TITLE: Pauline Swain Merrill, Obituary, March 31, 2001 SUMITTERS: COLEBROOK NEWS & SENTINEL "Independent but not Neutral" 1 Bridge Street, P.O. Box 39, Colebrook, NH 03576 (603) 237-5501 (issue-Apr 4, 2001 ) FORMATTED: by CParziale, Apr 2001 ***************************************************************************** PAULINE MERRILL Pauline Swain Merrill, 96, of Colebrook, died on Saturday morning, March 31, 2001, at the Coös County Nursing Hospital in West Stewartstown. Mrs. Merrill was born on May 8, 1904 in Jamaica Plains, Mass., the daughter of the late Clarence G. and Mary F. (Bliss) Swain. She was graduated valedictorian from New Hampton Literary and Biblical Institution in 1921 and cum laude from Northeastern University in 1928. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1928 and to the New Hampshire Bar in 1929. She practiced law with her father in Boston, Mass. and Bristol, N.H., as "Swain and Swain." After her father's death, she opened her own practice as "Pauline S. Merrill, Attorney at Law." She was one of the first women lawyers in New Hampshire and the second to practice in Grafton County. Mrs. Merrill was married to the late Bernard E. Merrill on May 22, 1932. Living in New Hampton most of her life, she was a life member of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire and the New Hampton Garden Club. She was a 72-year member of the New Hampton Grange and a charter member of the New Hampton Historical Society. She was a member of the New Hampton Community Church and served as treasurer for several years. She was a retired member of the New Hampshire Bar Association, the American Birding Association, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and the Science Center of New Hampshire. She also served as treasurer and trustee of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, trustee of the Gordon Nash Library, clerk of the New Hampton School District, town and county clerk of the New Hampton and Grafton Republican Parties, a member of the New Hampton School Board, a 4-H club leader, and trustee emeritus of the New Hampton School. Mrs. Merrill helped finish writing and had published a brief history of New Hampton, "A Small Gore of Land." She and her sister, Miss Hope Swain, were recognized by then Governor Gregg for their outstanding volunteer service to the State of New Hampshire. Also, Mrs. Merrill was awarded the degree of Juris Doctor from Northeastern University in 1971. She is survived by four children, John Merrill of Center Harbor, Clarence Merrill of Jewett City, Conn., Ann Merrill Woodard of Colebrook and Mrs. Mary Merrill Blodgett of Prunedale, Calif.; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Hope Swain of Franklin; and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Merrill was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard E. Merrill, on March 2, 1972, and her brother, Richard F. Swain, on June 9, 1973. Calling hours were held on Sunday, April 1, at the Jenkins Funeral Home in Colebrook. Services will be held in the Spring at the New Hampton Community Church in New Hampton, with interment services to follow in the New Hampton Village Cemetery. The date and time of services will be announced at a later date. Those who wish to make a donation in Mrs. Merrill's name may contribute to the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, 3 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301; the New Hampton Community Church, New Hampton, NH 03256; or a charity of their choice. (Issue of April 4, 2001) **************************************************************************** * * * * Notice: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. * * * * The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification.