Charles E. Merrill Company
—Mr. Merrill writes:
“It appears that the original house was founded by William G. Webster, a son of Dr. Noah Webster, author of the Dictionary, and Lucius E. Clark, a farmer’s son who was born at Washington, Conn., July 4, 1814. They began business under the name of Webster & Clark in 1842. A few years later Mr. Webster retired and Mr. Clark, associated with Jeremiah B. Austin of Wallingford, Conn., continued the business under the name of Clark & Austin. Soon afterward Cornelius Smith of W. B. Smith & Co. of Cincinnati became a partner and the firm name was changed to Clark, Austin & Smith. In 1859, Mr. Smith died and the firm was reorganized under the name of Clark, Austin, Maynard & Company, Effingham Maynard and Livingston Snedeker being admitted to partnership.
“The Civil War, beginning two years later, brought disaster to the firm. A large amount of money due from Southern customers was uncollectable and after a desperate struggle to hold over, a compromise with its creditors became necessary. After obtaining releases from creditors, the business was resumed in 1863 by Clark & Maynard, whose careful and efficient management enabled them in 1872 to pay in full, principal and interest, all the debts from which the firm of Clark, Austin, Maynard & Company had been released. Their most notable contributions to textbook publishing were the Anderson Historical Series and the Reed & Kellogg Grammars.
“Mr. Clark retired from business at the close of 1888, and Mr. Maynard, with Mr. Everett Yeaw of Lawrence, Mass., continued the business under the firm name of Effingham Maynard & Company. In 1893, the firm consolidated with that of Charles E. Merrill & Company, consisting of Charles E. Merrill and Edwin C. Merrill, the resulting organization being incorporated under the name of Maynard, Merrill & Company. Its officers were Effingham Maynard, Charles E. Merrill, Everett Yeaw, and Edwin C. Merrill. Mr. Maynard died in 1899. Mr. Charles E. Merrill bought the Maynard interest from the two sons of Mr. Maynard, and the name of the corporation was changed to Charles E. Merrill Company. In 1910 Mr. Yeaw, now the head of Newson & Company, retired from the organization, which was joined a few years later by Mr. Edwin W. Fielder. The present officers are Charles E. Merrill, President, Charles E. Merrill, Jr., Vice President, Halsey M. Collins, Secretary, and Edwin W. Fielder, Treasurer. These officers, with Harold S. Brown, are the directors.”