Merrell - Daniel
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis, IN: AW
Bowen & Company p 803
There is no positive rule for achieving success, and yet in
the life of the successful man there are always lessons which
might well be followed. The man who gains prosperity is he who
can see and utilize the opporunity that comes in his path. The
essential conditions of human life are ever the same, the
surroundings of individuals differing but slightly, and when one
man passes another on the highway of life to reach the goal of
prosperity before others who perhaps started out in life before
him, it is because he has the power to use advantages which
probably encompass the whole human race. Today among the
prominent and successful agriculturists and business men of Union
Township, Montgomery County is Basil Tracey MERRELL, who
maintains his pleasnat home in Crawfordsville. The qualities of
keen discimination, sound judgment and executive abililty enter
very largely into his makeup and have been contributing elements
to the material success which has come to him. Mr. Merrell was
born in Wayne township, this county, July 17, 1853. He is a son
of Daniel and Anna (TRACEY) Merrell, a pioneer and highly
respected farmining family of Wayne Township. The father was born
in Butler County, Ohio in 1819. His grandfather was a native of
England and died there at an advanced age. Benjamin Merrell, the
paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was a native
of Ohio, being a representative of one of the first settlers of
that state and from there he came with his family to Montgomery
County, Indiana in 1827, locating among the pioneers being one of
the first settlers in what is now Ripley Twp, entering land from
the government on the Perryville Road and here his death occurred
a few years later before he had finished the hard task of
developing the place from the wilderness. It was in the year 1833
that he died, but his widow survived many years, dying at an
advanced age in 1879.
Six children were born to them, namely: Daniel, father of our
subject: Sarah, who married William WHITE of Illinois; and died
in Wayne Township, this county: Anna, who first married a Mr.
Boyd and after his death became the wife of a Mr. Brown who
married a Mr. Boyd and after his death became the wife of a Mr.
Brown, who died while on a trip to California; Effie who married
a Mr. White and lived in Illinois thereafter until her death;
James, who was born after the family came to Indiana, established
his home in Grant County, and who married Rosanna Reede and John,
who was also born in this state, was a soldier in the union Army
during the Civil War, and died from a disease contracted while in
the Army. When Daniel Merrell started out in life for himself, he
went to Waynetown where he worked at the cooper's trade. Saving
his earnings, he subsequently purchased 80 acres of land,
continuining to work at his trade until he had paid for the
place. As he prospered through hard work and good management, he
added to his original 80, from time to time, until he became the
owner of 101 acres of valuable land and this he placed under good
improvements and a fine state of cultivation. While living in
Waynetown, fire destroyed his residence, but nothing daunted, he
forged ahead and became a man of easy circumstances, building a
substantial residence and born on his farm in 1880. Daniel
Merrell and Ann Tracey were married in Wayne Township, this
county in 1843. She was a daughter of Basil Tracey and wife.
After a happy married life of 18 years, Mrs. Merrell was called
to her rest in 1861. 8 children were born to them: Mary
Elizabeth, born in 1844 married a Mr. Shipman, a farmer of Benton
County, Indiana; Sarah Ann born in 1847 died in 1848; Lydia born
in 1849 married JH Biddle of Benton County; Thomas born in 1851
died in 1852; Basil T, subject of this sketch; Nancy A born in
1856 died in 1886; William B. born in 1858 married a Miss Rusk of
Moundsville, missouri and John D. who was born in 1860 married
Maggie Johnson and he established himself on his father's farm.
Daniel merrell, father of the above named children was a second
time married in 18633, this time to Mary Combs, who was a native
of Kentucky. In 1891 his second wife died. Daniel was a Democrat
in politics, Baptist in religious matters. He took the interest
of a good citizen in local public affairs and held a number of
minor offices, having for many years discharged the duties of
justice of the peace and assessor, also suprivor of his township.
He was known to all his neighbors as a man of unblemished
reputation, kind, honest and charitable. He was summoned to his
eternal rest in 1897. Basil T. Merrell grew to manhood on his
father's farm and there he assisted with the general work when a
boy and he received a common school education. He left the farm
when 16 and learned the carpenter's trade which he followed for
some time, finally branching out into the contracdting business
which he followed with success for four years, then entered a
furniture store, in connection with which he had an undertaking
establishment at Waynetown and this line of endeavor he continued
for 15 years with much success, then he purchased the old home
farm which he has continued to operate, keeping it well improved
and under a high state of cultivation and in connection with
general farming he has handled a good grade of live stock. In
company with William Rider he organized the Waynetown Bank of
which he became VP, spending 12 years in the bank and on the
farm, making both a pronounced success. In 1898 he was elected
county treasurer in which office he served two years with such
satisfaction to his constituents and they reelected him to the
same important position in 1902, and again in 1906, thus serving
six years in this office in a manner that reflected much credit
upon himself and to the praise of all concerned. Mr. Merrell
assisted in the organization of the Crawfordsville State Bank in
1904, since which time he has served as director in this popular
institution. All the while he has continued to manage his farm.
He has an attractive residence in Crawfordsville. He has been
very successful from a financial standpoint. He is business
manager of the Crawfordsville Review. Politically, he is a
Democrat and has long been active and influential in the ranks.
He was county chairman 3 times and he piloted the party into
power the last two campaigns. Politically, Mr. Merrell is also
well known. He is a 32nd degree Mason, having attained the knight
Templar degrees, also belongs to the Ancient Arabic Order of
Nobles of the Mystic shrine, also is a member of all branches of
the iNdependent order of Odd Fellows, and holds membership wtih
the Tribe of Ben Hur, the knights of Pythias, the Improved Order
of Red Men and the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks. The
domestic life of Mr. Merrell began on July 13, 1873 when he was
united in marriage to a lady of refinement and a represetnative
of a highly esteemed family, Nannie Bonnell, d/o Alfred and
Catherine Edwards Bonnell. The union of our subject and wife has
been blessed by the birth of six children, namely: Alfred D of
Crawfordsville; Etta wife of CB Munns of Wayneotwn; William, a
farmer of Wayne Twp; Stella is the wife of E. Bold of Waynetown;
Clarence F an attorney of Fargo, ND; Ruth is attending Oberlin,
Ohio college. -- typed by kbz
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Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke &
Fountain Counties, Indiana (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893) p
323
Dan MERRELL, an old settler of Montgomery County and a farmer
of many years' experience, owning and occupying a good farm on
Sec 11, Wayne Township was born in Butler Co, Ohio in 1819. His
grandfather was a native of England and died there in the
fullness of time. The father of our subject, Benjamin Merrell was
also born in Ohio coming of one of its earliest pioneer families.
He in turn became a pioneer, migrating with his wife and children
to this county in 1827, and he was one of the first to settle in
what is now Ripley Twp, locating on a tract of Government land on
the Perryville Road, and spending his few remaining years in the
hard tasKnights of Pythiasroducing a farm from the forests. Death stayed his
labors in 1833. His widow survives him many years, dying at an
advanced age in 1879. They had six children: our subject; Sarah,
who married William White of Illinois and died in this township;
Anna who first married a Mr. Boyd and after his demise became the
wife of a Mr. Brown who died while on a trip to California;
Effie, who married Mr. White and lived in Illinois thereafter
until her death. James, a resident of Grant County who was born
after the family came to Indiana and who married Miss Rosanna
Reede and John, who was also born in Indiana was a volunteer in
an Iowa regiment during the war and died from a disease
contracted while in the army. When the subject of this brief
biographical sketch started out in life for himself, he went to
Waynetown where he worked at the trade of a cooper. In due time
he bout 80 acres of land, continuing his old employment until he
had paid for his place. He subsequently added to it by further
purchase and now owns a choice farm of 101 acres which is well
supplied with buildings for various purposes, and its fertile
harvest fields, well drained by tiles, yield abundant crops in
repayment for careful tillage. While a resident of Waynetown,
where he first commenced to keep house, Mr. Merrell had the
misfortune to be burned out, but by patient and unremitting labor
he made up his loss and is in comfortable circumstances today. In
1880, he built a modern house on his farm, comprising seven rooms
at a cost of $1,500. Mr. Merrell was married in this township in
1843 to Ann, daughter of Basil TRACY. Their wedded life was
brought to an untimely end by her death in 1861 after they had
lived together in mutual happiness 18 years. They had had 8
children: Mary Elizabeth born in 1844 and now the wife of Mr.
Shipman, a farmer of Benton County; Sarah Ann who was born in
1847 and died in 1848; Lydia born in 1849 and now the wife of JH
Biddle of Benton County; Thomas who was born in 1851 and died in
1852; Basil T. a farmer who was born in 1853 and married a Miss
BONNELL, a resides with his father; Nancy A, who was born in 1856
and died in 1886; William B. who was born in 1858 and married a
Miss Rusk of Moundsville, Mo; and John D who was born in 1860
married Maggie Johnson and resides on his father's farm. Our
subject was a second time married, this time to Mary COMBS who
was born in Kentucky. In 1891, he was again deprived of the
loving companionship and assistance of a good wife by death. Mr.
Merrell's record in life is unblemished conscientious and upright
motives governing his daily acts and the Baptist Church has found
in him an exemplary member ever since he connected himself with
it. He is quite a keen politician, a stanch advocate of the
Democratic Party and he has held various local offices, having
been JP and Assessor for six years, and at one time was
Supervisor of the Township. -- typed by kbz