He was a wealthy landowner from an old and prominent family. He occupied several positions of civic importance, befitting his position in society.
P.S. I noted in another post that the City Baltimore was not part of Baltimore County after 1851.
Merryman inherited from his uncle - Nicholas Bosley, not his father. His direct family was not prominent. My ancestor was one of the "first" residents of my county - that does not make him a prominent member of society. But please, by all means, please enumerate these "prominent", leading citiznes of Baltimore for us. In 1861, Merryman was 37 years old. He was not a lawyer, banker, jeweler, Governor, mayor, assemblyman, senator or representative. He was a farmer. He was elected to political office in 1874, long after the death of Chief Justice Taney.
P.S. I noted in another post that the City Baltimore was not part of Baltimore County after 1851.
As if that made a difference? You cannot provide documentation of the alleged friendship, of any home owned in Baltimore City near the Taneys. In the 1850 & 1860 census, John Merryman lived 20 miles away. My wife's grandparents in the early 1900's drove by carriage just once a month to the nearest town (13 miles).
Even aside from that, what could Merryman possibly have in common with Roger Taney, a man almost 40 years his senior? Was Taney a farmer? Did Merryman attend meetings of the Supreme Court?