Senator from the forty-eighth district, Sac, Greene and Carroll counties, was born at Findlay, Ohio, September 29, 1870, moving with his parents to Glidden, Carroll county, March 17, 1880, and thence to a near-by farm where he made his home for forty years. He moved into Glidden eight years ago, but continues to operate the home farm known as Maplehurst Farm. Was married January 19, 1898, to Laura B. Elwood, daughter of Dr. Thomas Elwood, first resident physician of Carroll county. He has been active in business affairs, particularly insurance, as well as farming. Was elected state secretary of the Farmers Co-operative Elevator Mutual Insurance association and is now serving his nineteenth year as secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance association of Carroll county. A member of the board of directors of the Glidden Farmers Elevator company twenty years which was organized in 1905 and was its president fifteen years. Was twice elected president of the Farmers Grain Dealers association of Iowa, vice-president of the Farmers National Grain Dealers association one year. Has served his local school district both as director and treasurer. Assessor eight years and city councilman two years and since 1919 has been a member of the Carro11 county board of education. Was vice-president of the county farm bureau, director of the Red Cross and for six years republican county chairman. Elected state representative in 1924 and state senator in 1926.

Senator from Sac, Greene and Carroll counties, was born at Findlay, Ohio, September 29, 1870, moving with his parents to Glidden, Carroll county, March 17, 1880, and thence to a near-by farm where he made his home for forty years. He moved into Glidden six years ago, but continues to operate the home farm known as Maplehurst Farm. Was married January 19, 1898, to Laura B. Elwood, daughter of Dr. Thomas Elwood, first resident physician of Carroll county. He has been active in business affairs, particularly insurance, as well as farming. Was elected state secretary of the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Mutual Insurance association and is now serving his seventeenth year as secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance association of Carroll county. Has been on the board of the Glidden Farmers Elevator company since its organization in 1905, and for fifteen years its president. Is now president of the Farmers Grain Dealers association of Iowa, vice president of the Farmers National Grain Dealers association and president of the North Glidden electric line. Has served his local school district both as director and treasurer, was city councilman and since 1919 has been a member of the Carroll county board of education. Was vice president of the county farm bureau, director of the Red Cross and for six years republican county chairman. Elected state representative in 1924 and state senator in 1926.

Representative from Carroll county, was born at Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, September 29, 1870. With his parents he came to Glidden, Carroll county, March 17, 1880. After living in Glidden a short time the family moved to a farm nearby on which Representative Merritt made his home for forty years. He moved into Glidden four years ago but continues to operate the home farm, known as Maplehurst Farm. He was married January 19, 1898, to Louisa B. Elwood. He has been active in business affairs, particularly insurance, for many years as well as in farming. He has served for fifteen years as secretary of the Farmer's Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance associations of Carroll county. On October 14, 1914, was elected state secretary of the Farmer's Co-operative Elevator Mutual Insurance Association, and on January 22, 1925, was elected president of the Farmers' Grain Dealers Association of Iowa. Has been a member of the directory board of the Glidden Farmer's Elevator Company since its organization July 16, 1906, and has served as president for the past fourteen years. He has also been active in the public affairs of his county and town. A republican in politics.