The Reverend Charles W. Merriam was born in 1876 in Rochester, N.Y. He received a B.S. degree from Amherst College, attended the Hartford Theological Seminary, received his B.D. degree at Yale in 1901, and his D.D. degree from Olivet College. Reverend Merriam served as pastor to the Second Congregational Church in Cohasset, Massachusetts (1901-1904), the Second Congregational Church in Greenfield, Massachusetts (1904-1916), the Park (First) Congregational Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan (1916-1933) and the United Church of Old Deerfield, Massachusetts (1933-1939). He married Julia Bemis Sturtevant in 1900. The couple had three children: Warren Sturtevant, Charles Wolcott, Jr., and Julia Elizabeth. Following his retirement in 1939, the Merriam's moved to Claremont, California. Julia died in 1941; in 1942 Charles married Mrs. Olive S. Whitfield, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1951. Charles died in 1956 at Pilgrim's Place, a rest home for retired congregational ministers.
Warren Sturtevant Merriam, called Bill, was the elder son of Charles and Julia. He was born in 1901, in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Warren was student at Colgate University from 1919-1920, and a graduate of the University of Michigan in 1923. He worked for the Berkey and Gay Furniture Company of Grand Rapids from 1922-1930, and for Manufacturers Selling Agency in Los Angeles from 1930-1934, before coming to Baker Furniture, Inc. of Holland, Michigan. At Baker, he served as plant manager. In 1925 he married Helen Victoria Bell of Chicago. She was a graduate of Wellesley who did graduate work at the University of Chicago and taught school in Chicago before her marriage. Warren and Helen were active members of the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club, for which Warren served as Commodore in 1949. Both were involved members of the Grace Episcopal Church of Holland, and Helen especially was active in Episcopal Church affairs in Western Michigan. Warren died in 1972, and Helen in 1984.
From the guide to the Merriam Family Papers, 1914-1964, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)
