Henry W. Merriam

Henry Wilson Merriam (20 June 1828 – 26 October 1900) was an American Industrialist and owner of the H. W. Merriam Shoe Company, a 19th- and early-20th century manufacturer of shoes for ladies and children founded in New York City, and after 1873 operated in Newton, in Sussex County, New Jersey.

[1] During the American Civil War, Merriam manufactured shoes and boots for the Union Army.

[1][2] In 1873, to avoid trouble with labor unions, Merriam moved his company to Newton, in northwestern New Jersey.

[1][2] Merriam was always held in high esteem by his employees, establishing a building and loan association to provide mortgages to his workers, and served on the boards of the First Presbyterian Church of Newton and the Merchant's National Bank.

[1][2] In 1892, to celebrate his 64th birthday, Merriam "distributed ten thousand dollars among those in his employ as a testimonial of his appreciation of their faithful performance of duty.