Merrick became a prominent member of the Little Rock business community, as a merchant and cotton broker. In 1855 Merrick entered into a business partnership with John Wassell, after which their business flourished. Merrick was also involved in city politics, serving on the board of aldermen, as fire chief for a number of years, and as mayor from 1854 to 1855. He was involved in Freemasonry, holding the position of Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas in 1845.
He saw active service during the Civil War. On February 6, 1861, Merrick delivered an ultimatum to Captain James Totten of the United States Arsenal at Little Rock, demanding the surrender of the federal troops. Merrick also raised a regiment of Confederate Arkansas Militia, holding the rank of Colonel of Infantry at Camp Conway, near Springfield, Arkansas. Merrick died in his home in Little Rock on March 18, 1866.
This collection contains correspondence, receipts, financial papers, contracts, reports, and memoranda of Thomas D. Merrick, pertaining to his business as a Little Rock merchant, to his activities in the Masonic lodge, and to the education of his children.
- Correspondence
- 1. 1844 March 1: H.G. Turner, Van Buren, Arkansas, to McKnight and Parks
- 2. 1846 December 31: McKnight and Parks Company, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 3. 1851 February 28: W.M. Scott, Benton, to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 4. 1852 July 7: James Timms, Little Rock, to T.D. Merrick
- 5. 1852 August 23: From John A. Beal, Conway
- 6. 1856 November 19: Pike and Cummins, Little Rock, to T.D. Merrick
- 7. 1856 December 29: Judge Daniel Ringo, Little Rock, to E. Cummins
- 8. 1860 April 24: S.H. Bradshaw, New Orleans, Louisiana, to Doctor R.L. Dodge
- 9. Undated: T.D. Merrick to Doctor R.L. Dodge
- 10. Undated: Captain Albert Pike to Michael Gaymon
- 11. Undated: I.O.U., George Watkins to John Wassell
- Masonic lodge materials
- 12. 1856 February 25: Receipt, Thomas Penington and Son to Albert Pike
- 13. 1858 October 22: Receipt, Masonic Grand Lodge, Little Rock, to B. Murray
- 14. 1861 May 28: Letter, A.G. Moffat, Washburn, Barry county, Missouri, to T.D. Merrick
- 15. 1865 August 26: Letter, request to form new chapter, Springfield, Conway county, Arkansas, to high priest of Grand Chapter
- 16. 1865 October 20: Annual report, Crescent Lodge #142, S.J. Millard
- 17. 1865 November 6: Annual communication of Grand Lodge of Colorado
- 18. 1865 November 8: Letter, L.E. Barber to T.D. Merrick
- 19. 1865 November 18: Returns of Wooten Lodge #145, Joseph Price
- 20. 1865 November 30: Returns of Washita Lodge #116, J. Hosea Callaway
- 21. 1865 December 7: Returns of Evening Star Lodge #54, J.M. Miller
- 22. 1865 November: Returns of Hamburg Lodge #61, S.M. Miles
- 23. Undated: Receipt, T.D. Merrick to Albert Pike
- 24. Undated: Returns of Grinstead Travelling Lodge, H.W. McCallum
- 25. Undated: Returns of Stony Point Lodge
- Quartermasters' commissary reports
- 26. 1861 May 17: Fort Smith, Arkansas
- 27. 1861 July 31: Little Rock, Arkansas
- 28. 1861 August 3: Little Rock, Arkansas
- 29. 1861: Envelope, "Confederate Quartermaster and Commissary Recipes"
- Receipts
- 30. 1808 April 30: I.O.U., Benjamin Pruitt to William Langsdale, Indiana
- 31. 1839 September 14: Allen and Merrick to G. Simpson
- 32. 1842 March 21: Scott and White Company to W.K. English
- 33. 1842 March 21: McKnight and Parks Company to W.K. English
- 34. 1842 March 21: McKnight and Parks Company to W.K. English
- 35. 1842 August 5: John McClain to T.D. Merrick
- 36. 1842 August 5: N.H. Badgett to T.D. Merrick
- 37. 1843 March 10: Thomas Thorn to T.D. Merrick
- 38. 1844 December 15: C.P. Bertrand to T.D. Merrick
- 39. 1845 March 5: Abel Brown to Mr. Thurber
- 40. 1845 November 24: T.D. Merrick to P. Sunn
- 41. 1848 June 21: T.D. Merrick to M. Killian
- 42. 1848 September 7: Joseph Fenno and T.D. Merrick to James Lawson
- 43. 1849 October 18: E. Timms to James Simpson
- 44. 1850 February 6: T.D. Merrick to F.W. and P. Trapnall
- 45. 1851 June 30: T.D. Merrick to Worthing and Curry
- 46. 1852 May 29: T.D. Merrick to F.W. Trapnall
- 47. 1852 July 8: T.D. Merrick to F.W. Trapnall
- 48. 1852 December 4: Merrick and Fenno to George Waring
- 49. 1853 January 7: J.J. Wright to A.M. Wallace
- 50. 1853 September 21: T.D. Merrick to James Linden
- 51. 1853 December 8: Honorable D. Ringo to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 52. 1855 May 4: Merrick and Wassell to W.R. Smith
- 53. 1855 September 21: William Brown, Jr., to Albert Pike
- 54. 1855 September 28: Merrick and Wassell to W.R. Smith
- 55. 1855 November 29: T.D. Merrick and Company to John Martin
- 56. 1856 March 12: Merrick and Wassell to William Wair
- 57. 1856 September 14: J.T. Keet to George Austen
- 58. 1856 November 20: T.D. Merrick to Joseph Fenno
- 59. 1857 February 20: W.R. Bridges to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 60. 1857 February 28: T.D. Merrick and Company to L.J. Smith
- 61. 1857 May 16: Pike and Cummins to John Martin
- 62. 1857 May 23: T.D. Merrick and Company to Benjamin Danley
- 63. 1857 May 29: T.D. Merrick and Company to Branum and Somers
- 64. 1857 June 11: Merrick and Wassell to M. Hanby
- 65. 1858 November 12: Albert Pike to John Nolins
- 66. 1859 March 21: Thomas Barrett to John Wassell
- 67. 1859 April 2: M.H. Cook to T.M. Conway
- 68. 1859 August 19: T.D. Merrick to E. Duvall
- 69. 1859 October 1: T.D. Merrick to William B. Johnson
- 70. 1859 October 5: T.D. Merrick to Thomas Fletcher
- 71. 1860 January 28: Merrick and Wassell to J.I.McAlmont
- 72. 1860 February 8: T.D. Merrick to W.B. Johnson
- 74. 1861 August 27: T.D. Merrick to C.H. Boggess
- 73. 1862 April 25: T.D. Merrick to A.J. Foster
- 75. Undated: T.D. Merrick to P. Bertrand
- 76. Undated: Merrick and Wassell to S.W. Brown
- Financial and accounting records
- 77. 1852 January-November: Bill, T.D. Merrick to P.P. Burton
- 78. 1853 July 16: Bill, T.D. Merrick and Company to Evan Hanes
- 79. 1856 July 26: Bill, L.W. Brown and Company to Merrick and Wassell
- 80. 1857 January 23: Bill, Thomas [?] St. Francis to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 81. 1857 September 23: Cash memorandum of John Wassell
- 82. 1858 March 20: Bill, Merrick and Wassell to R.S. Dodge
- 83. 1859 September 7: Bill, George and Robins to Merrick and Wassell
- 84. 1860 May: "Judgments, May term, 1860"
- 85. 1860 October: Bill, T.D. Merricks to John P. Gorst
- 86. Undated: Statement of settlement, George and Robins
- 87. Undated: Bill, William Dedmans to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 88. Undated: "Mem. Pike's note," 180 dollars
- 89. Undated: "B.Q. and D.H. Avery account sales"
- 90. Undated: Revenue, sale of Morrison's store
- 91. Undated: Cash memorandum
- 92. Undated: Memorandum of debts due Merrick and Wassell
- 93. Undated: Merrick and Wassell, convertible assets
- 94. Undated: Memorandum of amounts due, Merrick and Wassell
- 95. Undated: John Wassell, cash settlements
- 96. Undated: Memorandum of accounts, Merrick and Wassell
- 97. Undated: John Wassell, debits and credits
- 98. Undated: Account memorandum
- 99. Undated: Colonel Fowler, account memorandum
- 100. Undated: "Cash to [?] of Pellican"
- Notes and agreements
- 101. 1842 November 12: Agreement, McKnight and Parks, and Packett and Gregg
- 102. 1842 November 14: Note, James Neal to T.D. Merrick
- 103. 1844 April 10: Note, I.M. Phillips to T.D. Merrick
- 104. 1845 February 12: Note, T.D. Merrick to Joseph Fenno
- 105. 1845 June 11: Note, Samuel Shoemaker to T.D. Merrick
- 106. 1845 August 6: Note, Isaac Browning to T.D. Merrick
- 107. 1845 December 27: Note, John Smith to T.D. Merrick
- 108. 1846 June 29: Note, James Carson to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 109. 1848 June 22: Note, B.F. Dooley to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 110. 1848 August 22: Note, Isaac Browning to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 111. 1848 November 7: Note, A.D. Moulton to Robert A. Matthews
- 112. 1850 March 21: Note, Thomas Champlin to T.D. Merrick
- 113. 1850 June 27: Memorandum, gold bullion amounts, United States Mints
- 114. 1850 December 25: Note, J.B. Morgan to T.D. Merrick
- 115. 1851 October 17: Note, Thomas F. Casey to Jack Miles
- 116. 1852 January 9: Note, William Hunnicutt to E.L. Malone
- 117. 1852 February 25: Note, T.D. Merrick to Joseph Fenno
- 118. 1852 May 5: Note, Garner V. Wallace to Alfred Hyde
- 119. 1852 May 12: Note, John H. Mimms to T.D. Merrick
- 120. 1852 October 19: Note, George Benedict to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 121. 1852 October 31: Note, Ash and Moulton to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 122. 1853 February 9: Note, T.D. Merrick to E.H. English
- 123. 1853 February 14: Note, James Blackwell to A.D. Rice
- 124. 1853 July 7: Agreement, T.D. Merrick and A. George
- 125. 1853 September 4: Note, William Burnboro to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 126. 1853 November 4: Note, William E. van Meter to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 127. 1853 November 25: Note, Allen Reeves to T.D. Merrick and Company
- 128. 1853 December 5: Note, Richard L. Allen to T.D. Merrick
- 129. 1854 April 8: Note, J.J. Cowan to T.D. Merrick
- 130. 1854 October 8: Note, T.D. Merrick to P.N. Burton
- 131. 1855 March 28: Note, Benjamin Murphy to T.D. Merrick
- 132. 1855 August 1: Note, Joseph Whylie to T.D. Merrick
- 133. 1856 March 7: Note, A. Stovall to T.D. Merrick
- 134. 1856 May 21: Agreement, John Wassell and Gordon N. Peay
- 135. 1856 June 21: Bill, M. Henry and T.D. Merrick and Company
- 136. 1857 June 22: "Danley's Communication"
- 137. 1857 June 22: Note, T.D. Merrick to T.H. White
- 138. 1857 August 15: Note, T.D. Merrick to James Timms
- 139. 1857 November 13: Note, Johnny Biggs to T.D. Merrick
- 140. 1858 April 30: Freight price quote from the steamer, "Arkansas"
- 141. 1859 January 31: Note, T.D. Merrick to Joseph Fenno
- 142. 1859 February 10: Note, William G.S. [?] to J.G. Right
- 143. 1859 June 15: Note, Merrick and Wassell to George Adams
- 144. 1859 June 15: Note, Merrick and Wassell to George Adams
- 145. 1855-1858: List, personal and business transactions
- Bills of lading
- 146. 1843 January 7: T.D. Merrick
- 147. 1861 May 20: Steamer, "Countess"
- Tax documents
- 148.1853 September 30: Railroad tax payment receipt, Merrick and Wassell
- 149. 1857 March 27: County and state tax receipt, T.D. Merrick
- 150. 1858 December 31: City tax receipt, T.D. Merrick
- 151. 1859 July 19: All taxes paid receipt, Thomas D. Merrick
- 152. 1859 September 14: City tax receipt, T.D. Merrick
- 153. 1860 March 31: City tax receipt, Merrick and Wassell
- 154. 1862 December 6: City tax receipt, T.D. Merrick
- 155. 1859: Miscellaneous tax receipts
- Legal documents
- 156. 1848 September 30: Bill of sale, slave woman
- 157. 1853 May 16: Article of agreement on ferry privileges, J.C. Martin, Joseph Ashley, and John W. Moreland
- 158. 1853 September 22: T.D. Merrick versus J.F. Green
- 159. 1854 March 8: Peek Sims and Company versus Merrick and J.M. Gould and Company versus Merrick
- 160. 1858 November 6: Merrick and Wassell versus William Garner
- 161. 1859 September 5: W.B. Johnston versus T.D. Merrick
- 162. 1859 December 31: Brugman and Company versus T.D. Merrick
- 163. 1859 December 31: Brugman and Company versus Merrick and Wassell
- 164. Undated: Bill, Chancery Court fees, Pulaski County, T.D. Merrick and Company
- Pencil memoranda
- 165. 1852 July 29: Interest payment schedule
- 166. 1854 March 1: Balance
- 167. 1859 January 26: Draft list
- 168. 1859 August 30: Merchandise in R.A. Graham versus T.D. Merrick
- 169. 1860 March 17: Bill of steamer, "LIghtfoot"
- 170. Undated: Debtor list
- 171. Undated: "Wassel, 17 dollars"
- 172. Undated: "20 for Stoubaugh [?]"
- 173. Undated: Wassell state and county tax
- 174. Undated: Transaction memoranda
- Miscellaneous
- 175. 1866: Catalog, State Female College near Memphis, Tennessee
- 176. Undated: Recipe
