George P. Merrill, c. 1925, Smithsonian Archives - History Div, George P. Merrill (1854-1929) is standing on a dock holding several fish in each hand. Merrill was a geologist and head curator of the Department of Geology, United States National Museum from 1917-1929. The image is found in a collection of photographs from the Department of Mineral Sciences and its predecessor, the Department of Geology..