Cleburne County AlArchives Biographies.....Merrill, Pelham Jones December 1, 1907 - 
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David Norton http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006057 June 4, 2008, 6:32 pm

Author: Academy of Honor 


Pelham Jones Merrill, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, 
was born in Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama, December 1, 1907, the son of 
Lilla Belle (Jones) Merrill and Walter Benjamin Merrill, who was a lawyer, 
state legislator, and Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit. 

He grew up in Heflin and graduated from high school there in 1922. He attended 
the University of Alabama and graduated from that institution at the age of 18. 
During the years from 1926 to 1931, Merrill taught and coached in the schools 
of West Blocton, Bibb County, and also taught in Bibb County Opportunity 
Schools, his job being that of teaching adults in the community to read and to 
write. While in Bibb County he organized the Civitan Club in West Blocton. 

From 1931 to 1934 Merrill attended law school at the University of Alabama, 
working his way through, during the years of the Great Depression. Upon his 
graduation with a Bachelor of Laws degree, January 20, 1934, he returned to his 
home town of Heflin and entered into private law practice with E. Burns Parker. 

Merrill served as Deputy Solicitor for Cleburne County, 1935-1942, and was 
elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1936 to fill the unexpired 
term of Edward B. Parker. In 1938 he was elected to the State Democratic 
Executive Committee from the Fifth Congressional District and served until 
1942. 

With the advent of World War II, Merrill volunteered for service in the Air 
Corps in June of 1942, entering active duty as a second lieutenant at Sheppard 
Field, Texas. He was discharged in February, 1946, with the rank of major, but 
he remained in the Air Force Reserve until he retured with the rank of colonel 
in 1967. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the Air Medal. 

Following his discharge from the Air Corps, Merrill again was elected to 
represent Cleburne County in the Alabama House of Representatives and was again 
elected in 1950. Twice he was elected to serve the House as Speaker Pro-Tem. 
The press named him the "Most Resourceful Member" for the 1947 session and 
the "Most Effective Member" for the 1951 session. His legislative career came 
to an end when he was elected an associate justice of the Alabama Supreme Court 
in 1952. He subsequently was re-elected in 1958, 1964, and 1970, for 
consecutive six-year terms, with his retirement occurring in 1976. 

Judge Merrill was an outstanding Baptist layman in Cleburne, Bibb, and 
Tuscaloosa Counties, and in Montgomery, for the 45 years prior to his induction 
into the Academy. While a law student in Tuscaloosa he was ordained a deacon. 
He taught Sunday School or served as Sunday School superintendent for most of 
those 45 years. At the time of his induction, he was teaching the largest 
Sunday School class at First Baptist Church in Montgomery. In 1962 he addressed 
the Alabama State Baptist Convention. 

In addition, he was a Mason, a member of the American Legion, the Exchange Club 
and the Lions Club. He had long been affiliated with the YMCA and its 
activities, serving as member and chairman of the Alabama YMCA Youth 
Legislature Board of Directors. He served on the Board of Directors of the 
Alabama Tuberculosis Association. 

Judge Merrill was the author of numerous legal articles. His opinions were 
highly regarded by legal scholars. He was active in striving for improvement in 
the judicial system in Alabama. Among honors he received from those in his 
profession were the Dean's Award from the Law School of the University of 
Alabama, July,1976, and the Cumberland Order of Jurisprudence Award, September, 
1976. Judge Merrill was a member of the American Bar Association, the Alabama 
Judicature Society, the Alabama State Bar, and the Alabama Law Institute. 

He is now deceased. 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/bios/merrill770gbs.txt

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