History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 452, Astoria Township
Joseph W. Merrill, farmer; P. O., Astoria; is a native of
Maine, where he was born April 6, 1823. We have spoken of his parents
elsewhere. He came with his parents to Ill. when he was a lad 16 years
old. In 1849 he was united in marriage with Miss Melvina Hudnall,
daughter of Wm. T. Hudnall. In 1852, in company with Wm. T. Hudnall,
Charles Merrill, Thornton Spence and Alex. Burruss, he started for the
golden shores of the Pacific. At the end of 4 months they landed at a
small mining town called 76. After an absence of two years Mr. M.
returned and settled upon his farm. They have had four children, -
Charles L., Geo., Mary and William S. Three of their children are dead.
submitted by Carla Finley
