Charles Willis Merriam (November 5, 1877 – July 17, 1961) was an American insurance businessman and politician from New York.

Life

Merriam was born on November 5, 1877, in Waverly, New York, the son of merchant and insurance businessman Charles E. Merriam and Jane Wells. Merriam attended public school in Waverly, high school in Albany, and a course at the Albany Business College. In 1898, he moved to

Schenectady Schenectady ( ) is a City (New York), city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-most populo ...

and worked with his father in the insurance business. He also worked in real estate. He served in the Troop B of the

New York National Guard New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 19 ...

for three years. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was treasurer and chairman of the local

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

. In 1907, he was elected to the county board of supervisors. He was re-elected to the office for ten years and he was chairman of the board from 1914 to 1917. He represented the 11th ward on the board of supervisors, and as its chairman he was instrumental in founding Glenridge Hospital. In 1923, Merriam was elected to the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Ass ...

as a Republican, representing the Schenectady County 1st District. He served in the Assembly in

1924 Events January * January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after. * January 20–January 30, 30 – Kuomintang in Ch ...

1925 Events January * January 1 – The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria (1925–1930), State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini m ...

1926 In Turkey, the year technically contained only 352 days. As Friday, December 18, 1926 ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Saturday, January 1, 1927 '' (Gregorian Calendar)''. 13 days were dropped to make the switch. Turkey thus became the ...

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the BBC, British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, John Reith becomes the first ...

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly demonstrating that DNA is the genetic material. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris B ...

1929 This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...

1930 Events January * January 15 – The Moon moves into its nearest point to Earth, called perigee, at the same time as its fullest phase of the Lunar Cycle. This is the closest moon distance at in recent history, and the next one will be on J ...

, and

1931 Events January * January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics. * January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa. * January 22 – Sir I ...

. In 1937, he was elected to the Schenectady City Council for a four-year term. He was re-elected to the office in 1941. He served on the City Council for 12 years. Later in life, he associated with his son Charles Jr. in the insurance business. Merriam was a director of the Schenectady Savings Bank, the Schenectady County Tuberculosis Committee, the Humane Society, and the City Mission. He was also treasurer of the Public Health Nursing Association, the Schenectady Farm Bureau, and the City Mission. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. He was an elder and trustee of the Union Presbyterian Church. In 1924, he married Jessie Partch McGlashan of

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Their children were Charles Willis Jr. and Stuart Hamilton. Merriam died in Ellis Hospital on July 17, 1961. He was buried in Slate Hill Cemetery in Goshen.

References

External links

*
The Political Graveyard
'
Charles W. Merriam
at '' Find a Grave'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Merriam, Charles W. 1877 births 1961 deaths People from Waverly, Tioga County, New York Albany Business College alumni Businesspeople from Schenectady, New York Schenectady City Council members New York National Guard personnel American businesspeople in insurance 20th-century American businesspeople Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly Presbyterians from New York (state) 20th-century members of the New York State Legislature