Person Record

Metadata

Name

Merriam, Chester

Other Names

Chester MacLean Merriam

Born

Feb. 15, 1910

Birthplace

Tara, Ontario

Deceased

June 25, 1974

Deceased

Southampton, Ontario

Father

Harvey M. Merriam

Spouse

Neta Ruth Batty, Married on April 6, 1935

Children

Elaine Harwood and Jim Merriam

Relationships

Husband of Neta Ruth Batty and father to daughter Elaine (Mrs. Roy Harwood) and his son, Jim.

Education

Chester Merriam was educated at Tara schools.

Occupation

Chester Merriam was a prominent businessman in the hardware business in Tara. Upon graduation from high school in 1928, he entered the hardware business established in the village by his father in 1916. During the Second World War, Chester served in the Royal Canadian Air Force ground crew as an airframe mechanic and instructor. Chester was a member of Tara village council and he ran unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in Bruce County in the 1958 federal election. Other spheres of activity included various positions in the Masonic Lodge, Canadian Legion and the Tara United Church.
Chester was the Dominion Chairman of the Royal Canadian Legion and commander of Zone C4 of the Legion. He had served as the President of the Tara branch of the Canadian Legion on numerous occasions as well as being the Ontario Provincial Chairman for a number of years. Chester was also an elder of the Tara United Church and was Sunday School superintendent for many years. He was a past master and former district officer of the Maple Leaf Masonic Lodge and a Past Noble Grand of the 100F. Chester was the secretary for the Tara Curling Club for 22 years and was the President of the Arran-Tara Fall Fair in 1951 and 1952. He was the Secretary/Treasurer from 1953 to 1959.

Places

Tara, Ontario

Sources

Sources:
a) Miller, Bruce. "Tara before 1981." 1980. Print.
b) The Fairest of Them All. History of Arran-Tara Fall Fair 1958-2007
c) Bruce County Genealogical Society Binder of Clippings