Biography of Arthur T. Merwin, 1902, Baker Co. Oregon: Surnames: Merwin, Jenkins, Wait.

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An Illustrated History of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties, pub. 1902
by Western Historical Pub. Co. of Chicago. page 289

Arthur T. Merwin

The bushaway, the courrier de bois, and the voyageur live now only in history.
The prospector with his "grub stake," his roll of blankets and his pony, has
well nigh completed his work in this country, and the stage drive rand
freighter have given place to the gladiators of steel and iron which swiftly
draw their tons of burden over the paths of steel. Interesting, indeed, are
the accounts furnished us of the age of poetry and romance preceding this age
of railroads, telegraphs and telephones and it is ever a pleasure to meet with
one who has outlived his generation and who brings into the present personal
recollections of the wild, romantic past. Such a man is he whose name forms
the caption of this article.

Mr. Merwin is a typical frontiersman and knight of the plains and in him have
been developed in a high degree the best traits of character to be found in
the honored pioneer. He was born in Morgan county, Ohio, on a farm near
McConnelsville on June 24, 1840, his parents being Edwin and Susan (Jenkins)
Merwin, natives of the Buckeye state. When twelve years old he accompanied the
remainder of the family to Illinois, and four years later he moved with them
to the vicinity of Lawrence, Kansas, where his home was until he arrived at
the age of nineteen. Farm life developed his physical powers and spirit of
manly independence, but of intellectual discipline he received little. His
education had to be acquired afterward in the stern battle of life.

In 1859 he gave inception to his career of adventure by accepting employment
as a teamster on the plains. After two years he was promoted to a position as
wagon master and at the same time he became part owner in a train of freight
wagons. Twenty-six wagons, he tells us, three hundred and twelve head of
cattle and five mules constituted a train or full outfit. During the nine
years ensuing he busied himself in freighting from Fort Leavenworth to Santa
Fe, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; Camp Douglas, Utah; Fort Laramie, Wyoming;
and other points, and during all the years of this service except, perhaps,
one or two, the Indians were hostile. He and his men had many serious
adventures with the red skins and at one time our subject was the only man in
the train effected his escape. Mr. Merwin was a personal friend of the noted
Kit Carson and was quite intimately acquainted with many other famous western
scouts. He was present at Carson's death in 1867.

In 1868 our subject sold his teaming outfit and came across the plains with
mule teams to Oregon. He located on the lower Powder river, of the valley of
which he is the first settler, taking as a homestead one hundred and sixty
acres of land. Later he purchased another quarter section adjoining and upon
this, his original home in the far west, he resided uninterruptedly until
March of the present year (1901), engaged for the most part in stock raising.
Then, however, he moved to 2305 Third street, Baker City, and retired from the
active pursuits of life.

A leader int he ushering in of civilization the west Mr. Merwin has been very
active also in public affairs since the country has been organized and
government fully established. He served on a school board in Union county
consecutively for fourteen years and three times afterward he was elected but
refused to qualify. He has helped in numerous other ways to establish a good
public school system, especially by assisting in the erection of school
houses. For four years he was deputy county assessor in Union county, and he
now holds a like position here.

Fraternally our subject is affiliated with Baker City Lodge, No. 25, I.O.O.F.
He was married at Lawrence, Kansas, April 6,1 866, the lady being Miss
Celestia P. Wait, a native of New York. They have had three children, but two
of them, Eugene and Charles C., died in infancy. The third, Helen M., is at
home with her parents. She is a graduate of the Baker City high school and is
now engaged in teaching in Baker county.