This gentleman's photo was picked up in an antique store in Salt Lake City Utah. How it got there I suppose I'll never know, but when I began to look into who he was I discovered he had been a well respected lawyer and judge in Connecticut. Here are some details from his life.
Emerson Atkins Merriman was born 3 August 1842, son of Silas Atkins Merriman and Lucretia B. Rice. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School at Ann Arbor in 1867 (The Record-Journal Meriden, CT Mon. 02 Aug 1926) and began practicing law in 1868.
Four years later, on 23 December 1872 he was married to Francis "Fannie" Elizabeth Johnson in Herndon Virginia. To this union a son, Herbert E. Merriman, was born in 1874. Herbert also died in 1874. His name and year of birth and death are located on his parents' headstone. I searched the local papers but have found no mention of this child. It appears Emerson and Fannie had no other children. Emerson and Fannie were married for 47 years before Fannie passed away as indicated in the newspaper article below:
"MERRIMAN - Mrs. Frances Elizabeth Merriman, wife of Judge Emerson A. Merriman, died last evening at 9 o'clock at her home, 97 Lincoln street. Mrs. Merriman was 70 years old, and the daughter of the late Rev. Ezra G. Johnson and Frances Andrews Johnson, who lived for many years in Durham. The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the house, with the Rev. A. T. Randall officiating. Burial will be in Walnut Grove cemetery." - The Journal (Meriden, CT) Mon. 21 Apr. 1919
The Meriden Connecticut newspapers are full of mentions of Emerson in legal matters but there are also some nice articles celebrating some of his later birthdays. One such article referenced his love of horses stating: "Mr. Merriman has always been a lover of horses, and until seven years ago he owned and drove a horse in preference to an automobile." Within in the same article it was said that: "In his many years of wordy tilting with learned counsel he has developed his naturally keen wit, and he is noted for always coming back with a "Roland for an Oliver" whenever opposing counsel attempts anything in the nature of satire."(The Record-Journal Meriden, CT Mon. 02 Aug 1926)
Emerson passed away at 89 years of age on 9 December 1931 and the local paper reported his death in the following manner:
"Judge Emerson Atkins Merriman, 89, dean of the Meriden bar, died last night shortly before midnight at the Crosson hospital on Griswold street, after an illness of complications extending over a period of several months. Judge Merriman, who resided for many years on Lincoln street, fell on State street last spring and injured his ankle, after which he took up his residence at the Winthrop hotel. He never fully recovered from the injury and complications set in that required hospital treatment, and for a number of weeks he had been under treatment at the Crosson hospital.
Judge Merriman was born on August 3, 1842 in Westfield, Mass. He attended the public schools of that city, and was graduated from the University of Michigan Law school in 1867, and was admitted to the Hartford county bar in the same year. He came to Meriden in January, 1868 and began the practice of law in which he continued actively until his injury last spring. His first office was in what was known as the Hicks building, over the present location of Liggett's drug store. He remained there until the structure was remodeled about twenty years ago, when he moved his office to 20 1-2 West Main street, where he continued to practice until ill health compelled him to give up.
His early associates in the practice of law here were Orville H. Platt, Cooke Lounsbury, George W. Smith, George A. Fay, Ratcliff Hicks and Andrew J. Coe, who was the first judge of the Meriden city and police court. Mr. Merriman was judge of probate for twelve years, alternating from time to time with George W. Smith, according to the political party in power at the time. He was twice elected by the Republicans to represent the city in the state legislature, and he served for eight years as corporation counsel. He held the latter office when the Meriden sewer beds were constructed, and one of his notable victories was the securing of exemption from taxation of the land in Wallingford used by the city for sewer beds.
In the sixty-three years judge Merriman practiced law here, he represented thousands of clients, who placed the utmost confidence in his integrity and ability, and he was highly esteemed by all who knew him. Before the death of Mrs. Merriman in 1919, he and his wife took long vacation trips every year, and thus he traveled extensively, but for the last dozen years he remained at home and continued his practice without a vacation.
Judge Merriman had a very keen mind and ready wit, and many a wordy legal battle was fought by ? in local and state courts (here the paper was ripped and folded and sentences were largely unintelligible. It implies a love of automobiles and horses) Mr. Merriman's nearest relatives are Mrs. Eli I. Merriman and Miss May M. Merriman of Colony street, who have ministered to him in various ways during his illness. The arrangements for the funeral will be announced later."
-Record-Journal, Meriden CT, Thu. 10 Dec. 1931
