon Gregory Stone. He died April 20, 1677, and his grave- stone is the oldest one now standing in. the ancient Hill burying ground in Concord. His widow died April 5, 1704. Their children : I. Sarah, born August 2, 1654. 2. Lydia, Au- gust 3, 1656. 3. Joseph, May 25, 1658. 4. Elizabeth, May 20, 1660. 5. John, August 30, 1662. 6. Mary, June 14, 1664. 7. Robert, February 17, 1667. 8. Ruth, 1670. 9. Thom- as, 1672.

(III) Deacon John, son of Joseph (2) and Sarah (Stone) Merriam, was born in Con- cord, Massachusetts, August 30, 1662, and died May 21, 1727. He removed to Lexing- ton, and was one of the original members of the church there in 1676, its deacon, and fre- quently its representative in ecclesiastical councils. He fulfilled various other town offices, such as assessor and selectman, and became possessed of a good estate in lands. He married, November 14, 1688, Mary Wheeler, who survived him and died Decem- ber 27, 1745. Children: I. Mary, born Jan- uary 6, 1689. 2. A daughter, supposed to have been named Sarah. 3. Lydia. 4. John, born- July 26, 1696. 5. Ruth, baptized No- vember 6, 1698. 6. Benjamin, born January 6, 1700. 7. Jonas, February 21, 1702-03. 8. Ebenezer, March 2, 1705-06. 9. Joshua, Feb- ruary 21, 1707-08. 10. William, September 24. 1712. II. Amos, July 25, 1715.

(IV) Ebenezer, son of Deacon John and Mary (Wheeler) Merriam, was born in Lex- ington, Massachusetts, March 2, 1705-06, and died in Oxford, Massachusetts, August 20, 1761. He was a farmer, and lived in Lexing- ton until about 1729, when he removed to Oxford. He married, first, Esther Gleason, born in Framingham, Massachusetts, April 6, 17II, died Oxford, December 8, 1740, daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary ( Mellen) Gleason. He married, second, September 17, 1747, Elizabeth Locke, who died May 1, 1797, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary ( Merriam) Locke. Ebenezer Merriam had ten children, four by his first and six by his second wife: I. Ebenezer, born March 28, 1734. 2. Mary, September 13, 1735, died October 30, 1749. 3. William, June 16, 1737, died 1738. 4. Esther, April II, 1739; married Dr. Isaac Burnet. 5. Elizabeth, June 1, 1748, died June 21, 1790. 6. Jotham, August 15, 1749. 7. Phebe, January II, 1851. 8. Jonathan, March 22, 1753, died young. 9. Ephraim, July 8, 1755. 10. Sarah, February 3, 1760.

(V) Ebenezer (2), eldest son and child of Ebenezer (I) and Esther (Gleason) Mer- riam, was born in Oxford, Massachusetts, February 28, 1734, and died July 16, 1795. He was a brickmaker and lived on his father's homestead. He married (intentions) April, 1752, Phebe Locke, sister to his father's sec- ond wife. She died October 27, 1802. Chil- dren: I. Mary, October 5, 1753. 2. Jesse, June 4, 1755. 3. Phebe, September II, 1759. 4. Rachel, March 7, 1762. 5. Ebenezer, De- cember 4, 1764. 6. Esther, May 10, 1767. 7. William, April 7, 1769. 8. Rhoda, May 19, 1771. 9. Joel, April 9, 1775. 10. Abigail, April 1, 1777:

(VI) William, son of Ebenezer (2) and Phebe (Locke) Merriam, was born in Ox- ford, Massachusetts, April 7, 1769, and died in New Salem, Massachusetts, about 1816. He married (first) August 27. 1795, Ruth Eddy, of Ward; married ( second) about 1801, Lucy Hatstadt, born in New Salem, January 7, 1783, died January 9, 1880. daughter of George Z. and Beulah (Martin) Hatstadt. She survived her husband and married ( sec- ond) Joshua Lincoln Merriam. Her father came to America during the revolution, and was a soldier in the British army. William Merriam had ten children, one by his first and nine by his second wife: 1. William Eddy, born December 15, 1796. 2. Norman, Octo- ber 2, 1801. 3. Cyrus, July 17, 1803. 4. Lewis, June 4, 1805. 5. Lucy, June 21. 1807.

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6. Ermina, October 4, 1809. 7. Lucinda E., June 30, 1813. 8. Leonard Brooks, Novem- ber 19, 1816. 9. Asa L. 10. Harriet.

(VII) Lewis, son of William and Lucy ( Hatstadt) Merriam, was born in New Sa- lem, Massachusetts, June 4, 1805, and died in Spokane, Washington, May 27, 1889. Hle received his early education at New Salem Academy, and while hardly more than a boy was employed as driver of the mail and pas- :senger stage between Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts. Later on he learned the trade .of watchmaking and some time previous to 1828 established himself in business at Athol, Massachusetts. About 1833 he left Massachu- setts and went to Maine, first to Bangor, and from thence soon afterward to Houlton, a gar- Prisoned military post, and there established ;his home on a farm adjoining the village, and from which his children were able to attend the village public schools and 'academy during the winter months. Mr. Merriam is said to have been a zealous advocate of man- ual training for children, and to him no home was complete without its workshop and tools of many trades. To this is mainly due the fact that all of his sons had become practical mechanics and machinists before attaining their majority in years. In politics Mr. Merriam originally was a staunch Whig and afterward a strong Republican, "and such statesmen as Clay, Greeley and Lincoln were his ideals of American citizenship." Mr. Merriam contin- ued to live in Houlton until after the death of his wife and then went to Spokane, Wash- ington, and afterward made his home with his children who had preceded him there. He married, in Houlton, February 22, 1834, Mary Ann Foss, born in Oromocto, New Bruns- wick, March 29, 1813, died in Houlton, May 3, 1880. Children, all born in Houlton: I. Leonard Brooks, August 3, 1835; was a sol- dier in the First Maine Cavalry in the civil war, removed to Spokane, Washington; mar- ried, December 15, 1858, Susan S., daughter of John H. and Dorcas B. ( Williams) Jones. 2. Henry Clay, November 13, 1837. 3. Au- gusta Josephine, December 2, 1838; married, October 1I, 1867, Major William L. Boyd, born May 3, 1834 ; major of First Maine Vol- unteer Cavalry. 4. Lucy Hatstadt, October 23, 1840, died Haynesville, Maine, Novem- ber 20, 1872; married, September 28, 1864, Andrew H. Foss, of Oromocto, New Bruns- wick. 5. Captain Lewis M., April 4, 1843; (see sketch). 6. Norman James, February 25, 1844, died in Spokane, Washington, May 23, 1897; wheelwright and machinist; had

charge of United States sawmills at Fort Spo- kane, 1882-94, and of similar establishments at Sherman, Idaho, until a short time before his death; married at Haynesville, Maine, September 17, 1870, Christina Ellis, born Feb- ruary 25, 1847, daughter of William Ellis. 7. William Harrison, August 10, 1846; lived many years in Houlton and removed thence to Minneapolis, Minnesota; married, January 16, 1877, Lucy Corrine Ellis, born in New Salem, 1854, died December 15, 1877, daughter of Edward H. and Harriet E. (Merriam) Ellis. 8. Cyrus Knapp, January 29, 1848; graduated from Waterville College (Colby ), A. B., 1875 ; A. M., 1882; M. D., New York University Medical School, 1879; assistant surgeon, U. S. A., 1880-87, and assigned to Depart- ment of the Columbia; stationed at Camp Chelan, White Bluffs, Fort Colville, Fort Couer d'Alene, Idaho (now Fort Sherman), and at Fort Spokane, Washington; was com- plimented by his superior officers for his skill and efficiency both in ordinary cases and many others of more critical nature. He has shared in the development of the city of Spo- kane, where he has lived since 1877, and is engaged in the general practice of medicine and surgery, a member of the hospital staff, and member of the American Medical Asso- ciation. He married, June 6, 1905, Miriam Hooper, born September 13, 1869, daughter of General Thomas R. and Elizabeth (Tap- pan) Tannatt. 9. Rufus, October 7, 1851 ; financial agent, and lives in Spokane; mar- ried (first) 1877, S. Jennie Keyes, and (sec- ond) June 2, 1899, at Spokane, Bertha Mary Haskell, born December 3, 1876, daughter of William T. and Lena (Kirby) Haskell. 10. Charles, September 2, 1853, died October 14, 1856.

(VIII) Major General Henry Clay Mer- riam, son of Lewis and Mary Ann (Foss) Merriam, was born in Houlton, Maine, No- vember 13, 1837. He graduated from Water- ville College (Colby) with the degree of A. B., in 1864, was elected member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received his master's degree in course, and later the degree of LL.D. He enlisted for service during the second year of the war, and in August, 1862, was commis- sioned captain of the Twentieth Maine Volun- teer Infantry. His first colonel was Adelbert Ames, a graduate of West Point, and who was succeeded by Joshua L. Chamberlain. His brigade commander was General Daniel Butterfield, and all of these famous com- manders have expressed their high estimate of General Merriam. He was brevetted for gal-

Major General U.a .

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lantry at the battle of Antietam, where he made an exceptionally good record, and volunteered without promotion to organize and command a company of United States Colored Volunteer Infantry, at whose head he dis- tinguished himself for gallantry, and won his promotion to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the Seventy-third United States Colored Vol- unteer Infantry, which command he led in a desperate assault in the capture of Fort Blakely, Alabama, April 9, 1865. Says a con- temporary account :

Transferred to New Orleans in the spring of 1863, he participated in the siege and capture of Port Hudson and other engagements, ending with the siege and capture of Mobile, Alabama. During his volunteer service he won three brevets and the congressional medal of honor for "conspicuous gallantry in battle," the medal of honor for "leading his regiment over the enemy's works in ad- vance of orders and at his own request." General Pyle, his brigade commander, and General Hawkins, his di- vision commander, expressed their appreciation of his services in letters from which the following extracts are made : General Pile said : "Colonel Merriam commanded the Seventy-third United States Colored Infantry under me in the Mobile campaign, and siege and capture of Fort Blakely, Alabama, April 9, 1865. The regiment was one of the best in service, took a conspicuous part in the siege and capture of the fort-first breaking the enemy's lines and crossing their works-the colonel requesting the permission to advance before the order was given. For personal merit and strict attention to duty he had not a superior in my command." General Hawkins' letter was of the same general import, with this brief addition : "In the assault of Fort Blakely his regiment bore a con- spicuous part, and was the first of all the regiments, white or black, to enter the enemy's works. Colonel Merriam is a gentleman of good moral character, of ex- cellent education, well read in the military profession, and judicious and zealous in all things pertaining to his duties. His regiment was always in good condition, and he has natural talents for a good soldier."

As an officer of the regular army, General Merriam's record was no less praiseworthy. In 1866 he was commissioned major of the Thirty-eighth Infantry, and marched with a battalion from Kansas to southwestern New Mexico in the spring of 1867 and took com- mand at Fort Bayard, in the midst of Apache hostilities, and remained there for more than two years. In the early part of 1869 it was proposed to transfer General Merriam to an- other post, but the suggestion was met with a strong request on the part of the citizens of Grant county, New Mexico, that he be per- mitted to remain there. In answer to this re- quest, General Getty wrote that "it is not my intention to relieve Bvt. Col. Merriam from the command of Fort Bayard, nor to make a recommendation to that effect. I regard Colo- nel Merriam as one of the most efficient post commanders in the district." But notwith- standing the petition referred to, Colonel Mer- riam was transferred to Texas in September, 1869, and served along the turbulent Mexican border against both Indian and Mexican ma- rauders. While in command at Fort McIntosh in 1876, he rendered most efficient service in the protection of rights of American citizens

in Mexico who were constantly being sub- jected to the lawless demands of Mexican plunderers; and as an appreciation of his services in the department of Texas the civil officers and citizens of that state presented Colonel Merriam with a beautiful sword, and also presented an earnest memorial to the president of the United States, asking that he be advanced to the rank and commission of brigadier general of the American army. This memorial recites :

The record of Colonel Merriam while in command of Fort McIntosh, here at Laredo, during the year 1876, fully sustains the highest commendation that could be given to any one of his profession. During this time one of the periodical revolutions formerly so common in Mexico, was in progress, and the town of Nuevo Loredo, opposite this place, was taken and retaken alternately by the contending forces, each party upon taking the town levying a prestimo, or fine, upon its inbabitants who had property wherewith to pay. On the 9th of April, 1876, Mr. Michael Dimond, an American merchant in Nuevo Laredo, was imprisoned by the Mexican Federal forces, and condemned to be shot at dawn of the following day, unless he paid a fine of one hundred dollars. Mr. Dimond was not charged with any offense, and the demand was simply for so much money. He refused to pay, and ap- pealing to the authorities on this side of the river for protection, Colonel Merriam crossed the Rio Grande and demanded immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Dimond, and warned the Mexican commander that the lives and property of American citizens there were not subject to his free disposal, and that the entire force at Ft. McIntosh would be held in readiness to protect them. Mr. Dimond was at once released.

The following day the Mexicans fired across the river upon citizens here in Laredo, and Colonel Merriam si- lenced them with shot and shell. On the 19th of April, Colonel Merriam prevented the collection of anotber fine levied upon the American residents of Nuevo Laredo by the revolutionists, who had taken the place in the mean- time, and in July of the same year Colonel Merriam ex- tended the same protection against similar demands by the Mexican Federals who were again in possession of Nuevo Laredo, to prevent the robbery and murder of the Americans there, and two weeks later he prevented the forced repayment of duties on the goods of American mcrebants as was demanded by the revolutionists.

These acts were done for the immediate protection of the lives, liberty and property of American citizens in a foreign country. In giving this protection, Colonel Mer- riam acted solely upon his own judgment and responsi- bility. He had no orders from higher authority, and had he waited for instructions tbe mischief would have been done. Colonel Merriam's conduct on the above occasions received the unconditional and complimentary approval of his superior officers and his government. (See also letter of General Ord, quoted in Congressional report further on.)

In 1877, on the outbreak of the Nez Perces war, Colonel Merriam, having been promoted to lieutenant-colonel Second Infantry, was sent to the Upper Columbia, taking part in the Nez Perce war of 1877, the Bannock and Piute wars of 1878, and as well other import- ant Indian and administrative services in that department until 1885. This particular service was made the subject of commendation in let- ters written by Major General O. O. Howard, U. S. A., with recommendation for promotion, and by Senator Wilson and Senator Dawes, President Henry Villard, of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and by petitions of civil offi- cers and prominent citizens of the new state of Washington. General Howard wrote as follows :

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NEW YORK, December 17, 1891.

To ADJUTANT-GENERAL, U. S. A. : SIR: During the year of the Nez Perce War, 1877, the Second Infantry was transferred to my department-that of the Columbia -- and participated in that campaign, and also In the Pinto and Bannock War the next year, Col. Il. C. Merriam was the lentenant-colonel of the regl- ment.

After matters settled down he was for some time in command of the largo post of Cœur d'Alene, now called Fort Sherman ; in fact, doing the building of the greater part of that post. The appropriation was small, and therefore great economy was demanded, and skill, in pro- viding for at least six companies. For administrative ability, diligence and success in that work, and In fact for all his work under my command, I have heretofore highly commended Colonel Merriam.

fle was next put in charge of building the new post of Fort Spokane. Here again he manifested a similar energy and ability, and gave great satisfaction in his administration of the affairs of the post; and at that time it became necessary to look beyond the post itself. He, in fact, had charge of keeping the peace with sev- eral bands of Indians, including that of Chief Moses, The interest he took in this work, and his success have passed into the history of the Department of the Co- lumbia.

Certainly I can join with other officers under whom Colonel Merriam has served in saying that he has a good record and high character, and indeed I would not recommend any junior to be promoted before him.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed ) O. O. HOWARD,

Major-General, U. S. A.

I heartily join General Howard in the above recom- mendation.

(Signed) H. L. DAWES, U. S. Senate.

As a military instructor and administrator he had certainly no superior in the army. The following letters are quoted in support of this claim :

HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY. OGDEN, UTAH, June 13, 1895.

COLONEL H. C. MERRIAM,

Seventh Infantry, Fort Logan, Colorado.

COLONEL : The Lieutenant-General commanding the Army directs me to express to you his appreciation of the excellent condition of your command at the time of his recent visit to Fort Logan and of the great accuracy and promptness with which all the military exercises were performed. It was a great satisfaction to him to find a military command in so complete a state of efficiency.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

(Signed) J. P. SANGER, Lieut .- Col. Mil. Sec'ty.

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA., January 13, 1897.

COLONEL H. C. MERRIAM,

Seventh U. S. Infantry, Fort Logan, Colorado.

DEAR COLONEL : In reply to your letter of January 7th, I regret that I never had the opportunity of serving with you in the field or otherwise, which would have enahled me to speak more positively in respect to your qualifica- tions for higher command. But I am glad to say that all the reports which came to me while I was in command of the Army were in corroboration of the opinion formed from my own observation and expressed to you in the letter I sent you from Ogden, Utah, June 13, 1895. I shall be glad if that letter or this can be of service to y ou.

Fortunately you are still comparatively young and the record you have made both for gallantry in war and for efficient service in time of peace, ought to insure your promotion in time.

I am, Dear Colonel, yours very truly, (Signed ) J. M. SCHOFIELD, Lieutenant-General, retired.

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 19, 1897.

TO THE HONORABLE THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

SIR: I also recommend Colonel Henry C. Merriam to be made Brigadier-General in place of General Brooke, promoted. Colonel Merriam had a distinguished record during the war as a captain, 20th Maine, August 29, 1862. Was made Lieutenant-Colonel U. S. C. Infantry, May 21, 1864, and Brevet Colonel, March 26, 1865. He has been Colonel in the Regular Army since July 10, 1885, and is a very accomplished officer and gentleman of high character, a good disciplinarian, and in every way qualified for the duties of a Department Com-

minder. Colonel Merriam Is the second senlor Colonel In the Army. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, NELSON A. MILES, Major-General, Commanding.

Promoted in 1885 to command of the Sev- enth Infantry, Colonel Merriam was trans- ferred in that year to the Department of the Platte, and in respect to his service in that de- partment General Brooke, U. S. A., in a letter to the Secretary of War, said: "I desire to ex- press to you my opinion of the fitness for pro- motion to that grade (brigadier general) of Colonel H. C. Merriam, Seventh Infantry. I have known Colonel Merriam for many years, and consider him one of the best equipped officers in the army and thoroughly well fitted for promotion to a higher grade. I would say further that I believe no abler officer could be selected."

In 1889 Colonel Merriam was transferred from the Department of the Platte to the De- partment of Missouri, and remained on that station until July, 1897, when he was pro- moted to brigadier-general, and assigned to command of the Department of the Columbia. He organized and forwarded in midwinter most important relief expeditions to Central Alaska, where large numbers of mineral pros- pectors were reported to be starving. These expeditions included the features of exploring parties and they have been continued annually, gathering important and valuable information and locating a practicable route of communi- cation on American territory from Prince Williams Sound to the Upper Yukon.

While prosecuting this important work, war was declared against Spain, and General Mer- riam made application for active field service on April 12, 1898, before mobilization began. Failing to secure field service, he was made major-general of volunteers, and his command was extended to include the entire Pacific coast and the Hawaiian Islands, then annexed, with headquarters at San Francisco. His duties and responsibilities included carrying on the difficult work inaugurated in Alaska, and also the organization, equipment and for- warding of troops for General Merritt's com- mand in the Philippines, a work without prece- dent in our history and involving the develop- ment of an ocean transport system of un- equalled efficiency.

Relieved from duty on the Pacific and of his volunteer rank of major-general, in 1899 General Merriam continued to exercise a ma- jor-general's command-two geographical de- partments. His most conspicuous service was

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in his selection to command the troops during the labor riots in the Coeur d'Alene district of Idaho, within the territorial jurisdiction of another officer. His positive methods in deal- ing with this insurrection caused much agita- tion, but his course was sustained by the War Department and by a committee of Congress. It enabled the state authorities to give peace and prosperity to a region historically turbu- lent. For this service and for his services on the Pacific coast he received the personal com- mendation of President Mckinley, who fully intended to promote him to the grade of ma- jor-general before his retirement. He gave official assurance to General Merriam to that effect, but this temporarily failed as a result of the assassination of the President. Having reached the age limit, General Merriam was retired in November, 1901, and his promotion to major-general was provided for in the fol- lowing year by an act of Congress, as follows :

Mr. Dick, from the Committee on Military Affairs, suh- mitted the following report to accompany H. R. 14,375 : The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was re- ferred the hill (H. R. 14,375) to authorize the President to appoint Brigadier-General H. C. Merriam to the grade of Major-General in the United States Army, on the re- tired list, report the same hack to the House with the recommendation that it pass with amendments as follows : On investigation, the committee fiud that General Mer- riam entered the military service of the United States as captain of the Twentieth Maine Volunteers in August, 1862. and having distinguished himself as "an ahle, con- scientious, energetic and gallant officer," as certified hy his regimental and hrigade commanders, was transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Department of the Gulf, where as regimental commander he again won marked distinction for ability and great personal gal- lantry in the sieges and capture of Port Hudson and Mohile, as certified hy his hrigade and division com- manders.

General W. A. Pile, commander hrigade in the assault upon Fort Blakely, defences of Mohile, says of Colonel Merriam's regiment : "It was one of the hest in the serv- ice, took a conspicuous part in the siege and capture of the fort, . first breaking the enemy's lines and crossing their works; the colonel requesting permission to ad- vance before the order was given."

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Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume I, Part 42

Author: Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry Sweetser, 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe Publication date: 1909 Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company Number of Pages: 802

Author: Little, George Thomas, 1857-1915, ed; Burrage, Henry Sweetser, 1837-1926; Stubbs, Albert Roscoe
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 802