Title
Preview
Creation Date
Spring 2020
Description
William Merrick was born in 18498 and died suddenly at age 37 in 1887 He was an 1870 Harvard classmate of Springfield physician F.W. Chapin. William's father, Solyman Merrick, patented the first adjustable wrench in 1835. solyman was also a principal founder and owner of the Springfield Gas Light Company, where William was elected as treasurer just before his death. Unmarried, William left a bequest of over $98,000 to the hospital corporation to provide for maintenance of the hospital and the erection of a surgical building. The surgical pavilion was established in 1896, separating patients with open wounds from those with infectious diseases.