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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County
Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908

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The Biography of Giles E. MERRILL 

Transcribed exactly according to the original complete text by Joan Achille and Alice Stipak. 

[Surnames: MERRILL, PAINE, SNYDER] 

[starting on page 992] 

    
MERRILL, Giles E., a well-known and successful poultry dealer of Avon, Fulton County Ill., he was born in Greenbush, Warren County Ill., December 13, 1862, a son of Frederick and Lucretia (Paine) Merrilll, natives of Massachusetts and Ohio, respectively. Charles Paine, the maternal grandfather, was born in Ohio and was a son of General Paine who fought in the war of the Revolution. When the city of Painesville, Ohio, was organized that name was bestowed upon it in honor of one of the ancestors of Mr. Merrill's mother. Frederick Merrill settled in Illinois at an early period, travel- [Page 993] ing from his former home to Chicago by water, and making the journey from Chicago to Greenbush by stream[sic? steam?]. There he embarked in general merchandising, also buying pork and grain, which he hauled to Liverpool, Ill., whence the consignments were shipped to their various destinations. He was a successful merchant and occumulated [sic] considerable means, also held several local offices in succession, including that of Supervisor, and for fourteen years served as Postmaster of Avon. His industrious and useful career came to an end in 1892. Eleven children were the offspring of his union with Lucretia Paine, seven of whom are still living. A sketch of the life of one of them, Arthur Merrill, also appears in this volume. 
    
In early youth the subject of this personal record attended the public schools of Avon, where he obtained a good mental training in the elementary branches. When he first began life on his responsibility he went into the general merchandise business in partnership with a brother at Avon under the firm name of Merrill & Merrill. This concern the Merrill Brothers conducted for a number of years in a two-story building 44 by 80 feet in dimensions, built by themselves. They relinquished the enterprise in 1895. About 1889 they began to devote a portion of their attention to the poultry trade, and Giles E. Merrill has continued to carry on this branch of the work. He buys and dresses fowls and ships his purchases in car-lots to the East. He deals also largely in eggs. He has a branch concern at Colchester, Ill., and from both places the shipments average a carload per week. The business has constantly increased from the outset, and now requires the services of twenty-five men. Five teams are continually kept in use in the country surrounding Avon for the purpose of collecting poultry for his trade. Mr. Merrill is also interested in a store at Greenbush, Warren County, and is engaged in the ice business in Avon, supplying the town from three large ice houses which he constructed. 
    
In 1885 the subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Cassie M. Snyder, who was born in New Jersey, and three children have resulted from this union, namely: Lucretia, Bertha and Andrew. In religious belief Mr. Merrill is a Congregationalist. A man of keen judgment and correct principles and thoroughly imbued with the energy and perseverance which assures success, he has made an excellent business record.