Marriner W. Merrill
Encyclopedia
Marriner Wood Merrill born in Sackville
, New Brunswick
, was a pioneering settler of Cache Valley
and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Marriner Merrill was the tenth of the thirteen children born to Sarah Ann Reunolds and Nathan Merrill. The family farmed, and Merrill later wrote of “not having any opportunities of even a common school education.” Merrill left Sackville and worked briefly as a cook on a fishing schooner
based in Boston, Massachusetts before returning on word of his father’s fatal fall into a tidal marsh in May 1851. Merrill assisted in farm work in Sackville after his return.
Merrill joined the LDS Church in April 1852. He migrated to Salt Lake City
, Utah Territory
the following year in a wagon company led by William Atkinson, also of Sackville.
During his first winter in Utah, he married Sarah Ann Atkinson, the daughter of William Atkinson. Marriner Merrill at first engaged in farm labor and made shingles. The Merrills briefly relocated to Spanish Fork before the arrival of Johnston’s Army in the Utah War
.
In 1860, Merrill was among the first to move to Richmond, Utah
. He soon became a civic and ecclesiastical leader in Richmond. In July 1861 he began eighteen years of service as a bishop. He became the Postmaster of Richmond in 1866. He was a County Selectman from 1872 to 1879. He was a member of the territorial
legislature for two terms.
With two business partners, Merrill built a gristmill
. He also worked as a contractor in the construction of the Utah and Northern Railway
and as a supervisor in its operation. Merrill also operated a large farm near Richmond.
Merrill was called into the Cache Stake presidency in 1879. He was first a counsellor to William B. Preston
, then after 1884 to Charles Ora Card
. Merrill became the first president
of the Logan Utah Temple
in 1884 and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 7, 1889. He served as both an apostle and temple president until his death.
Like many early leaders in the LDS Church, Merrill practiced plural marriage
. Merrill married his second wife, Cyrene Standley on June 5, 1856. Merrill eventually married 8 wives and had 43 children. During the time of the polygamy raids in Utah Territory
, he lived in his bedroom on the second floor in the west tower of the Logan Utah Temple; for weeks at a time he would not leave the temple. He was arrested for unlawful cohabitation on January 10, 1889 but was released within two days.
Merrill married his eighth wife, a Swedish immigrant named Hilda Maria Erickson, after the 1890 Manifesto
announced the discontinuation of polygamy. He is alleged also to have advocated and performed post-Manifesto plural marriages. Merrill had been summoned twice as a witness before the Smoot investigation
before the United States Congress, but declined citing poor health. He received the last subpoena days before his death. However, his son Charles Merrill gave sworn testimony before the hearing in congress.
On February 6, 1906, Merrill died in his home at Logan, Utah
from Bright's disease
. He is buried in Richmond, Utah
.
At a family reunion in 1935 his family numbered 797 descendants, of which 291 were grandchildren, 429 great grandchildren and 31 great-great grandchildren. Many of his descendants still live in the Utah area today.
Sackville, New Brunswick
Sackville is a Canadian town in Westmorland County, New Brunswick.Mount Allison University is located in the town...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, was a pioneering settler of Cache Valley
Cache Valley
The Cache Valley is an agricultural valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of the 1863 Bear River Massacre.-History:...
and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Marriner Merrill was the tenth of the thirteen children born to Sarah Ann Reunolds and Nathan Merrill. The family farmed, and Merrill later wrote of “not having any opportunities of even a common school education.” Merrill left Sackville and worked briefly as a cook on a fishing schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
based in Boston, Massachusetts before returning on word of his father’s fatal fall into a tidal marsh in May 1851. Merrill assisted in farm work in Sackville after his return.
Merrill joined the LDS Church in April 1852. He migrated to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
the following year in a wagon company led by William Atkinson, also of Sackville.
During his first winter in Utah, he married Sarah Ann Atkinson, the daughter of William Atkinson. Marriner Merrill at first engaged in farm labor and made shingles. The Merrills briefly relocated to Spanish Fork before the arrival of Johnston’s Army in the Utah War
Utah War
The Utah War, also known as the Utah Expedition, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between LDS settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858...
.
In 1860, Merrill was among the first to move to Richmond, Utah
Richmond, Utah
Richmond is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,470 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. Part of the film Napoleon Dynamite was filmed at Richmond. Richmond is home to three schools. An Elementary school, a middle...
. He soon became a civic and ecclesiastical leader in Richmond. In July 1861 he began eighteen years of service as a bishop. He became the Postmaster of Richmond in 1866. He was a County Selectman from 1872 to 1879. He was a member of the territorial
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
legislature for two terms.
With two business partners, Merrill built a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
. He also worked as a contractor in the construction of the Utah and Northern Railway
Utah and Northern Railway
The Utah and Northern Railway is a defunct railroad that was operated in the Utah Territory and later in the Idaho Territory and Montana Territory in the western United States during the 1870s and 1880s. It was the first railroad in Idaho and in Montana....
and as a supervisor in its operation. Merrill also operated a large farm near Richmond.
Merrill was called into the Cache Stake presidency in 1879. He was first a counsellor to William B. Preston
William B. Preston (Mormon)
William Bowker Preston was the fourth Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1884 and 1907....
, then after 1884 to Charles Ora Card
Charles Ora Card
Charles Ora Card was the founder of the town of Cardston, Alberta, the first Mormon settlement in Canada. He has been referred to as "Canada's Brigham Young"....
. Merrill became the first president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Logan Utah Temple
Logan Utah Temple
The Logan Utah Temple is the 4th constructed and 2nd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Logan, Utah, it was the second LDS temple built in the Rocky Mountains .The LDS temple in Logan was announced on May 18, 1877, just after the dedication...
in 1884 and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 7, 1889. He served as both an apostle and temple president until his death.
Like many early leaders in the LDS Church, Merrill practiced plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
. Merrill married his second wife, Cyrene Standley on June 5, 1856. Merrill eventually married 8 wives and had 43 children. During the time of the polygamy raids in Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, he lived in his bedroom on the second floor in the west tower of the Logan Utah Temple; for weeks at a time he would not leave the temple. He was arrested for unlawful cohabitation on January 10, 1889 but was released within two days.
Merrill married his eighth wife, a Swedish immigrant named Hilda Maria Erickson, after the 1890 Manifesto
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
announced the discontinuation of polygamy. He is alleged also to have advocated and performed post-Manifesto plural marriages. Merrill had been summoned twice as a witness before the Smoot investigation
Smoot Hearings
The Reed Smoot hearings were a series of Congressional hearings on whether the United States Senate should seat U.S. Senator Reed Smoot, who was elected by the Utah legislature in 1903...
before the United States Congress, but declined citing poor health. He received the last subpoena days before his death. However, his son Charles Merrill gave sworn testimony before the hearing in congress.
On February 6, 1906, Merrill died in his home at Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
from Bright's disease
Bright's disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes....
. He is buried in Richmond, Utah
Richmond, Utah
Richmond is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,470 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area. Part of the film Napoleon Dynamite was filmed at Richmond. Richmond is home to three schools. An Elementary school, a middle...
.
At a family reunion in 1935 his family numbered 797 descendants, of which 291 were grandchildren, 429 great grandchildren and 31 great-great grandchildren. Many of his descendants still live in the Utah area today.