EDWARD W. MERRILL, long connected with the hardware and manufacturing business, died Dec. 28. He was identified with Merrill Brothers, Brooklyn, makers of turnbuckles, drop hammers, drop forgings, clevis nuts and shackles steel bar vises. He was born in New York in 1831. In early life he entered the hardware business which had been established by his father, Charles Merrill, at the corner of Grand and Lewis streets, New York. Later a manufacturing branch was started in Brooklyn, the combined business being known as Charles Merrill & Sons, the personnel comprising Charles Merrill and his four sons. In 1866 the hardware and manufacturing interests were separated and the deceased, with his brother Manning, conducted the manufacturing end and formed the partnership of Merrill Brothers, continuing the making of forging hammers, drop hammers and special machinery; being the oldest concern now in existence manufacturing the friction board drop hammer. Later the manufacturing of turnbuckles was started, they being the first concern to make turnbuckles by machinery. The factory for a great many years was located at Kent Avenue and South Eleventh Street, Brooklyn. In 1906 the business was incorporated, at which time the deceased gave up all active participation in its affairs, which have since been carried on by his three sons, Edward W., Jr., George H. and Whitney Merrill, at the new works in Maspeth, Queens Borough, New York.

Information Sources

• Iron Age, V105, 08 Jan 1920, pg. 166
• Archived article by Todd Werts (ToolArchives.com) Merrill Brothers