Catharine Merrill (January 24, 1824 – May 30, 1900) was an educator, author, and
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
nurse from
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
who became the second female
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
in the United States. She is best remembered as a talented educator and admired for her modesty and kindness. In 1869 Merrill accepted the appointment as the first Demia Butler Chair of English Literature at North Western Christian University, now known as
Butler University
Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study in six colleges: the Lacy School of Business, College of Communic ...
, and began her fourteen-year career as a university professor during the 1869–70 academic year. Merrill resigned the professorship in 1883, but continued to offer private instruction at her home until shortly before her death. In addition to becoming a teacher, Merrill was a published author, although it was not her primary goal. Articles describing her travels in Europe from 1859 to 1861 were published in Indiana newspapers. She also anonymously wrote ''The Soldier of Indiana in the War for the Union'' (1866, 1869). ''The Man Shakespeare and Other Essays'' (1902) was published posthumously. Merrill is buried at
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The privately owned cemetery was established in 1863 at Strawberry Hill, whose summit was renamed "The Crown", a high poi ...
in Indianapolis.
Well known and respected in academia and Indianapolis's social circles, Merrill was active in civic groups. She cofounded the Indianapolis Home for Friendless Women in 1867 and served on its board. The Catharine Merrill Club, an Indianapolis literary organization established in 1885, was named in her honor;
Indianapolis Public Schools
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is the largest school district in Indianapolis, and the second largest school district in the state of Indiana as of 2021, behind Fort Wayne Community Schools. The district's headquarters are in the John Morton ...
renamed Public School Number 25 the Catharine Merrill School in 1900; and Merrill's friends and former students endowed Butler University's Catharine Merrill Chair of English in 1907 (the endowment lapsed in 1930).
Early life and education
Merrill was born on January 24, 1824, in
Corydon,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, to
Samuel
Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bibl ...
and Lydia Jane (Anderson) Merrill. Her father, a native of
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
who attended
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native A ...
, was an early leading citizen of Indiana. He moved to
Vevay,
Switzerland County, Indiana
Switzerland County is a county in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 9,737. The county seat is Vevay, one of two incorporated towns in the county.
History
In 1787, the fl ...
, in 1816, and served in the
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate. ...
(1819–22) and as Indiana's first state treasurer (1822–34). Samuel was responsible for moving the state treasury to the new state capital at
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
in 1824; his young family, which included nine-month-old Catharine, joined him on the journey.
Catharine, nicknamed Kate, was the third of ten children. Merrill's mother died in 1847 and an older sister died two years later. Merrill's father married Elizabeth Young of Madison, Indiana, in 1849; he died in 1855.
[Merrill and Graydon, pp. 73–74.] During this period, Catharine helped care for her younger siblings. Other members of the extended family also lived with the Merrills from time to time.[
Catharine joined the First Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis on May 18, 1838, at the age of fourteen, and was among the fifteen members who withdrew on November 19, 1838, to organize the city's Second Presbyterian Church.][Dunn, ''Greater Indianapolis'', v. I, p. 506.] Merrill later became a founding member of Indianapolis's Fourth Presbyterian Church.
Merrill's education was more extensive than was typical for women and girls of her era. Her father established a school at the family home in Indianapolis, where she was among his early students. She also attended the Indianapolis Female Institute, which opened on June 14, 1837. From 1859 to 1861 Catharine and a younger sister, Mina, took an extended trip to Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
,[Burriss, p. 49.] where Catharine studied literature in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. Shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the two women returned to the United States.[Merrill and Graydon, p. 302.]
Career
Merrill pursued a lifelong career as an educator, but she also served as a nurse during the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. These two occupations were typical for unmarried women at that time and Merrill excelled at both.[Burriss, pp. 48–49.] She also became a writer.
Educator
Merrill began her teaching career at the private school her father founded in the family's home at Indianapolis, and assumed full responsibility for the school as he turned to other business pursuits. As the school's enrollment increased, it moved to the basement of the Fourth Presbyterian Church at Market and Delaware Streets. Later, it relocated to other sites in the city and became known as "Miss Merrill's School".[
In the mid-1850s, Merrill also taught at other schools in Indiana and ]Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
. She served as headmistress and taught at a female school in Crawfordsville, Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, for about a year, and taught at the Female Seminary in Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, before returning to Indianapolis.[
]
Civil War nurse
In June 1861 Merrill sailed to the United States after an extended stay in Europe, arriving in Indianapolis on July 5, 1861. By October she was serving as a nurse. Merrill cared for soldiers at hospitals in Indianapolis and Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. By the war's end in 1865, she had returned to Indianapolis to resume teaching at her school, which other local women had run for Merrill during her absence.[
]
University professor
In 1869 Ovid Butler endowed the Demia Butler Chair of English Literature at North Western Christian University, now known as Butler University
Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study in six colleges: the Lacy School of Business, College of Communic ...
, in honor of his daughter, a graduate of the university who had died in 1867. Butler endowed the chair, which still exists, on the condition that a woman would always retain the position. It was the first endowed chair at an American university designated for a female professor. Merrill accepted the appointment on April 21, 1869, and began teaching at Butler's campus on Indianapolis's near northside in the 1869–70 academic year. Merrill became the second female university professor in the country, preceded by Maria Mitchell
Maria Mitchell ( /məˈraɪə/; August 1, 1818 – June 28, 1889) was an American astronomer, librarian, naturalist, and educator. In 1847, she discovered a comet named 1847 VI (modern designation C/1847 T1) that was later known as " Miss Mi ...
at Vassar College
Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...
the previous year. Merrill taught at Butler for fourteen years.[Burriss, p. 52.] According to the university's 2015–17 academic bulletin, Merrill was a pioneer in the use of new teaching methods, introducing the lecture method in her literature courses, a "first for any subject other than science."
In 1875, when the university moved to a new site in the suburban community of Irvington and changed its name to Butler, Merrill initially commuted to Irvington from her home in Indianapolis, but took up temporary residence in homes closer to the campus after the journey proved too time consuming. Merrill, who loved the outdoors, enjoyed frequent walks in what became known as Irvington's Christian Park. She resigned from the professorship at Butler in 1883.[Burriss, p. 53.]
Writer
Merrill became a writer, but it was not her main goal. Articles describing her travels in Europe from 1859 to 1861 regularly appeared in the ''Indianapolis Journal'' and the ''Lafayette Journal''.[Burriss, p. 50.] Motivated by a sense of patriotic duty after the Civil War, Merrill wrote ''The Soldier of Indiana in the War for the Union'' (2 volumes, 1866, 1869), a history of Indiana soldiers' wartime experiences, at the request of Indiana governor Oliver P. Morton
Oliver Hazard Perry Throck Morton (August 4, 1823 – November 1, 1877), commonly known as Oliver P. Morton, was a U.S. Republican Party politician from Indiana. He served as the 14th governor (the first native-born) of Indiana during the Amer ...
. Because of Merrill's modesty, the work was published with no mention of her as its author. Merrill, who was not a trained historian, preferred to spotlight the sacrifices of the soldiers.
''The Man Shakespeare and Other Essays'' (1902), a memorial collection of her written works, was published posthumously. Naturalist John Muir
John Muir ( ; April 21, 1838December 24, 1914), also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the National Parks", was an influential Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, a ...
, Merrill's longtime friend, wrote ''Words from an Old Friend'', which is included in the book, as a tribute to her.
Community servant
Well known and respected in academia and in the city's social circles, Merrill was active in civic groups, delivered public lectures, and served on various committees.[
In 1867 Merrill and Jane Chambers McKinney Graydon cofounded the Indianapolis Home for Friendless Women to aid women who were destitute, including penniless widows and former prostitutes. Merrill served on its board for many years.][
]
Later years
Following her retirement from Butler University in 1883, Merrill continued to teach literature, offering private lessons at her home.[
]
Death and legacy
Merrill died at home in Indianapolis on May 30, 1900. Following funeral services on June 2, 1900, at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Merrill was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The privately owned cemetery was established in 1863 at Strawberry Hill, whose summit was renamed "The Crown", a high poi ...
in Indianapolis.
Merrill is remembered for her rare abilities as an educator. Admired for her kindness, "single-mindedness and determination," she lived quietly and did not seek fame. Merrill's long life and career as an educator, nurse, and college professor, opened doors for other women.[
]
Honors and tributes
* Butler University conferred on Merrill an honorary Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree in 1871.
* A group of local women, many of whom were Merrill's former students, founded the Catharine Merrill Club in 1885 and named it in her honor. In 1889 the club commissioned Hoosier Group
The Hoosier Group was a group of Indiana Impressionist painters working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Artists considered members of the Group include T. C. Steele, Richard Gruelle, William Forsyth, J. Ottis Adams, and Otto Stark. Tog ...
artist T. C. Steele
Theodore Clement Steele (September 11, 1847 – July 24, 1926) was an American Impressionist painter known for his Indiana landscapes. Steele was an innovator and leader in American Midwest painting and is one of the most famous of Indiana ...
to paint Merrill's portrait and gave it to her as a gift. The painting was later donated to Butler University.
* The Indianapolis Public Schools
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is the largest school district in Indianapolis, and the second largest school district in the state of Indiana as of 2021, behind Fort Wayne Community Schools. The district's headquarters are in the John Morton ...
named Public School Number 25, located on the site of the Merrill family homestead, the Catharine Merrill School in 1900.
* Merrill's friends and former students endowed Butler's Catharine Merrill Chair of English in 1907 (the endowment lapsed in 1930).[Its only occupant was Merrill's niece, ]Katharine Merrill Graydon
Katharine Merrill Graydon (14 April 1858 – 25 January 1934) was an American classical scholar who specialised in teaching Greek and Latin literature, as well as a professor of English Literature.
Career
Graydon was graduate from the Classical c ...
, who retired in 1930. See
Published works
* ''The Soldier of Indiana in the War for the Union'' (Indianapolis: Merrill and Company, 1866, 1869) Two volumes
* ''The Man Shakespeare and Other Essays'' (Indianapolis: Bowen-Merrill, 1902)
References
Sources
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* (Updated 2002-01-02)
*
External links
Merrill-Graydon Family Papers, 1836-1930 (Bulk 1890-1920)
at the Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is one of the United States' oldest and largest historical societies and describes itself as "Indiana's Storyteller". It is housed in the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center at 450 West Ohio Street ...
Letter from John Muir to Catharine Merrill
at the Indiana Historical Society
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrill, Catharine
1824 births
1900 deaths
People of Indiana in the American Civil War
People from Corydon, Indiana
People from Indianapolis
19th-century American historians
American essayists
Writers from Indiana
Butler University faculty
19th-century American women writers
19th-century essayists
American Civil War nurses
American women nurses
American women historians