Marriner W. Merrill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marriner W. Merrill |
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| Quorum of the Twelve Apostles | |
| 7 October 1889 – 6 February 1906 | |
| LDS Church Apostle | |
| 7 October 1889 – 6 February 1906 | |
| Reason | Excommunication of Albert Carrington; death of John Taylor and reorganization of the First Presidency; death of Erastus Snow |
| Reorganization at end of term |
George F. Richards, Orson F. Whitney, and David O. McKay ordained |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Marriner Wood Merrill 25 September 1832 Sackville, New Brunswick |
| Died | 6 February 1906 (aged 73) Richmond, Utah, United States |
| Cause of death | Bright's disease |
| Spouse(s) | 8 |
| Children | 43 |
Marriner Wood Merrill (born September 25, 1832 – died February 6, 1906) was an important early settler in the Cache Valley area. He was also a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Marriner Wood Merrill was born in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. He was the tenth of thirteen children in his family. His parents were Sarah Ann Reynolds and Nathan Merrill. His family worked on a farm. Marriner later shared that he did not have many chances to get a good education.
When he was older, Marriner left Sackville for a short time. He worked as a cook on a fishing boat in Boston, Massachusetts. He returned home after his father had a serious accident in May 1851. Marriner then helped with the farm work in Sackville.
Moving to Utah and Early Work
In April 1852, Marriner Merrill joined the LDS Church. The next year, he traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, with a group of wagons. This group was led by William Atkinson, who was also from Sackville.
During his first winter in Utah, Marriner married Sarah Ann Atkinson. She was William Atkinson's daughter. Marriner first worked on farms and made wooden shingles. The Merrills moved to Spanish Fork for a short time. This was before the arrival of Johnston's Army during the Utah War.
Settling in Richmond and Community Service
In 1860, Marriner Merrill was one of the first people to settle in Richmond, Utah. He quickly became a leader in the community and the church. In July 1861, he began serving as a bishop in the LDS Church. He held this position for eighteen years.
Marriner also took on important civic roles. He became the postmaster of Richmond in 1866. From 1872 to 1879, he served as a county selectman. He was also a member of the territorial legislature for two terms. This meant he helped make laws for the Utah Territory.
Business and Church Leadership
Marriner Merrill was also a successful businessman. He built a gristmill with two partners. A gristmill is a place where grain is ground into flour. He also worked as a contractor, helping to build the Utah and Northern Railway. He supervised the railway's operations too. In addition, Merrill managed a large farm near Richmond.
In 1879, Marriner was called to serve in the Cache Stake presidency. He first served as a counselor to William B. Preston. After 1884, he was a counselor to Charles Ora Card.
In 1884, Marriner Merrill became the first president of the Logan Temple. He also became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 7, 1889. He continued to serve as both an apostle and temple president until his death.
Family Life and Legacy
Marriner Merrill had a very large family. He married several wives, which was a common practice for some early leaders in the LDS Church during that time. He eventually had eight wives and 46 children. One of his wives was Maria Loenza Kingsbury, whose mother was the granddaughter of a well-known early Latter-day Saint, Stillman Pond. Maria was also the mother of a future Apostle, Joseph F. Merrill.
Marriner Merrill passed away on February 6, 1906, at his home in Richmond. He was buried in Richmond.
In 1935, a family reunion was held for his descendants. At that time, he had 797 descendants. This included 291 grandchildren, 429 great-grandchildren, and 31 great-great-grandchildren. Many of his descendants still live in the Cache Valley area today.
