Biography of Francis M. Merica, page 348 / 349.  History of Northeast 
Indiana; LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Vol. II, under the 
editorial supervision of Ira Ford, Orville Stevens, William H. McEwen, and 
William H. McIntosh.  The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago and New York, 1920.

   Francis M. Merica.  No one man has done more for the public schools of 
DeKalb County and performs a more vital service to the people in general 
than Francis M. Merica, superintendent of the county schools.  Mr. Merica 
is a veteran educator, has been in school work more that thirty years, and 
has a high standing among school men over Indiana.
   He was born in Millerstown in Champaign County, Ohio, February 28, 
1862, but has spent the greater part of life in Northeast Indiana.  His 
parents, William and Catherine (Snyder) Merica, came to Indiana in 1865, 
locating three miles south of Garrett in DeKalb County.  William Merica 
was born near Millerstown, Ohio, July 15, 1840, while his wife was born 
September 10, 1842, and both were reared in Champaign County.  He was a 
farmer and the family had limited means. Both parents were members of the 
Methodist Protestant Church, and William Merica was quite active in 
democratic politics, serving as a member of the County Council of DeKalb 
County when the courthouse and county infirmary were built.  He was also 
assessor of Butler Township. William Merica died September 8, 1915, and 
his wife February 13, 1918. The had three children: Thomas, who died at 
Forth Wayne, May 11, 1911, had been a teacher in early life and later was 
a traveling salesman for the International Harvester Company; Francis M.; 
and Charles, who was a graduate of DePauw University with the degrees G. 
A., M. A. and Ph. D., was a Methodist minister, at one time was president 
of Iowa College and later president of the University of Wyoming, and died 
at Kendallville, Indiana, July 24, 1918.
   Francis M. Merica was educated in Butler Township and graduated from 
the Methodist College at Fort Wayne with the Bachelor of Science degree in 
1887.  He also attended Upland University in 1889, and by later post-
graduate work in the University of Chicago received the degree Ph. B. 
Before completing his education Mr. Merica taught for two years as 
principal of a high school, for eight years was superintendent of the same 
school, and after graduating from the University of Chicago was elected 
superintendent of schools of LaGrange.  He remained a that post three 
years, for four was superintendent of schools at Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and 
then came to Garrett, where for ten years he was superintendent of the 
public school system. He was elected county superintendent of schools for 
DeKalb County in 1917, and has held that office since August of that year.
   Mr. Merica was a charter member of the board which, organized the 
Carnegie Library at Garrett and is its present secretary.  Out of his long 
service as a teacher he has made some accumulations toward independence 
and is a property owner at Garrett, having four dwelling houses there.  He 
is one of the trustees of the Methodist Church at Garrett, is a past master 
of Garrett City Lodge No. 537, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, is 
affiliated with Garrett Chapter No. 129, Royal arch Mason, of which he is 
past high priest, and is past grand of Lodge No. 602 of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, and past chief patriarch of Encampment No. 169.  His 
wife is an active member of Harmony Chapter No. 67 of the Eastern Star, is 
a past matron and has served as secretary of the chapter for over fifteen 
years.
   Mr. Merica married Arilla Jones, of Garrett.  She died November 3, 
1908, mother of one daughter, Marion, who is a graduate of the Western 
College for Women at Oxford, Ohio, and is the wife of Don E. Van Fleet, 
and electrical contractor at Garrett.  June 25, 1812, Mr. Merica married 
Georgia Van Fleet.  She was born at Deposit in Broome County, New York, 
and came to Indiana when thirteen years of age.  Mr. Merica is widely 
known as a former teacher in DeKalb County, having done twenty-six years 
of work in the different schools of the county.  She finished her education 
in the Tri-State College at Angola.  

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com