Bio of MERRILL, George C., Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol III, pg 266-269
GEORGE C. MERRILL
George C. Merrill has been engaged in the abstract business in Minneapolis for a
period of forty years, being one of the pioneers in this line in the city, and
he has become recognized as an authority upon this subject. He was born in
Manchester, Scott county, Illinois, and his parents were. Joseph Winthrop and
Anna E. Merrill. They removed to Cook county, Illinois, establishing their home
in one of the suburban districts of Chicago, and the father became well known as
a horticulturist.
After completing his high school course George C. Merrill attended private
academy and afterward became a student at the University of Chicago. In 1882 he
came to Minneapolis and organized the firm of Merrill & Albee, engaging in the
business of furnishing abstracts of title to realty in Hennepin county. The
partnership was dissolved in 1886 and Mr. Merrill conducted his interests
inde­pendently until 1892, when he organized the Merrill Abstract Company, of
which he has since been president and manager. In the meantime he had taken up
the study of law in the State University, from which he won the LL.B. degree in
1895, being admitted to the Minnesota bar in the same year, and in 1896 that
institution conferred upon him the degree of Master of Laws. He is exceptionally
well quali­fied for the work in which he is engaged and has built up an enviable
reputation as a title expert. In the conduct of his interests he displays keen
sagacity, enter­prise and determination and his straightforward methods and
unquestioned integ­rity have won for him the unqualified trust and confidence of
the residents of Minneapolis and Hennepin county. He has also been closely
identified with financial interests, becoming one of the organizers of the
Metropolitan State Bank (now the Metropolitan National Bank) of Minneapolis in
the spring of 1.907, and was made its first president. He continued at the head
of the institution until it was well established and then withdrew in order that
he might devote his entire attention to his abstract business.
Mr. Merrill has been a lifelong republican, casting his first vote in support of
Ulysses S. Grant for the presidency of the nation, and although he has neither
sought nor desired office, his fellow citizens have demonstrated their
appreciation of his worth by electing him to the position of register of deeds
of Hennepin county in 1900. That his record was a most satisfactory one is
indicated in the fact that he was continued in the office for three terms, or
until 1906.
In 1875 Mr. Merrill was united in marriage to Miss Alice Swindler and they have
become the parents of two children: Alice Reba, who is assistant superintendent
of nurses at Lake Pokegama Sanatorium at Lake Pokegama, Minnesota; and Fred
Raymond, who is manager of the Western Creamery Company at Miles City, Mon­tana.
The latter wedded Bessie McClure and they have one daughter, Elizabeth. Mr.
Merrill was one of the charter members of the old Commercial Club and is also
connected with other organizations of a social or fraternal nature. He is fond
of travel and during vacation periods has visited many European countries,
having had many interesting experiences in foreign lands. With steadfast
purpose, he has concentrated his efforts upon a special line of activity and his
initiative spirit and executive ability have enabled him to develop a business
of large proportions. For four decades he has been closely connected with the
upbuilding and progress of Minneapolis, whose welfare and advancement have ever
been to him matters of deep and vital interest, and no resident of the city
enjoys in larger measure the respect and esteem of his fellowmen.