I've talked with him in I942, when he was then 90 years old, several times about the historical events in this area. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1852, graduate of the Michigan Normal College. He came to this area in 1869 to teach at the age of 17 years old, settling in Mont Clare, Ill., then unincorporated section of Jefferson Township, Ill., moving about in Leyden area now Elmwood Park and River Grove. He was a school teacher in 1878 to 1882 at the Turner Park public school now River Grove public school before the Village of River Grove was incorporated in 1888. Some settlers living in what is Elmwood Park sent their children here then. In 1873 he became the telegrapher for the Pacific Railroad now the Milwaukee St. Paul R.R. when Tom Rutherford became Postmaster of Mont Clare post Office he was deputy for him. He was a teacher and principal of the old Pacific Junction public school, which later became the Mont Clare school and the William Pen Nixon public school, at Vine and Shakespeare now Newland and Shakespeare, Mont Clare School was torn down in the 1920's, many Elmwood Parkers went here on tuition from one township to another. In the 1890's. His pupils were the Marwood boys; Joseph, George and Merritt, Longfield boys; August, Louis, John, and Otto of Elmwood Park and many others. He was the first principal of the Funston public school at Armitage and Central Park, Chicago, then unincorporated Jefferson township, Ill., then at Palatine Ill., schools. He married Nina nee Ban who was born near Tipton, Indiana on October 24th., 1856 died in this area on Feb. 15th. 1927, buried at Elmwood cemetery, River Grove, Ill. She was the oldest daughter of William and Florence nee Allen, her father was an officer of the famous 4th. Michigan Battery Light Artillery in the Civil War. Herbert and Nina had two children, Helen born on May 29th. 1880 passing away next year July 2nd., 1881, the second child was Frank Winthrop Merrill born . Jan 19^th, 1882. Frank in 1942 lived at Fort Wayne, Indiana, inventor for the General Electric people. Later Herbert Adopted a girl whose name was Libbie Whitman, born in Palatine, Ill., on July 29th., 1888 who came to live with him on August 1898. She later married a Robert Fluegge of Chicago in 1908, lived in this area, in 1942 lives in Elmhurst, IL. Herbert and his wife had many friends in Elmwood Park, River Grove and Mont Clare, he passed away few years later, his home at Medill and Oak Park Avenue which is still is standing there, built in 1892. Most of the cottonwood trees he planted in 1869 are still there on Oak Park Avenue, giants in size. Herbert's sister Julia A. Merrill taught school at the old Jefferson High school, township school then, now Schurz high school In Chicago, then outside of Chicago in 1857 to 1862 during the Civil War. She married Thomas E. Rutherford in 1563, he farmed in what is Elmwood Park, Ill., then unincorporated Leyden Twp. Julia A Merrill Rutherford died in June 4th, 19I8. The other sister Emily Gertrude Merrill, born Oct. 26, 1847 in Webster, MI. She came to Monte Clare, Elmwood Park in 1870 settling in both places then two unincorporated townships, Jefferson & Leyden before Elmwood Park, River Grove became Villages years later, ten years before Chicago annexed Mont Clare. She married Joseph Rutherford who farmed in Elmwood Park on November 3rd. 1880, passing away on April 20th. 1932. She donated seven acres of farm land for the Rutherford-Sayre park in Mont Clare. The third sister of Herbert Merrill married John Lovett who had a large horse farm in Elmwood Park, her name was Merrietta Augusta.