Merrell - Basil Tracey
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review May 6, 1921 p1
-- Basil Tracey Merrell, former county treasurer, banker, farmer and identified with the publishing of the Crawfordsville Review, died at his home 709 W. Main Street 4:30 o'cock Wed morning. Death was not unexpected as he had been exceedingly ill for 10 weeks. Six weeks ago he was brought home from an Indianapolis hospital where his complaint was diagnoses as cancer of the liver. Funeral services will be at the residence at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon Rev. PO Duncan, pastor of the Baptist Church at Waynetown will officiate. The burial will be at the Waynetown Cemetery where short funeral services will be conducted and where the Waynetown friends of the deceased can pay their last respects Mr. Merrell was born in Wayne Township July 17, 1853, the son of Daniel and Anna Tracey Merrell, one of the pioneer families in the county. Benjamin Merrell, paternal grandfather of the deceased who was of English stock, removed to this state from Ohio in 1827 and was one of the first settlers in what is now Ripley Twp. Basil T. Merrell left the farm on which he was born when he was 16 years of age and learned the carpenter's trade. Subsequently he branched uot as a contractor and later established a furniture store and undertaking establishment in Waynetown which he conducted successfully for 15 years. Then he purchased the old homestead and was very successful in his farming operations. With William Rider he organized the Waynetown bank and became vice president, an office he held for 12 years In 1898 he was elected treaurer of Montgomery County and he was reelected in 1902 and again in 1906. In 1904 he assisted in organizing the Crawfordsville State Bank accepting a position as one of the directors, a position he held at the time of his death. In 1911 he formed the company which took over the Crawfordsville Review and for a considerable period was identified with that paper as business manager. In politics he was a Democrat and three times he was elected count chairman of that organization. He was also prominent in fraternal circles, being a 32nd degree Mason, having attained the Knights Templar degrees and was also a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a member of the IOOF Tribe of Ben Hur, Knights of Pythias, the Red Men and the Elks. Mr. Merrell was married on July 13, 1873 to Miss Nannie Bonnell, daughter of Alfred and Catherine Edward Bonnell. Six children were born of this union. He is survived by his wife and five children: Alfred D. Merrell of Terre Haute; William S. Merrell of Wayne Township; Clarence F. Merrell of Indianapolis; Mrs. Stella Boldt of Waynetown and Mrs. Ruth Freeman of Crawfordsville. -- kbz