Hon. Nathaniel A. Merrell, DeWitt

NATHANIEL ANSON MERRELL, twenty-one years a resident of De Witt, Iowa, and a leading attorney at this place, is a native of Lewis county, New York, and was born in the village of Copenhagen, on the 26th of June, 1829. His parents, Seth and Mabel Sanford Merrell, were from Connecticut. His paternal grandfather was in the first war with England, and his father in the second.

When sixteen years of age Nathaniel began to divide his time between farm and literary work, attending some academy and teaching about half the time until twenty-two. At that age he commenced reading law with an elder brother, Eliada S., then residing at Copenhagen, now a resident of Lowville, and judge of Lewis county. He was admitted to the bar at Watertown, Jefferson county, in July, 1855, and the next spring came to De Witt, here building up a good reputation as an attorney, his professional career being one of marked success. He is a fluent speaker, quite persuasive withal, and in any reasonably just cause carries the jury with him.

Mr. Merrell went into the army in the autumn of 1862, as captain of company D, 26th Iowa Infantry, and was wounded severely at the battle of Arkansas Post, on the 11th of January, 1863.

He was mayor of De Witt two years ; was a member of the lower house of the general assembly during the fourteenth session, and of the senate during the fifteenth and sixteenth sessions. In the upper house he was chairman of the committee on public lands, and was on the committees on constitutional amendments, judiciary and agricultural college. In 1877 he was reelected to the senate for the further term of four years, in all ten years.

Mr. Merrell has been a life-long democrat, but does not "give up to party what was meant for mankind "; would not sacrificre his country for any political body. He was an ardent supporter of the national administration in its efforts to suppress the rebellion.

He was married at Lowville, New York, on the 17th of July, 1855, to Mrs. Mary A.Moman Merrell, then late of Richmond, Kentucky, and widow of his brother. They have three children living, and have lost two.

Mr. Merrell has gray eyes, a ruddy complexion, stands perfectly erect, is six feet in height, and weighs two hundred and fifty pounds. His physique is impressive, his bearing commanding, his address cordial, his manners are easy and pleasant, and his conversational gifts excellent.

Source:

The United States Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made Men. Iowa Volume.

Chicago and New York: American Biographical Publishing Company, 1878