Spaulding had shown that he was a good worker. And he had shown that he was honest. John Merrick , a barber , noticed the young man. Merrick wished to start an insurance company. Dr. A. M. Moore , Spaulding's uncle, wanted to join Merrick in the project. But both Merrick and Moore were busy men. So they asked young Spaulding to run the firm for them. His uncle gave him a room to work in.