Robert James Merriam, who since 1904 has been the treasurer of Foster, Merriam & Com-pany, has contributed in marked measure to the success of the extensive iron industry with which he is identified. He was born in Meriden, January 14, 1879, a son of Nelson C. and Rose (Kingsley) Merriam. After acquiring a public school education he attended the German-American Preparatory School. He then spent three years as a student in the Meriden high school and completed the four years' course in that time by doing extra work. He graduated from Wesleyan University, of Middletown, Connecticut, in 1901 with the Ph. B. degree. Throughout his entire business career he has been connected with Foster, Merriam & Company, his father being the president and treasurer at the time when Robert J. Merriam entered the company. He started in a humble capacity and learned to do the different kinds of work in the shops, thus thoroughly acquainting himself with every practical phase of the business. He afterward went upon the road, selling in western territory, and was working for the company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when notified of his father's death. Since that time he has been the treasurer of the company and as one of its chief executive officers has largely directed the policy of the concern and contributed in marked measure to its development.

It is one of the oldest established interests of Meriden, having figured in industrial circles here for more than eighty years. From the beginning its interests have been guided by men of marked business capacity and enterprise. The beginning was small, the business being established in what was then known as Crow Hollow, in a little shop thirty by twenty-five feet. The original founders of the business were Albert and Hiram Foster, Julius Way, Asaph Merriam and Nelson Merriam, all of Meriden, and a Mr. Belden, of New Britain. Business was begun under the firm style of Foster, Belden & Company and a plant was established for the manufacture of casters only", with a capital stock of but twenty-five hundred dollars. The castings were made by other firms and one of the partners would carry these in a buggy to the shop every day and return with the finished product in the same way. The daily output consumed probably less than two hundred pounds of castings. Horse power was used in operating the machinery and the members of the firm did all of the; work themselves. In 1835 Mr. Belden withdrew, selling his interests to Asaph and Nelson Merriam, at which time the firm name was changed to Foster, Merriam & Company. In the panic of 1837 the firm was forced to suspend business for six months but managed to pay every creditor dollar for dollar and at the end of that time resumed operations. In 1840 Julius Way sold his interest in the business to John Sutliff and in 1843 the interest of Asaph Merriam was purchased by his partners. In 1850 the site of the present plant was purchased and in 1853 Alanson Watrous became a member of the company and established an iron foundry business, which was conducted under the style of A. Watrous & Company. This branch was continued until the death of Mr. Watrous in 1862, when the surviving members of the firm purchased his interest in the business, which was incorporated in 1866 as a joint stock company with a capital of eighty thousand dollars.

In 1869 the firm began the manufacture of drop handles and this branch has since grown to large proportions. Later all sorts of furniture trimmings were added to the output until almost anything in the hardware line required by manufacturers of furniture can he found among the products of the plant. Following the death of Nelson Merriam, the president, in 1880, he was succeeded by John Sutliff, who held that office until his demise June 22, 1897, when James R. Sutliff, who had previously been vice president, succeeded to the presidency, and so continued until his life's labors were ended January 18, 1902. On the 7th of March of that year George C. Merriam, who had been secretary and treasurer, was chosen president and also retained the office of treasurer, while J. L. Rutherford was elected secretary and William Zerfass became superintendent. With the death of Mr. Merriam on the 23d of March, 1904, William Zerfass was elected to the presidency and also retained the office of superintendent, while Robert J. Merriam became the treasurer and has since filled that position. The business of the company has greatly increased since Robert J. Merriam first became connected with it. At that time the employes numbered about two hundred and today there are five hundred and fifty, while the sales are probably three times as great as they were at the beginning of his connection with the undertaking. He is in charge of the financial interests of one of the important manufacturing concerns not only of Meriden but of this part of the state and is bending his efforts to administrative direction and execu-tive control with splendid results.

Mr. Merriam belongs to Meridian Lodge, F. & A. M.; also to Keystone Chapter. R. A. M., St. Elmo Commandery, K. T., and to Pyramid Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft and is most loyal to its teachings He also has membership in the Home Club and in his political views is an earnest republican. His time and energies, however, are concentrated upon his important business interests and his course has made the name of Merriam, as it has always been, a most honored one in the busi-ness circles of Meriden.