WI BIO - Dane Co - MERRILL, Alfred
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 247

Alfred MERRILL, now living retired in Madison, Dane County, WI, was born in 
Binghamton [Broome County], NY, 17 Jan 1824. His father, Myron MERRILL, was 
born in New Hartford [Litchfield County], CT, where he learned the trade of 
hatter. After his marriage his removed to Sherburne, Chenango County, NY, 
and from there to Binghamton, where he established a hat factory and was very 
successful in the business. He was one of the organizers of the Broome 
County Bank, of which he was the vice president for many years. He dealt 
largely in real estate and at one time owned several thousand acres of timber 
and coal lands in Pennsylvania. Myron MERRILL died in Binghamton [Broome 
County], NY, in 1873, aged 83 years. The maiden name of his wife [the mother 
of Alfred MERRILL] was Rhoda B. ROBINSON, born in Pembroke [Merrimack 
County], NH, and died in Binghamton [Broome County], NY, in 1887, aged 87. 
She reared two children: Amelia, who married Louis S. ABBOTT and is still 
living in Binghampton [Broome County, NY. The second child is the subject, 
Alfred MERRILL.]

Alfred MERRILL received his early education in the public schools of 
Binghamton and under private tutorage at Troy, NY, after which he engaged in 
the dry goods and grocery business in Binghamton, until 1853, when he came to 
Madison, WI. After his arrival he bought a farm, four miles out of Madison, 
on the west bank of Lake Mendota, on which he resided for 25 years. Since 
that time he has resided in Madison. On his farm is located Merrill's Rock 
Spring. It is a spring of mineral water, an analysis of which shows it to be 
superior to any other mineral water yet discovered. He has platted a portion 
of his farm, which is known as Merrill's Park, and it occupies one of the 
most beautiful locations in this most picturesque region.

Alfred MERRILL married, in 1854, Miss Olkive A. COLLIER, born in Binghamton 
[Broome County], NY, and died Oct 1889. In politics he is a Democrat and 
cast his first vote for Franklin PIERCE, and has not voted since 1876, 
because a Democratic Congress agreed to arbitrate, and hence the reason that 
Samuel J. TILDEN was not inaugurated.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly