Grandparents

This is a picture of my grandmother, Dora A. Merrill, with her granddaughter and my cousin, Darla Cottrell, in the farmhouse kitchen. The year was 1968 so this was when my grandmother was 68 years old and was two years before I arrived. It seems like grandparents are getting younger and younger these days so it's fun seeing a picture of a grandmother that fits the mental image of what a grandmother should look like!

I love seeing pictures of my childhood home. It went through so many transformations. The chair next to my grandmother seems very familiar. I think they took them with them to their trailer and were their kitchen table chairs? Love seeing the piles on the counter--guess I know where I get it from! However, the piles look like newspapers, which do not interest me at all! (Seems like I remember piles of newspapers in their trailer as well so this was probably a long established habit.)

I will be taking my kids to see grandparents this weekend. My father is now 75 and my mother is 64. They will have the opportunity of doing the same thing with my youngest, Annaka, as she is wanting to stand and walk everywhere now as well. I'll have to remember to snap a picture!

Self-Sufficient

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.



Growing up on a farm had many benefits. One benefit for sure was we pretty much made, grew or raised what we needed to survive. We had a HUGE garden. I remember having rows assigned to us kids to weed. I also remember shelling peas, the lettuce with the yellow dressing, and Elena eating fresh tomato sandwiches. One time we even had a moose come down into our garden. This was the only time we saw a famous Maine moose up close and personal! Seeing Grandpa in the garden with this little pan brings back the memories!

My mom would can vegetables every summer and then they would be kept in the cellar to be used throughout the winter. I hated being sent to the cellar to bring up vegetables. The cellar had a mud floor with wooden planks on the ground, lots of spider webs (and therefore, probably lots of spiders!) and a little light bulb in the middle of the room that you had to turn on by pulling the attached chain. Although this provided ideal storage for vegetables, it also provided a great backdrop for an overactive imagination!

Besides the vegetables from the garden, we had eggs from the chickens, milk from the cows, meat from the chickens and the cows and my mom always made homemade bread for us every week. Sometimes we even had honey from having our own bees. (This picture of my grandparents was labeled 1957 and it appears that my grandfather is in a bee suit so apparently, my father learned how to work with bees from his father.) We didn't have fresh fruit although my father tried several times. He would put nets over the fruit trees but the birds still seemed to find a way. Before my time, my grandmother used to even make her own butter as well.

We didn't make our own ice cream but we were customers of the Schwann's ice cream truck and ice cream drumsticks, large containers of mint chocolate chip ice cream and chicken patties were frequently the purchases selected.

I'm sure we had to make trips to the grocery store from time to time but they had to be a lot less frequent than my weekly and often biweekly trips now! Those were the good old days!!!

Simple Times

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.


I've always said "I come from a long line of sitters!" Our family enjoys sitting and visiting and it seems we always have. My most constant memory of my grandparents is of visiting them in their trailer with Grandma in her chair and Grandpa across from her in his chair. We would visit quietly, or read the newspaper (actually just the comics), or watch Little House on the Prairie or The Price is Right with them. (My grandparents had a television and we did not so this was a luxury!)

My grandparents were 70 and 74 when I was born so they really weren't up for too much more than this. Although my memories are quiet memories of my grandparents, they were wonderful memories all the same. I am so glad they lived next to us and I had the opportunity to visit with them daily.

Grandpa was quite the tease--just look at that twinkle in his eye! He also used to sit there with a toothpick in his mouth (he might have one in his mouth in this picture--hard to see) and pull on his eyebrows. They would get quite long and grandma would have to trim them. Grandpa would also sing silly little songs to us. One song he used to sing would result in him "rattling our ears".

There was a little man
and he had a little gun
and his bullets were made
of lead, lead, lead.

He went to the brook
and shot a little duck
right through the
head, head, head.

Took it home to his wife Joanne
Told her what he had done
She beat him with a ladle
as long as she was able
and rattled his ears like
a drum, drum, drum!

Nichole remembers a birthday where she opened a present from grandpa that was a glass bottle with bailer twine wrapped all around it. He was so serious that she thought it was an actual gift so she said "thank you" which resulted in grandpa laughing. Always the tease!

Seeing them in their chairs takes me back to yesterday and I can almost picture myself sitting on the couch between them "hearing" what was always felt but never said, "I love you!"

(Note: The room is flipped in Grandpa's picture. )

Death Had Lost it's Sting

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.




Dora and Jesse Merrill were married in May 1917. A little red-haired girl with big brown eyes was born nine months later on February 5, 1918. The young parents (Dora was only 18 and Jesse was 23?) were excited to have this little girl join their family. She loved to sing and after hearing a song only one or two times, she could sing the song herself. She was a good little girl and was a delight to her family. However, her life was cut short when she became sick with bronchial pneumonia and one month before she was to turn eight on January 1, 1926 she slipped away. Her sickness lasted for only one day but a winter snow storm prevented the doctor from reaching the family in his horse-pulled wagon.

The death of Elnora Violet devastated Dora and Jesse. They were told that because she had not been baptized, their precious little girl was dammed. This teaching didn't seem right. How could a just and loving God dam an innocent child. All pictures of Elnora were removed and her name was never mentioned. The thought of not seeing their daughter again, was too much for them to bear.

Years later Dora and Jesse were introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Two sons, Clint and Jesse, had joined this religion and their daughter, Shirley was also investigating it. When they were taught that little children who die before the age of accountability or eight years old were saved by the grace of our Savior, they knew they had found the truth they had always felt. Both Jesse and Dora joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In ? they made the journey to the Salt Lake LDS Temple where they were sealed together as husband and wife for time and all eternity and Elnora Violet was sealed to them.

Death had lost it's sting. The healing process was started and in 1970 when Jesse Jr. had his first baby girl, Dora and Jesse asked their son if he would name her "Elnora" in honor of his sister.

Today is Easter Sunday. I have always been proud of my name and the meaning behind it. I am thankful to know that my namesake, Elnora Violet, will live again. Death is not the end!

(Note:  While in Salt Lake, Jesse and Dora both received their Patriarchal Blessings from the head Patriarch of the Church.)

Summers Are For Barbecues!

written by Elnora Merrill Pace.



I don't think I ever remember a summer going by where we did not have a barbecue. Apparently, this tradition started way before I was born. These two pictures make me smile for several reasons. First of all, check out who is manning the grill! Way to go Grandma! (My dad said he never remembers his father cooking. Grandma always had the meal on the table when they came in to eat.) Second, this seems to be a funny place to set up the grill--right in the middle of the lawn--but it works! Third, picnic tables are highly overrated! All you need is an ironing board--you can even adjust the height! Fourth, Dad and Grandma are using a fork but Grandpa is just digging right in! And fifth, when I look at this photo up close I can see fig newton cookies on the table! Those and the vanilla wafer cookies were always staples at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

These picture had to be taken before 1969. It looks like it must have been one of the first warm days and they were anxious to get outside to celebrate since they all have a sweater or light jacket on. I'm not sure who was taking the photo. Maybe Shirley was still home and since she had these photos maybe she is the one that took the pictures. (However, I do not see a place setting for a fourth person??)

(Pictured: Dora Agnes Merrill; Jesse Albion Merrill Jr. and Jesse Albion Merrill Sr.)

A Lazy Maine Summer Day...

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace.



I do not know the story behind this picture for sure but my mom thinks they had just had a barbecue and they were watching the men hay. My parents were married in May 1969. This looks like it was the summer of 1969 to me (based on no little kids running around and my mom's hair style) so if that's the right time, then my mom doesn't know her in-laws very well yet. Of course, my mom has a history of not smiling for photographs so she could be having a great time here and we'd never know it! There is someone in curlers between my mom and Aunt Eunice but I can't tell who it would be.

I love seeing the leaves of the day lilies on the side of the house--just as I remember them. I love the beauty of the surrounding land. I love the simpleness of the day. I love seeing my grandma in her dress and apron with her hand up and her fingers closed. I love how classy Aunt Eunice looks in her pink dress. And, I love seeing the upcoming new generation of young mothers--wearing pants! (Actually, upon closer inspection, the pants in the picture look like they belong to our mystery woman but I'm sure my mom was wearing pants too! Does it look like one of these pictures was flipped to anyone else?)

(Pictured: Dora Agnes Chubbuck Merrill; Lucinda Maurine Reidhead Merrill; Mystery woman in curlers; Eunice Vivian Merrill Lindsay)

Not Your Frequent Fliers!

Written by granddaughter, Elnora Merrill Pace.


I grew up in the same home and on the same farm that my father, Jesse Albion Merrill Jr., had grown up in since he was 10 years old. The Merrill roots were firmly planted in St. Albans, Maine. A change of scenery was difficult since there were always cows to be milked, animals to be fed and chores to be done. My father liked it that way. He has never enjoyed traveling and the thought of getting on a plane is not a thought of comfort nor excitement for him.

I've always assumed my grandparents, Jesse and Dora Merrill, were the same way. I never even remember my grandparents being gone. In my memory, they were always in their red and white trailer just down the hill. And for the most part, they were. But, it looks like when I was four years old, they did indeed leave. They flew clear across the country to Phoenix, Arizona to visit their youngest daughter, Shirley and her family, who were stationed there with the military.

I love this picture! I love the look of pure joy on my grandfather's face. I love the dapper little hat he is wearing and the profile of my grandmother wearing her glasses. Did my grandparents enjoy traveling? I do not know the answer to this question but it is clear that they were happy to be done traveling at this moment and thrilled to be seeing the faces of loved ones once again.

An Answered Prayer

Written by Elnora Merrill Pace, daughter of Jesse Albion Merrill Jr.

During the 1940s and 1950s, young men were required to serve in the military. My uncles, Haley Andrew Merrill and Clinton Edgar Merrill both served in the Army. Haley served for approximately four years and although he was sent to the Philippines, he never saw any action. Clinton only served for a couple of years but he stayed entirely in the United States and also didn't see any war action. In the 1950s my father was running the family farm for his father so he was able to get deferred from serving several times. You had to apply for a deferment every six months so finally, Jesse Albion Merrill Jr., decided to enlist.

Clinton had been praying that his little brother would join the Air Force instead of the Army since there was an Air Force Base close to where he lived in Utah and he hoped his brother would be sent there so he would have the opportunity to teach him about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jesse did join the Air Force in November 1956 but he wasn't sent to Utah. Instead, he was sent to Lackland AFB in Texas.

When Jesse arrived in Texas, he was asked what religion he belonged to. He didn't belong to any religion but he knew his brother, Clint, had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so he replied that he was a Mormon. After a month in Texas, Jesse was transferred to Colorado to the Lowry AFB. As it turned out, the base chaplain at Lowry was a Mormon chaplain by the name of Joel Garrett. At this point in time, the Lowry AFB was the only AFB with an LDS chaplain. When Brother Garrett discovered that Jesse was not actually a Mormon, he got to work. He started teaching Jesse the discussions and on June 1, 1957 Joel Garrett baptized Jesse A. Merrill Jr. an official member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was confirmed a day later also by Joel Garrett in the Denver 4th Ward.

Jesse returned to the family farm in November 1957. During this brief one year in the service he received training to repair radar on the F102 and F104 airplanes. He also fell in love with the beauty of Colorado and the mountains of the West. But, most importantly, he was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and a prayer of a brother was answered.

(Note: The picture of Jesse and his two comrades was obviously taken in Texas. All three of them are pointing at something which is hard to make out but it looks like it could be a dandelion weed. )

The Merrill Connection

I hope this blog will be a place where we can post pictures and share memories and stories of our Merrill ancestors. If you have pictures and/or stories that you would like to share, please leave a comment with your email address and I will list you as an author.