1855. - Rev. WILLIAM WARD MERIAM was murdered
3 July, 1862, on his way from Constantinople to Philippopolis.
He was born in Princeton, Mass., 15 September, 1830; and
was therefore 31 years old at the time of his death. After
the death of his father, in 1834, his mother removed with
her four children to Canbridgeport, where she resided until her
death in 1850. The subject of this notice was fitted for college
at the high school in Cambrid geport. In 1850, he became
deeply impressed with the importance of a religious life; and
the next year he united with the Orthodox Congregational
church in Cambridgeport. Immediately after leaving college,
he entered the Andover Theological Seminary, where he
graduated in 1858. Having resolved to devote his life to
missionary services, he married, 1 September, 1858, Susan
Dimond, of Cambridgeport; and was ordained at the same
place, 29 November of that year. Ile sailed from Boston
for his mission, with his wife and several other missionary
laborers, 17 January, 1859; arrived at Smyrna 22 February, and at Adrianople
22 April. After spending somemonths at the latter place, studying the
Turkish language, he
went in October, with Mr. Clark, another missionary, to the
new station Philippopolis (Western Turkey), which was subse 56
quently the field of his labors.
He had greatly endeared himself to the people
in the vicinity of his residence; had just
acquired a knowledge of the Turkish language, and was prepared to prosecute
his work successfully. In May, 1862, he
made a tour through sixty or seventy villages in the neighborhood of his
residence. At the time of his death, he was on his
way home from Constantinople, where he had been to attend the
annual meeting of the missionaries of Western Turkey. His
wife and child and one or two missionaries were with him; when
the party were met by a company of five mounted brigands, by
whom Mr. Meriam and one of his companions were killed.
Mrs. Meriam carried the body of her husband forty-eight long
and weary hours, in order that she might bury it in the home
of his mission-life; but the shock to her own system was too
great for her to bear, and she died of typhoid-fever on the 25th
of July, - twenty-three days after the death of her husband.
She was a graduate of the Cambridge High School, and for
many years a most successful teacher in the public schools of the
place. Three of the five brigands were afterwards arrested,
were tried, convicted, and were all executed on the 8th of
