James Cushing Merrill was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 26, 1853. From a young age he was interested in natural history. He attended several private schools in Cambridge before beginning the study of medicine in Germany. When he returned to the U.S., he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1874. In 1875, he became an Assistant Surgeon in the U.S. Army. His first station was the St. Louis Barracks, Missouri. From November 1886 to August 1887 he was stationed in Fort Klamath, Oregon. While there, he spent his free time studying and collecting birds. James Merrill contributed greatly to museums and to the field of ornithology, and he was honored posthumously in the Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. Dr. Merrill was invited to a convention of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) but was unable to attend due to his military duties. Had he been able to attend, he would have been one of a select few founders of the AOU. He was also a member of countless more clubs and organizations throughout his lifetime. In 1894 he was made a full surgeon in the Army, along with receiving the rank of Major. James Merrill passed away in Washington on October 27, 1902.