Contra
Costa County
Biographies
CHARLES WASHINGTON MERRILL
Charles
Washington Merrill, metallurgical engineer, was born December 21, 1869, in
Concord, New Hampshire. He is the son of Sylvester and Clara L. (French)
Merrill. Received his B.S. degree from University of California, College of
Mines, in 1891.
Mr. Merrill has designed, installed and
operated many reduction works in the United States, Canada and Mexico; held
over twenty-five patents in the United States and foreign countries for
metallurgical processes and apparatus; and is president and director of The
Merrill Company, San Francisco.
Chief of Division of Collateral
Commodities, United States Food Administration, Washington, D. C., 1917-18;
chairman of Executive Committee of San Francisco Community Chest, 1925-27;
chairman of Minerals Committee of California State Chamber of Commerce;
chairman of California State Mining Board, 1930; regent of University of California,
1924-25.
Member of American Institute of Mining
and Metallurgical Engineers (vice president, 1924); Alumni Association of
University of California (president, 1924-25); Sigma Xi; Mining and
Metallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa; and member of the following
clubs: University, Engineers’, Pacific-Union, Commonwealth (San Francisco);
Claremont (Oakland); and Orinda (California) Country Club.
Mr. Merrill was awarded the James
Douglas International Gold Medal by A.I.M. and M.E. “for distinguished
international metallurgical achievements,” 1924; and National Modern Pioneer
Certificate of Award by National Association of Manufacturers “in recognition
of distinguished achievement in field of science and invention which has
advanced the American standard of living,” 1940.
Mr. Merrill married Clara Scott Robinson
on February 9, 1898; children: Mrs. Beatrice Morse, John L., Gregor C. and Bruce R. On September 14, 1938, he married
(2d) Margaret Baker Cope.
Home:
407 Camino Sobrante, Orinda, California.
Offices:
Hobart Building, 582 Market Street, San Francisco 4, California.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Eminent Californians 1953”,
by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Page 569, C. W. Taylor
Publ., Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Cecelia M. Setty.
Contra Costa County Biographies