Samuel Merrill (October 29, 1792 – August 24, 1855), a native of Peacham, Vermont, was an early lawyer and leading citizen of Indiana, who served as state treasurer from 1822 to 1834.

[2] Jesse Merrill was a farmer and town officer who also served for years as a member of the Vermont legislature; his wife, Priscilla, was a homemaker and the mother of seven children (six boys and one girl).

[2] Merrill received his early education at Peacham Academy and attended Dartmouth College, but left before graduating.

[3][4] In 1813 Merrill followed his older brother, James, to York, Pennsylvania, where he spent three years studying law and teaching school.

Merrill moved to Corydon, Indiana, and was reelected for three more consecutive terms, serving until February 10, 1834, when Nathan B. Palmer succeeded him.

The arduous task included Merrill's and his young family's eleven-day journey of about 160 miles (260 km) by horseback and wagon caravan from Corydon to the new state capital in November 1824.

[10][8] To complicate matters, no paved road existed along the caravan's path at that time and in some places a trail had to be cut through the dense forests in order to move northward.

[15] Merrill's caravan of four, four-horse wagons and two or three saddle horses brought the state treasury, governmental records, a printing press, and furniture for the Indiana General Assembly, the Indiana Supreme Court, and the state's executive offices, as well as two families, including his own, their personal goods, and implements and supplies for the caravan.

The Indianapolis News reported on July 15, 1911: "His honesty and splendid record made him a man to inspire confidence in the bank."

Merrill visited all thirteen of the bank's branches twice each year, traveling on horseback to personally examine their accounts and ledgers.

[19] With additional funding from investors in the East, Merrill expanded the railroad to complete the line, which extended from Madison, Indiana, to Indianapolis.

[19][21][26] Merrill was also an early civic leader, serving as the second president of the Indiana Historical Society, whose headquarters remain in Indianapolis.

He was also a founder and trustee of Wabash College, which continues to operate in Crawfordsville, Indiana; and served as an elder in two of Indianapolis's Presbyterian congregations.