Bruce W. Merwin, Raymond's younger brother, was born on February 27, 1889 in Kansas. Bruce graduated from the University of Kansas with his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Education in 1911. He was employed by the Peabody Museum Harvard during the summer of 19?? working at the Indian Village site near Madisonville, Ohio. Bruce served as assistant to Raymond during the expedition to Holmul in 1910 and 1911. He worked for the Peabody in Henry County, Tennessee during 1914. He became the Assistant Curator of American Archaeology in the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania in 1915.

In the early 1920s Bruce returned to Kansas as a High School Principal while completing his Master of Arts at the University of Kansas. He started work at Illinois Normal College in 1927 in the Department of Education. He received his Ph. D. in Education from Kansas in 1929 and was appointed a Professor. Within two years he became Assistant Superintendent of the Practice School and Supervisor of Teaching. From April 1944 until January 1945 he served as interim President of the college, following the death of the President, Dr Pulliam . After retiring from the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale, he moved to Lakeland, FL. Bruce passed away on February 28,1983.