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412 MERRICK MERRITT Franks, left his possessions in 511 to his sons Thierry or Theodoric, Clodoinir, Childebert, and Olotaire, the first receiving the east (Aus- trasia), the second the southwest (with Or- leans), the third the centre (with Paris), and the fourth the north (with Soissons).' The line of Thierry became extinct with his grand- son Theodehald or Thibault, son of Theode- bert. The sons of Clodomir were murdered by their uncles, and Childebert left no male is- sue. Thus Clotaire, the youngest son of Clovis, reunited the empire of the Franks (558-'61). On his death it was again divided by his four sons, Charibert reigning in Paris, Gontran or Guntram in Orleans (to which Burgundy, a new conquest, was attached), Sigebert in Aus- trasia, and Chilperic in Soissons. This period was distracted by internecine wars, during which the two princesses Brunehaut and Fre- degonda, the wives of Sigebert and Chilperic, were the most conspicuous characters. Sige- bert was assassinated, and hjs son Childebert, who also inherited the possessions of Gontran, was succeeded by two sons, Theodebert and Thierry II., who died without legitimate male issue. Clotaire II., the son of Chilperic and Fredegonda, reunited the whole kingdom. It was again temporarily divided by his sons Dagobert and Charibert, the former of whom was the founder of a line of kings known as faineants (lazy), their mayors of the palace being the real rulers of France. They were as follows: Sigebert II., of Austrasia, 638- '56 ; Clovis II., of Neustria (the western king- dom) and Burgundy, 638-'56; Clotaire III., sole king, 656 of Neustria and Burgundy, 660-'70 ; Childeric II., of Austrasia, 660-'70 sole king 670-'73; Thierry III., of Neustria and Burgundy (deposed in 670 and restored), 078-91; Dagobert II., of Austrasia, 674-'9; Clovis III., of Neustria and Burgundy (like all the succeeding), 691-'5 ; Childebert III., 695- TH; Dagobert III., 711-'15; Chilperic II., 715-'20; Thierry I V.,720-'37; Childeric III., 742-'52 deposed by Pepin the Short, founder of the Carlovingian dynasty. MKKRHK, an E. central county of Nebraska, bounded S. E. by the Platte river, and inter- sected by Prairie creek and Loup fork ; area, about 650 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 557. The Union Pacific railroad passes along the S. E. border. The soil is fertile, and timber grows along the streams. The chief productions in 1870 were 9,999 bushels of wheat, 13,024 of Indian corn, 31,579 of oats, 3,035 of barley, 5,029 of potatoes, 13,205 Ibs. of butter, and 1,548 tons of hay. There were 118 horses, 298 milch cows, 444 other cattle, 478 sheep, and 308 swine. Capital, Lone Tree. MKItltlt K, James, an English poet, born in Reading, June 8, 1720, died there, Jan. 5, 1769. He was educated at Trinity college, Oxford, of which he became fellow 'in 1744. When 14 years old he published " The Messiah, a Divine Essay." He took orders, but from delicate health was unable to perform clerical duties. Among his works are : a " Translation of Try- phiodorus" (Oxford, 1741); "Poems on Sa- cred Subjects" (Oxford, 1763); "The Psalms Translated or Paraphrased in English Verse " (Reading, 1766); and "Annotations on the Psalms" (Reading, 1768). His fable, "The Chameleon," is the best known of his works. MERRIMACK, a river of New England, formed by the junction of the Pemigewasset and Win- nepiseogee rivers at Franklin, N. H. From this point the river runs S. 78 m. to Chelms- ford, Mass., and thence E. 85 m. to the Atlan- tic ocean at Newburyport. Its tributaries in New Hampshire are the Contoocook, Soucook, Suncook, PisCataquog, Souhegan, and Nashua ; in Massachusetts, the Concord, Spiggot, Shaw- shine, and Powow. The principal tributaries are on the right side of the river. There are numerous falls in the Merrimack, and the riv- er furnishes an immense water power, the em- ployment of which in manufacturing has cre- ated the cities of Lowell and Lawrence, Mass., and Nashua and Manchester, N. H. Its width varies from 50 to 150 yards. It is navigable to Haverhill, Mass., 18 m. from the sea. The name is of Indian origin, and is derived from a word signifying a sturgeon. MERRIMACK, a S. central county of New Hampshire, intersected by the Merrimack riv- er, and its affluents the Contoocook, Soucook, Suncook, &c. ; area, about 700 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 42,151. The surface is broken and in many parts hilly; Mt. Kearsarge is in the N. W. portion. It is traversed by the Con- cord, the Suncook Valley, the Boston, Con- cord, and Montreal, the Concord and Clare- mont, the Contoocook River, and the North- ern railroads, and the Bristol branch. The chief productions in 1870 were 31,404 bushels of wheat, 189,788 of Indian corn, 103,525 of oats, 472,131 of potatoes, 144,673 Ibs. of wool, 745,386 of butter, 191,298 of cheese, 102,831 of maple sugar, and 78,278 tons of hay. There were on farms 4,887 horses, 10,459 milch cows, 5,619 working oxen, 14,127 other cat- tle, 34,479 sheep, and 3,991 swine. The num- ber of manufacturing establishments in 1870 was 414; capital invested, $4,896,995; value of products, $7,627,676. The most important were 7 cotton mills, 10 woollen mills, 3 paper mills, 36 saw mills, 6 flour mills, 12 tanneries, 11 currying establishments, 3 manufactories of agricultural implements, 3 of leather belting and hose, 2 of boots and shoes, 17 of bricks, 20 of carriages and wagons, 16 of clothing, 6 of furniture, 4 of hosiery, 3 of iron castings, 6 of machinery, 4 of organs, 10 of saddlery and harness, 4 of sash, doors, and blinds, 1 of silverware, and 5 of wooden ware. Capital, Concord, which is also the capital of the state. MERRITT, Timothy, an American clergyman, born in Barkhamstead, Conn., in October, 1775, died in Lynn, Mass., May 2, 1845. He became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church in 1796, and spent 34 years as a pastor in Boston, Lynn, Providence, Springfield, New