Governor. Republican Governor of Minnesota 1889-1893, and Director of the U.S. Census Bureau 1899-1903, which included the 1900 Decennial count. Merriam is considered the "father" of the modern-day U.S. Census Bureau. He helped convince the U.S. Congress to make the Census Bureau a permanent full-time government agency (1902), and served as its first Director in that new designation. Merriam instituted professional businesslike statistical-gathering policies which formed the foundation by which the U.S. Census Bureau operates to this day. Born in Wadham's Mills, NY, Merriam was a banker by profession and received his A.B. degree at Racine College in Racine, WI in 1871. He then joined the Merchants National Bank in St. Paul, MN, and became its president in 1882. He served in the Minnesota House of Representatives beginning in 1883 and was its Speaker in 1887. He was elected Governor of Minnesota and served two terms, from January 1889 until January, 1893. Father: John L. Merriam. Spouse: Laura Hancock (m. 1872).
Governor. Republican Governor of Minnesota 1889-1893, and Director of the U.S. Census Bureau 1899-1903, which included the 1900 Decennial count. Merriam is considered the "father" of the modern-day U.S. Census Bureau. He helped convince the U.S. Congress to make the Census Bureau a permanent full-time government agency (1902), and served as its first Director in that new designation. Merriam instituted professional businesslike statistical-gathering policies which formed the foundation by which the U.S. Census Bureau operates to this day. Born in Wadham's Mills, NY, Merriam was a banker by profession and received his A.B. degree at Racine College in Racine, WI in 1871. He then joined the Merchants National Bank in St. Paul, MN, and became its president in 1882. He served in the Minnesota House of Representatives beginning in 1883 and was its Speaker in 1887. He was elected Governor of Minnesota and served two terms, from January 1889 until January, 1893. Father: John L. Merriam. Spouse: Laura Hancock (m. 1872).
Bio by: Frank Passic, Albion Historian
Family Members
Half Siblings
Advertisement
See more Merriam memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
