Background
Speidel, Merritt Charles was born on May 19, 1879 in Port Jervis, Orange County, New York, United States. Son of Martin and Hannah Speidel.
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Merritt Charles Speidel
Edit ProfileEducation
Education public and private schools, New York State.
Career
Interested in journalism since boyhood. Began with Tri-States Public Company, Port Jervis, becoming editor Port Jervis Daily Union, then business manager and director of company. Correspondent of Associate Press and New York papers, also wrote for mags.
Writer, later editor, Erie Men, 1900. Member auxiliary editorial board Success Magazine, 1909. Purchased and editor Piqua (O.) Daily Call, 1910-1921.
Purchased Iowa City Press-Citizen, 1921. Founder Speidel Newspapers, Inc., national newspaper service and research organization, 1937. A founder, 1932, and since director First Capital National Bank, Iowa City.
Moved to Palo Alto. California, 1937. President Speidel Newspapers, Inc., 1937-1957. President emeritus, since 1957, of a transcontinental group, including Visalia (California) Newspapers, Inc., Press-Citizen Company (Iowa City), Chillicothe (O.) Newspapers, Inc., Salinas (California) Newspapers, Inc., Fort Collins (Colorado) Newspapers, Inc., Reno (Nevada) Newspapers, Inc., Poughkeepsie (New York) Newspapers, Inc.
Active in civic affairs in the various states. Member governing board of National Council Boy Scouts American. Trustee Saints and Sinners.
A founder, director Culver Fathers Association (Culver Military Academy). Life member Rotary, Sigma Delta Chi, Beta Gamma Sigma.
Membership
Member auxiliary editorial board Success Magazine, 1909. Member governing board of National Council Boy Scouts American. Member Navy League of the United States, National.
Mason (32°,Kiloton, Scottish Rite, Shriner). Elk.; Clubs: National Press (Washington).
Connections
Married Edna Meredith, April. Children: Robert Meredith, Marjorie Jean, (now Mistress Joseph O. Edy, Junior), and Merritt Charles Junior.
