MERRITT, CHARLES WILLIAM

Charles William Merritt (1861-1919), was born on April 11, 1861, Tama, Benton County, Iowa, the son of Charles Merritt (1816-1889), a farmer and native of Ohio, and Rebecca Jane Williams (1818-1897), a native of Virginia. On March 10, 1884, he married Scottish immigrant, Mary McLaren. They had two children : Scott (1890-1910), and Laura (1886-1910). Merritt became a farmer taking over his father’s Maple Grove O.K. Farm, Norway, Iowa. He lived his life in Benton County, Iowa. He actually lived in Florence Township, which had a subdivision and mailing address of Norway, Benton County, Iowa.

He was a coin and stamp collector. He bought stamps and coins from J. A. Pierce, Chicago, Illinois; Ben Green, Chicago, Illinois; John Zug, Seattle, Washington; W. R. Emery, Des Moines, Iowa; B. Max Mehl, Fort Worth, Texas; John G. Bingham, New York; and was a frequent buyer with the Chapman Brothers and Thomas L. Elder. He died July 13, 1919. He is buried in Fenwood Cemetery, Johnson County, Iowa.

Bibliography :

Gnecchi, Ercole and Francesco, eds., Guida Numismatica 4^th edition. (Milano : U. Hoepli, 1903. Edition) : 558, No. 5797.