Colorado Museum of Natural History

Elmer W. Merritt was a trustee and founding father of the Colorado Museum of Natural History (CMNH).

Merritt was born in New York State on October 31, 1861, attended the University of Ann Arbor and arrived in Denver in 1879. He went into the lumber and mercantile business and eventually became connected with the Continental Oil Co. In 1885 he began a career in real estate and investment securities, forming the firm Merritt and Gromman.

He served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees at CMNH (now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science) from 1897-1902. The museum was incorporated in 1900, during his watch. In addition to his founding work at the museum, Merritt was also a member of the Depot Commission when Denver's Union Station was built and served as a Colorado State Senator.

Merritt died in 1917.

Dr. Persifor M. Cooke was the longest serving member of the Denver Museum of Natural History's Board of Trustees. He served continuously from 1905 to 1954, a total of 49 years.

Cooke was born December 25, 1860 in Adams County, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and in 1886 graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia. After completing medical school he served short stints as a resident physician and surgeon in Brooklyn and as health physician in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In 1888 he moved to Denver and practiced medicine until 1899, when he joined Denver National Bank. He held several important positions with the bank and retired in 1929.

In 1892 Cooke married Annie Kirtley Shields of Denver. They had one son, but he was killed in World War I when a German submarine torpedoed the US Navy patrol boat he served on. Annie died in 1932 and Cooke married Helen Archbold in 1935. She died in 1948.

At the time of his death in 1954 at age 93, Cooke was still an active Trustee of the Museum, now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Over the years he regularly attended Board meetings and was very active in Museum business. He was Board Secretary from 1902 to 1931, Secretary-Treasurer from 1936 to 1945, and again Secretary in 1946 and 1947. He served as Historian for the Board of Trustees until his death. In addition, Cooke was a frequent visitor to the Museum. He closely followed its progress and befriended employees. He considered it "the finest Museum in the country" and told the Board and Director that it was his chief interest during the last decade of his life. Accordingly, he generously remembered the Museum in his will.

Elmer W. Merritt was a trustee and founding father of the Colorado Museum of Natural History (CMNH). Merritt was born in New York State on October 31, 1861, attended the University of Ann Arbor and arrived in Denver in 1879. He went into the lumber and mercantile business and eventually became connected with the Continental Oil Co. In 1885 he began a career in real estate and investment securities, forming the firm Merritt and Gromman. He served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees at CMNH (now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science) from 1897-1902; the museum was incorporated in 1900, during his watch. In addition to his founding work at the museum, Merritt was also a member of the Depot Commission when Denver's Union Station was built and served as a Colorado State Senator. Merritt died in 1917.

Dr. Persifor M. Cooke was the longest serving member of the Denver Museum of Natural History's Board of Trustees. He served continuously from 1905 to 1954, a total of 49 years. Cooke was born December 25, 1860 in Adams County, near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and in 1886 graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia. After completing medical school he served short stints as a resident physician and surgeon in Brooklyn and as health physician in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In 1888 he moved to Denver and practiced medicine until 1899, when he joined Denver National Bank. He held several important positions with the bank and retired in 1929. In 1892 Cooke married Annie Kirtley Shields of Denver. They had one son, but he was killed in World War I when a German submarine torpedoed the US Navy patrol boat he served on. Annie died in 1932 and Cooke married Helen Archbold in 1935. She died in 1948. At the time of his death in 1954 at age 93, Cooke was still an active Trustee of the Museum, now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Over the years he regularly attended Board meetings and was very active in Museum business. He was Board Secretary from 1905 to 1935, Secretary-Treasurer from 1936 to 1945, and again Secretary in 1946 and 1947. He served as Historian for the Board of Trustees until his death. In addition, Cooke was a frequent visitor to the Museum. He closely followed its progress and befriended employees. He considered it "the finest Museum in the country" and told the Board and Director that it was his chief interest during the last decade of his life. Accordingly, he generously remembered the Museum in his will.