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

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...

. Born in

Center Ossipee, New Hampshire Center Ossipee is a census-designated place in the town of Ossipee in Carroll County, New Hampshire. The population was 526 at the 2020 census. It is one of the two main villages in the town, the other being Ossipee Corner (shown simply as "Ossipe ...

, Merrow attended the public schools and Brewster Free Academy in

Wolfeboro Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,416 at the 2020 census. A resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls. History The town was granted ...

from 1921 to 1925. He was graduated from

Colby College Colby College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the ...

Waterville, Maine Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The city is home to Colby College and Thomas College. As of the 2020 census the population was 15,828. Along with Augusta, Waterville is ...

, in 1929 and from Teachers College (summers) (

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

, 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. It is the 30 ...

Maine Maine () is a U.S. state, state in the New England and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and territories of Canad ...

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 legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 204 legislative district ...

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 an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...

, held in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

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 is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...

) held in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

in 1946. He served as a member of the United States delegation to UNESCO 1946-1949. Merrow was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or again ...

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 * J ...

, 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 the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

. Subsequently, he was Special Adviser on Community Relations, Department of State, 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 20th-century American politicians People from Ossipee, New Hampshire