anes ville , ▁Ohio . ▁R . S . ▁M ers hon ▁married ▁Mary ▁Elizabeth ▁Jones ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁Ralph ▁D aven port ▁M ers hon ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁His ▁sister ▁Hope ▁Lord ▁M ers hon ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁and ▁lived ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁but ▁their ▁other ▁sib lings ▁per ished ▁in ▁inf ancy . ▁The ▁clock ▁installed ▁by ▁Ralph ▁Smith ▁M ers hon ▁in ▁the ▁tower ▁of ▁Mus king um ▁County ▁Cour th ouse ▁was ▁still ▁function ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁ ▁Un s atisf ied ▁by ▁classes ▁at ▁Z anes ville ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁R . D . ▁M ers hon ▁joined ▁a ▁crew ▁surve ying ▁for ▁a ▁rail road . ▁Working ▁under ▁Mr . ▁Bat eman , ▁a ▁survey or , ▁he ▁gained ▁hands - on ▁experience ▁with ▁a ▁trans it ▁and ▁level . ▁Bat eman ▁would ▁not ▁answer ▁M ers hon ' s ▁question ing , ▁referring ▁him ▁instead ▁to ▁the ▁Hand book ▁of ▁Civil ▁Engineering ▁by ▁ ▁John ▁Tra ut w ine . ▁From ▁that ▁point ▁he ▁learned ▁to ▁use ▁reference ▁works . ▁Given ▁that ▁young ▁M erson ▁had ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁mechan ics , ▁a ▁cow ork er ▁suggested ▁he ▁study ▁at ▁Ohio ▁State . ▁Return ing ▁to ▁Z anes ville , ▁M ers hon ▁turned ▁to ▁super