Merrill was an outstanding paddler in the decade 1902–1912. He was a member of the Rideau Canoe Club’s first war canoe crew in 1902.[3] Paddling for Ottawa Canoe Club (OCC) in 1904 he won the senior singles in the Canadian Canoe Association (CCA) competition. By 1906 he had switched to the New Edinburgh Canoe Club (NECC) and took second place in the senior singles at the CCA championship. In 1908 and 1909 he took the title as Canadian senior singles champion. In 1908, 1909, and 1910 he led the NECC war canoe crew to second place finishes in the half-mile Canadian championships. The crew came second in the mile race in 1908 and finished first in 1909, 1910, and 1911. In 1912 he served as rear commodore of the CCA.[4]
Personal life
Merrill retired to live and marry in Ottawa. He became the president of the Dadson-Merrill Press Company until he retired from that business in 1945.[2] He also served as a school trustee.[2] In 1958, he suffered a stroke on an automobile trip to Florida with his wife, while driving through Cortland, New York, and was returned to Ottawa on December 19, 1958.[2] He died a week later and is buried in Ottawa at Beechwood cemetery along with numerous other Senators players.