KENNETH GRIGGS MERRILL, 1891-1963

Business executive and writer Kenneth Griggs Merrill was born in St. Paul, Minn. on July 9, 1891. The son of John Francis and Anne Humphrey (Davy) Merrill, he was educated in Chicago public schools and took night courses at Northwestern University in creative writing and advertising.

Hired in 1911 as a clerk for the M. B. Skinner manufacturing company of Chicago, he advanced through the organization, and within 22 years became its president. KGM married Helen Shapley in 1925; they had five children. In 1928, the Skinner company moved to South Bend, Indiana, where KGM lived the rest of his life. After his presidency (1933-1960) he was chairman of the board until his retirement in 1961. KGM wrote numerous articles on salesmanship and advertising, as well as short stories and other articles of general interest. He died on August 15, 1963.

KGM met Amelia Earhart shortly before World War I. He is the "Ken" referred to several times in Letters from Amelia, by Jean Backus (Boston: Beacon Press, 1982); see pp. 32-45. For additional biographical information see The National Cyclopedia of American Biography, Volume 51 (1969: pp. 529-30).

From the guide to the Papers, 1918-1919, n.d., (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)