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Thomas Merrill
Merrill Park is located on River Street and Comstock Avenue. It was named after Thomas Merrill on Sunday, September 28, 1958 at 2:00 P.M. It was named after him because he was the reverend of the church that was there many years before the park.
Thomas' father, Daniel Merrill, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and later a Congregationalist minister. His father was not happy with his home church , and decided to adopt the Baptist faith.
Thomas, a third son, was born Feb. 18, 1802. He was a very good student. He attended Waterville College, in Waterville, Maine, graduating in 1825. While he was in school his expenses included $18.25 for books,and $1.65 for food.
Thomas Merrill was an early settler in Comstock in 1831. He, H.H. Comstock, and Caleb Eldred made entries of land in this area. He built the first church in Comstock on what is now Merrill Park. Caleb Eldred and Thomas Merrill were credited with the founding of Kalamazoo College in about 1832.
A plaque with Merrill's name was placed on the site of the church at public services, under the auspices of Comstock Township Park Board, Township Board, Comstock Optimist Club and Civic Improvement League. From now on when I go to the park I will look for the plaque and try to imagine Thomas Merrill's church.
Source: "The History of Thomas Merrill and the Founding of Merrill Park" by Marie L. Owens, Librarian, Comstock Township Library (found in the Comstock Library Local History room)
by Jamie, June, 2001
