James Cushing Merrill was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 26, 1853. From a young age he was interested in natural history. Collection contains copy of the correspondence between Dr. J.C. Merrill, U.S. Army, and two professors, G. Brown Goode and S.F. Baird, on the subject of animal species encountered by Dr. Merrill in the late 1800s during his time in the Fort Klamath, Oregon.