Chester Earl Merrow (November 15, 1906 – February 10, 1974) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

. Born in Center Ossipee, New Hampshire, Merrow attended the public schools and Brewster Free Academy in Wolfeboro from 1921 to 1925. He was graduated from

Colby College Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine, United States. Founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, it was renamed Waterville College in 1821. The donations of Christian philanthropist Gardner ...

Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. A college town, the city is home to Colby College, a New England Small College Athletic Conference, NESCAC college, and Thomas College. As ...

, in 1929 and from Teachers College (summers) (

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, in 1937. Merrow was an instructor of science at

Kents Hill School Kents Hill School (also known as Kents Hill or KHS) is a co-educational, independent college-preparatory school for boarding and day students. Kents Hill is located in Kents Hill, Maine, 12 miles west of the state capital of Augusta, Maine, Aug ...

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

in 1929 and 1930 and at Montpelier Seminary from 1930 to 1937. He served as assistant headmaster of Montpelier Seminary from 1935 to 1938. He was an instructor of political science and history at Vermont Junior College in Montpelier in 1937 and 1938. Merrow was a member of the

New Hampshire House of Representatives The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court, the bicameral State legislature (United States), legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members com ...

in 1939 and 1940. He became a radio news commentator and lecturer, and served as delegate to an international conference on education and cultural relations of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, held in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 1945. He was a congressional adviser to the first conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

) held in

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in 1946. He served as a member of the United States delegation to UNESCO 1946-1949. Merrow was elected as a Republican to the Seventy-eighth and to the nine succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1963). Merrow voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

, but voted present the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress, but was unsuccessful for nomination to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

. Subsequently, he was Special Adviser on Community Relations,

Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...

, from 1963 to 1968. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1970 to the Ninety-second Congress and in 1972 to the Ninety-third Congress. He resided in Center Ossipee until his death there, February 10, 1974. He was interred in Chickville Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrow, Chester Earl 1906 births 1974 deaths Colby College alumni Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire Republican Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives People from Ossipee, New Hampshire 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century members of the New Hampshire General Court