USA > Maine > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 103
USA > New Hampshire > Saco Valley settlements and families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legendary > Part 103
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The Merrefields of Ringwood, Hampshire Co., were Quakers, as are some of their descendants in America. An old man of the name, being a Quaker, and supposed to have been the last of the family, died in the parish of Ford- ingsbridge during the latter years of the last century and was buried in the parish of Ringwood. JOSEPH MERREFIELD, of Baltimore, merchant and author, made a visit to the home of his ancestors in 1851, and found the house in which his father was born, Mar. 7, 1770, and an old lady, who remembered him at the time he went to America, said there were none of the name then living there.
One family held a valuable estate near Oakhampton, and spent it on lawyers and lavish hospitality, and one of the family remarked that they should have been "peaceable and miserly" until his time. Becoming reduced in circum- stances they took to the soil and followed agricultural pursuits at Tavistock, in Devonshire, but some of them by great exertion acquired education and rose to considerable distinction in professional life and authorship.
Distinguishing characteristics of the family in England are "great personal strength and resolution, warm hearts, and hasty tempers "; traits of character that must long have been constitutional as they are conspicuously developed in the American branches.
AMERICAN BRANCHES.
John Merrifield's1 name appears in a list of passengers who came to our shores in 1635. His subsequent history is unknown. From the writings of Savage I learn that HENRY MERRYFIELD, of Dorchester, Mass., by wife Mar- garet, had :
I. JOHN,2 bapt. April 15, 1649.
2. ELIZABETH,2 bapt. April 15, 1649.
3. RUTH,2 bapt. April 15, 1649.
4. HANNAH,2 bapt. April 7, 1650.
5. MARY,2 bapt. April 18, 1652.
6. ABIGAIL,2 bapt. Aug. 3, 1656.
7. BENJAMIN,2 bapt. Dec. 12, 1658.
8. MARTHA,2 bapt. April 28, 1661.
9. HENRY,2 bapt. July 31, 1664.
John Merrifield2 settled in Dorchester, and died in middle life, leaving BARAK 3 and HANNAH.3
John Merrifield,2 of Dorchester, Mass., had children born there named:
I. JOHN,3 b. Feb. 10, 1665.
2 . MARY,3 b. May 14, 1667.
3. SARAH,3 b. May 14, 1669.
4 HANNAH,8 b. Dec. 6, 1670.
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
5. THOMAS,3 b. Jan. 1, 1672.
6. JOSEPH,8 b. Aug. 6, 1676.
Elizabeth Merrifield,2 was married to Thomas Pope, of Dorchester, Mass. (he born Oct. 27, 1643), and settled at Cape Ann.
Thomas Merrifield 1 came from the north of Scotland (?) to Boston in 1700, and had children named as follows :
I. JOSEPH,2 settled in Salem. He married Hannah Hill, Sept. 15, 1736, settled in Holliston, and had :
I. HANNAH,3 b. Mar. 16, 1737.
II. AARON,3 b. Oct. 28, 1738, of whom hereafter.
111. JOSEPH,3 b. Jan. 1. 1740.
IV. ABIGAIL,8 b. June 9, 1744.
v. SARAH,3 b. May 1, 1746.
VI. JOHN,8 b. Aug. 13, 1749, of whom hereafter.
2. AARON,2 settled in Medway. Two sons went to Newfane, Vt., and their posterity live there.
3. THOMAS,2 settled in Dover; probably married in Groton, Mass., July 12, 1732, Mary Anderson. His children were, as far as known :
I. SARAH,3 b. Sept. 27, 1736.
II. TIMOTHY,8 b. Jan. 4, 1739, who ran away from home when 16, and was in the French and Indian war. He was a scout during the Revolution, but took part only in one battle, that of Tiverton. He m. Achsah Cheney, May 22, 1766, and had a son, Francis,4 and a dau .; both children and wife d. in 1770. He then m. June 10, 1772, Mercy Perry, of Milford, Mass., who was cousin to Com. Perry. He settled in Worcester in 1786. He d. in 1806, aged 68. His children, b. at Sherburn, were Caroline,4 b. Dec. 16, 1775; Chloe,4 b. Oct. 8, 1777, and Alpheus,4 b. Nov. 12, 1779.
III. ASAPH,3 b. Jan. 2, 1741 ; m. Abigail Richardson, Feb. 2, 1764, and had two children born in Sherburn, Mass. He may have m. Mercy for second wife; moved to West Boylston in 1775, where he purchased a farm and resided until his death in 1820. His widow d. in 1845, aged 89. Children as follows :
(1). Arnold F.,4 July 25, 1778; went to Charlestown, where he was killed by lightning. His children, Charles5 and two daughters, who m. and settled in Manchester and Fitchburg.
NOTE .- "John Merrifield, though not in full communion, was called before the church [in Dorchester, 1677] to answer for his sin of drunkenness, and also for contempt and slighting the power of Christ in the church, in not appearing formerly, though called and sent unto; but he made some excuse for his drunkenness, in that being not well in Boston, he took a little strong water and coming ont in the air his distemper [overcame] him; and for his other offense he did acknowledge his fault therein."
NOTE .- Mr. William Fettypeace, speaking of the history of East Boston: "My father not having any large possession of his own at a convenient distance to reciprocate the civilities of his kinsmen, invited them with their families and friends to a farm of his of abont sixty acres, lying above Sumner's paper-mills in Dorchester. This farm was called " Merryfields " after the name of the person from whom he purchased it. There was beautiful wood upon it, lying on the westerly bank of the Neponset river." This was previous to 1799, and shows where the early Merryfields resided in Dorchester.
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
(2). Lewis,4 b. Sept. 3, 1780; m. Phebe, dau. of Sylvanus Morse who d. in 1837, aged 60 years. He had a second wife who survived till 1853, being 63 years of age. These parents lived on the homestead of the wife's parents, and after their decease suc- ceeded to the estate, and continued there until the close of life, being succeeded by son Lewis.5
(3). Sarah,4 b. Sept. 28, 1782.
(4). Grace.4 (5). Eunice.4 (6). Mary.4 (7). Hannah,4 d. age of 10. (8). Abigail.4 (9). Mary,4 b. 1803, m. - Bryant and lived in Holden. (10). Newell,4 went to New York and had issue.
IV. PHEBE,3 b. Aug. 7, 1742; m. Feb. 21, 1766, Seth Ellis.
V. HANNAH,3 b. Sept. 4, 1745; m. Mar. 28, 1768, John Ranstead.
VI. SIMEON,8 b. Aug. 7, 1747, of whom hereafter.
Alpheus Merrifield,4 born Nov. 12, 1779; married Mary Trowbridge, Nov. 20, 1804 (she b. May 31, 1783, and d. Oct. 7, 1858); second, Nov. 4, 1861, Lucy A. Brigham, of Grafton, Mass. Issue :
1. CATHERINE M.,5 b. Oct. 30, 1805 ; m. Amory Moore, of Boston, Mar. 11, 1830, and had issue.
2. WILLIAM T.,5 b. Apr. 10, 1807.
3. ALPHEUS M.,5 b. May 25, 1809; m. Emily A. Norton, Feb. 21, 1841 ; second, Nov. 21, 1866, Mary M. Waters, of Battle Creek, Mich., and had :
I. LUCIEN A.,6 b. Apr. 26, 1832; d. Aug. 24, 1833.
11. LUCIEN A.,6 b. Jan. 10, 1834; d. Jan. 11, 1834.
TII. LUCIEN A.,6 b. Feb. 2, 1835 ; d. May 14, 1835.
IV. LUCIEN,6 b. Nov. 3, 1836.
V. ALBERT, 6 b. July 3, 1846; d. July 24, 1846.
4. SARAH W.,5 b. Oct. 6, 1810; m. James S. Kettell, May 15, 1833, and d. Dec. 3, 1839, leaving a son.
5. FRANCIS N.,5 b. Feb. 22, 1815; m. Louisa A. Crosby, of Warren, N. H., Oct. 14, 1839, and had issue as follows :
I. SARAH W.,6 b. July 6, 1840; d. Apr. 23, 1861.
II. ANN,6 b. Dec. 17, 1841.
III. FRANCIS H.,6 b. Dec. 31, 1843.
IV. MARY A.,6 b. Mar., 1847; d. Aug. 24, 1848.
V. MARY T.,6 b. Aug. 7, 1850.
VI. CHAUNCY W.,6 b. July 11, 1852 ; d. July, 1874.
VII. JULIA W.,6 b. Dec. 7, 1854.
6. MARY A.,5 b. July 7, 1821; m. Oscar Fay, of Northampton, N. J., June 8, 1848. He d. June 16, 1862, and she m. Jan. 22, 1874, Dyer W. Fitch, of Erie, Pa.
7. ANDREW L., 5 b. May 5, 1826 ; d. Apr. 23, 1847.
8. AMELIA,5 b. Mar. 17, 1829; m. William F. Adams, Sept. 28, 1848. Four children.
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
Aaron Merrifield,3 born Oct. 28, 1738, son of Joseph2 and Hannah Hill, wrote down a list of his children as will follow. He married Elizabeth, dau. of Ichabod and Ruth (Merriam) Robinson, who was born in Sherburn, Mass., June 1, 1746. He purchased the Dea. Abijah French farm of John Hill, Feb. 23, 1769, which he sold to Elihu Perry about 1790, and from an old deed it appears that he removed to Newfane, Vt., in 1792, when he sold his pew in the meeting-house at Milford, Mass., to which town he had moved from Sher- burn. Issue :
I. AARON,4 b. Dec. 13, 1766.
2. AARON,4 b. Dec. 23, 1769.
3 MOSES,4 b. Mar. 22, 1772.
4. BETSEY,4 b. Feb. 22, 1774.
5. POLLY,4 b. June 23, 1776.
6. CYRUS, 4 b. June 15, 1778.
7. DAVID,4 b. Sept. 17, 1780.
8. SALLV,4 b. Feb. 15, 1783.
John Merryfield,8 son of Joseph 2 and Hannah, m. Mollie Metcalf, dau. of Michael Metcalf, of Franklin, Mass., b. Nov. 9, 1758; d. at Wrentham, Dec. 18, 1817, aged 59 years. He d. April 24, 1828. Children :
I. MARCUS,4 b. Mar. 6, 1781 ; m. Judith Highland. He d. Aug. 6, 1835. Children : Alanson,5 Henry,5 Betsey,5 Hattie," and Preston.5
2. JEMIMA, 4 b. May 8, 1784; d. Mar. 8, 1816. Descendants.
3. PRESTON,4 b. Jan. 29, 1786; m. Clarissa Spooner, Oct. 23, 1810; she b. at Windsor, Sept. 15, 1791. Issue :
1. ALDEN S.,5 b. Aug. 14, 1811; m. Julia Clark, Aug. 16, 1839; d. at Cincinnati, June 22, 1845 ; she d. at New Orleans, Sept. 18, 1841.
1I. HENRY P.,5 b. Feb. 3, 1813; m. E. Dorsey, of Port Gibson, Dec. 12, 1839 ; d. there, April, 1865.
III. GEORGE W.,5 b. Feb. 22, 1815 ; m. Harriet Churchell, of Woodstock, Oct. 10, 1845. He m. Anna Stevens, of Northfield, Vt., in Nov., 1849 ; she d. at Claremont, Aug., 1869. He m. Mary Briggs; lives in Claremont.
IV. JULIA A.,5 b. Jan. 18, 1817; m. A. H. Peck, Feb. 1, 1836, and d. at Port Gibson, Miss., Jan. 26, 1847.
V. LUCINDA S.,5 b. July 6, 1819; m. Benjamin S. Moncton, July 6, 1840, and lives in New York city.
VI. CLARISSA S.,5 b. Nov. 13, 1821; m. William R. Clark, Sept. 17, 1847, and lives at West Charleston, Vt.
VII. CHARLES F.,5 b. Nov. 15, 1823; m. Adelaide Campbell; d. in Wind- sor, Vt., Aug. 4, 1850.
VIII. SARAH F.,5 b. Mar. 12, 1824; d. at Port Gibson, Miss., Dec. 4, 1843.
IX. THOMAS H.,5 b. Dec. 22, 1827.
x. JOHN M.,5 b. Feb. 21, 1830; m. Emma L. Hubbard, Oct. 22, 1860. No issue. He d. at St. Albans, Dec. 17, 1868; wife d. there, Mar. 29, 1865.
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
XI. MARIA F.,5 b. Mar. 8, 1832; m. Henry G. Merrifield, of New Haven, May 7, 1860; resides in Springfield.
XII. IDA S.,5 b. May 22, 1835; m. Alonzo D. Perry, of Newark, N. J., Aug. 30, 1855 ; m. Frank Whittaker, Jan. 6, 1869; resides at Windsor, Vt.
XIII. FRANCIS C.,5 b. Aug. 10, 1837 ; m. Statira Smith, Oct. 18, 1859, and resides at St. Albans, Vt. Children : Emma6 and George.6
4. JOHN,4 son of John and Molly, b. Nov. 28, 1788; m. -; d. Jan. 8, 1828. Children in Franklin, Mass.
5. POLLY,4 b. Apr. 15, 1791 ; m. Colonel Harding, Franklin, Mass.
6. PATTY,4 b. Apr. 15, 1791 ; d. Jan. 15, 1802.
7. CHLOE,4 b. Jan. 8, 1795; m. Daniel Blake, Franklin, Mass., deceased. She d. May 14, 1822.
8. VALOROUS S.,4 b. Sept. 14, 1797 ; m. Prudence Piper, of Montrose, who d. in Boston about 1860. He died July, 1860 (?). Children: George,5 Gustavus," Mary,5 Fanny.5
9. METCALF,4 b. Feb. 14, 1801; m. Lydia - ; d. Jan. 3, 1828. Children :
I. JOHN D.5
II. WILLIAM,5 resides in New York city.
111. LOUISA,5 m. Alexander Berry (?) ; lived in Brooklyn.
IV. ANNA,5 m. - Brooks and lived in Brooklyn.
Abraham Merrifield,3 son of Thomas and Mary Anderson, was a spy in the Revolution. He drove a team from place to place, pretending to be a foolish peddler ; often carried large amounts of gold and silver, but never lost any of it; once wounded in his leg by a bullet ; was once married, but sepa- rated from his wife, by whom no issue. While keeping house alone in Canada tradition says his fire went out, and he hurried across the way, shovel in hand, toborrow a brand from his neighbor, who, having just moved in, was unknown to him. He knocked at the door, and, to his astonishment, the woman who responded proved to be his former consort. The following day he packed up and left, since when nothing definite was known about him. There was a tradition that he married a second wife and left children in Canada. He was a singular character and something of a wit. While serving in the army, an unpopular subordinate was suddenly promoted to the rank of quartermaster- general. Some of his comrades noticed the letters on his new uniform and asked what these signified. Merrifield quickly responded : "Quickly Made Gentleman."
Thomas Merryfield 1 removed from Westfield, Mass., and carried all his possessions on a horse to the mountains of Becket, where he built a large three-storied house that is still standing. He is said to have been an English- man; his wife of Irish nativity. But they were not contented, and after hav- ing ten children exchanged the farm for new land in Ohio, then called the "Western Reserve," and with slow-moving team, in company with relatives and neighbors, migrated to the then "far West." An old, discolored letter forwarded by a member of the family, written in 1859 by a woman in her
NOTE .- In the " History of Sherburn and Holliston " there is no mention of John (4), Polly (4), Patty (4), Chloe (4), Valorous (4), and Metcalf (4), while there is an addition of the following: 1. Jemima (4), b. Sept. 10, 1804. 2. Parker (4), b. Dec. 6, 1806. 3. John ("), b. Sept. 13, 1808. 4. Joseph (4), b. Nov. 8, 1809.
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
75th year, throws much light on the domestic life of those who went West at that time. It shows that Thomas Merryfield1 had served in the "old Revo- lutionary war" and was at Bunker Hill; that others of the family, sons of Thomas,1 were in the war of 1812; that one of the sons was named JOHN2 and another JUSTICE2; that another son, CHARLES,2 had sold out in Ohio and removed to Michigan, where he owned land and a saw-mill; that her husband, whose name was (I suppose) John,2 was drafted in Becket, Mass., and went as far as Lenox ; that he hired a substitute to go in his place, who was wounded in the legs at Saratoga and went with a stick three years. She mentions a wagon load of soldiers that left Thomas Merryfield's house in Becket and went toward the seaport; writes that the farmers of Ohio had suffered from frost and as cows were drying up for want of feed they talked of driving them out on the prairies. She has "broke her specks" and cannot see well; wants to "git enough money to buy a garden spot and house with one room and a butry and bedroom "; had purchased a lot "clost by the meetin'-house " and was to have lived with another " widder woman," but her children "made such a row" because she did not live with them that she consented to do so if they would furnish a good room and make her comfortable. When she lives with THOMAS3 she is often left alone, and so far from neighbors that she cannot make any one hear; wanted to live with WILSON,3 but his health was poor, his wife "narvous" and heavy doctor's bills must be paid. This son had a daugh- ter 20 years of age, one 17, and a son, aged 25, who had settled in southern Ohio; said she could " spin at the great wheel " as well as when young. There is much in this old epistle that I cannot quote, but its perusal suggests that there is a "skeleton in the closet" in every land, in every domestic circle. From what we have gleaned from the letter and correspondence with a vener- able member of the family in Springfield, Thomas Merryfield had sons and descendants as follows :
I. OLIVER,2 b. 1773; m. Experience Norcott, 1798, and had issue :
1. OLIVER L.,8 b. 1800; in. Sophia Hill, in 1823, and had :
(1). Christopher,4 b. 1828; m. Nov. 27, 1857, Sarah M. Wait. He was postmaster at Bancroft twenty years and postmaster in Becket four years ; lumber dealer. His son, Oliver L.,6 m. in 1893 Nel- lie Borell. He has four other children, one a teacher.
2. JOHN,2 who went to Ohio. He was b. 1811 ; his wife b. 1808; had one dau., m. Webster Wayne, and sons Thomas3 and Wilson3 (see letter),* who had issue; post-office address in 1839, Montana, Portage Co., Ohio.
3. JUSTICE,2
4. CHARLES, 2 both settled in Ohio and had issue.
MERRIFIELDS OF WELLS, ME.
Members of this family came early from Becket, and other towns in Massa- chusetts to Berwick and Wells, in the district of Maine. How these were related I have not been able to ascertain. There are conflicting traditions held in different branches of the family and public records do not support them. The author visited Wells with the hope of finding family registers by which full connections could be established, but was disappointed, the old Bible containing the names and dates having been carried away many years
* In the letter alluded to find mentioned "old Aunt Ruth."
-
933
MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
ago. However, among the family papers we found several old deeds and other documents that enabled us to trace the family to Becket, Mass. John Merrifield, of Becket, Berkshire Co., Mass., in consideration of $50.00 paid by David Merrifield, of Wells (1799), quits claim to all right and title to the estate of his honored father, John Merrifield, late of said town. John Merri- field, of Wells, purchased ten acres of land there of the widow of Jedediah Goodale. The first of this branch of the family known was SAMUEL MERRI- FIELD,1 who settled in Berwick, near the Brawn and Thurrell homesteads, whose wife is said to have been carried to Canada by the Indians. His son,
I. JOHN,2 m. in Wells, Feb. 15, 1765, Sarah Boyd and settled in the west part of that town not far from the "Tatnick " neighborhood. Here he cleared a farm and spent the remainder of his days. Tradition says he m. a second wife named Bennett. He had children as follows:
I. JOHN,3 said to have gone West.
I1. THOMAS,8 in 1804 deeds to brother David a ninth part of the estate of his honored father, John Merrifield, of Wells. He went West.
III. DAVID,3 m. Dec. 6, 1798, Dorcas Boston, of Wells, and settled on the homestead. These had thirteen children, many of whom d. young. Among the sons were :
(1). Hammond,4 b. May 26, 1808; m. Susan Allen, June 26, 1831, and settled on the homestead in Wells. He d. in Alfred, Sept. 22, 1868. His widow (b. Dec. 25, 1806), d. in Wells, Sept. 22, 1878. Children as follows :
(1). John A.,5 b. Nov. 26, 1831 ; m. Sarah Blaisdell and resides in Somerville, Mass.
(II). George A.,5 b. March 11, 1833; m. Nellie Wilson, of Rockland. He d. at sea, Mar. 20, 1867.
(III). Hosea F.,5 b. Oct. 24, 1836 ; m. Julia Henderson, who died at East Watertown, Mass., Sept. 11, 1892.
(IV). Salathiel B.,5 b. June 27, 1841 ; m. Sarah, daughter of Merrill Sargent, of South Berwick, and lives on the homestead, owned for four generations of the family, in Wells; has a good farm and buildings ; keeps good stock ; cuts a large barn full of hay ; everything has the appearance of thrift and prosperity; the evident result of good management and continuous hard work. Three children.
(v). Oren O.,5 b. April 22, 1847 ; m. Emma Henderson, in Brigh- ton, Mass.
(2). David,4 m. Hepzibah Blaisdell, and lived in a part of the old Merrifield mansion, in Wells. Being in poor health his brother, who had inherited the estate, gave him a part of it to take care of his parents in old age. He did not long survive and his widow m. Daniel Boston, of Wells.
(3). Joseph A.,4 b. Oct. 6, 1821, in Wells; m. Susie Locke Smith (b. May 23, 1829), Mar. 14, 1850, of Winchester, Mass., and in 1878 he was living in Arlington. Children :
(1). Lizzie J.,5 b. May 13, 1855.
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
(11). Walter E.,5 b. Aug. 24, 1857.
(III). Winnie,5 b. July 14, 1860; d. July 15, 1860.
(4). Elizabeth,4 m. David Cane, in Wells, Feb. 12, 1789.
(5). Mary,4 m. Elijah Stuart, in Wells, Oct. 22, 1795.
(6) Dorcas,4 m. Elijah Hatch, in Wells, April 15, 1809.
Simeon Merrifield1 enlisted under Maj. John Storer in Wells, in 1740, and sailed for Boston on transport Mar. 24th to join the Louisburg expedition under Pepperrill. He was probably born as early as 1718-20, and was, I think, the first who settled in the township. Possibly Samuel, whose name heads the pedigree of the family before-mentioned, was his son.
2. SIMEON,2 supposed to be a son of preceding, m. Lydia - and settled near the South Berwick line in Wells. When advanced in life, after the death of his wife, he went to Limington and spent the last seven years of his life there. He was buried in the family lot on the Merrifield homestead in that town. Children, far as known, as follows :
I. SIMEON,3 settled in Porter and had issue.
11. SAMUEL,8 remained in Wells on homestead.
III. EDMUND,3 settled "down east."
IV. STEPHEN,3 drowned at Wells while out fishing.
v. MARGARET,3 m. John Kennard and settled in Limington; had issue.
VI. LEVI,3 settled in Limington, Me.
MERRIFIELDS OF LIMINGTON, ME.
Levi Merrifield,3 son of Simeon and Lydia, born in Wells in 1776; m. Anna, daughter of Andrew Mace, of Berwick, Feb. 28, 1794 (she born Dec. 3, 1767), ceremony by Elder Nathaniel Lord, and immediately settled on wild land in Limington, then known as the plantation of Little Ossipee. He and his brother-in-law, John Kennard, had raised a good crop of "burnt-ground corn" and put up their log-houses the year previous to their removal to become permanent settlers. In the autumn after securing their harvests, these hardy, invincible pioneers returned to Wells and waited for the snow fall; then the two men, each having a pair of steers, loaded their beds, bedding, and house- hold gear upon a common ox-sled, and upon this the two young wives were seated and away they went, leaving childhood home, parents, brothers, sis- ters (?), on their journey toward the hill country of Little Ossipee. They reached Waterborough on the evening of the first day, carried their bedding into the house of a farmer, "made them up" on the kitchen floor and "bundled in " for the night. Resuming their journey on the following morning, by hard driving of their "nimble steers" they reached their destination at a late hour on the second evening. Here in the wilderness, surrounded by towering hills, the brief ceremony of "hanging the crane," was attended to, and, full of cour- age, vim, and health these young people began life in earnest. Mr. Merri- field's rude hut was built on the very spot where the old school-house now stands, but his first clearing was "on the mountain." He died Nov. 18, 1855, aged 79 years, and was buried on the farm. Nine children, as follows :
I. ANDREW,4 b. Sept. 13, 1794, in Limington; m. Jane Berry, of that town, May 10, 1818, and settled in Porter not far from the Hiram line, where
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MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
he cleared from a heavily timbered tract of rocky land a good farm. He was a man of resolute temperament and robust constitution, who toiled early and late to provide a comfortable home for his family. Alas ! the acres cleared by his strong arms have passed out of the family and the buildings once capacious and well made are falling into decay. He d. Dec. 19, 1855. His wife was b. Feb. 14, 1796. These lie buried on a knoll not far from the house, where several children were interred. Nine children, whose names will follow :
1. LOUISA,5 b. Nov. 12, 1818; m. Jan. 9, 1840, to Levi Lord, of Hiram, and went West.
II. ANDREW,5 b. Nov. 5, 1820; lived at home, single.
III. JOHN,5 b. Sept. 30, 1822 ; m. May 7, 1848, to Sally, dau. of Samuel Ridlon, of Hiram, and was killed in a stave mill by being entangled in a belt. Children: Warren,6 Edwin,6 and Chester.6
IV. ABIGAIL,5 b. 1824; m. May 3, 1850, to Nathaniel Gilpatrick, of Kezar Falls.
V. MARY J.,5 b. Dec. 25, 1826; d. at Saco, Aug. 23, 1845.
V1. JEREMIAH,5 b. April 10, 1829; m. Polly, dau. of Samuel Ridlon, of Hiram, and had issue, three children, as will follow. He has lived as a farmer in Porter and Parsonsfield. For several years he and his brother John ran a stave mill, but he has for several years, in com- pany with his son, carried on the manufacture of bobbins at Kezar Falls. Notwithstanding losses by fire their business has proved suc- cessful. Mr. Merrifield has one of the most imposing, pleasantly situated, and comfortable homes in the village, and here by his cheer- ful fireside, in the companionship of his family, when the day's toil is over, he enjoys a quiet rest. He has been a man of resolution and unconquerable enterprise, and deserves the temporal prosperity which has crowned his many years of toil ; has been many years an active member of the Methodist church, in which he has stood a pillar of strength. Issue :
(1). Jennie,6 m. Ezra Lord.
(2). William O.,6 m. Fannie B. Wormwood and lives at home. He is engaged in manufacturing mill bobbins and small wooden wares, and by close application to the details of the business and per- sistent efforts has built up a successful industry in the village. One son, Ralph.7
VII. SARAH A.,5 b. June 26, 1831.
VIII. EUNICE,5 b. Sept. 20, 1833.
IX. MARGARET,5 b. Mar. 25, 1837; d. April, 1892.
2. EUNICE, 4 b. Mar. 3, 1796 ; m. Oct. 2, 1814, John Bradeen, of Limington.
3. MARGARET,4 b. Nov. 27, 1797 ; remained single.
4. LEVI,4 b. Dec. 25, 1799 ; m. Dec. 25, 1828, Anna, dau. of William and Hannah (Mace) Hussey, of Berwick (she b. in Shapleigh), and lived on the old Merrifield homestead, in Limington, until old age. His widow is now living, rising ninety-two, active, intelligent, and full of stories of "ye olden time." Children :
936
MERRIFIELD FAMILY.
I. GARDNER,5 m. Sarah Boothby, dau. of Israel, of Limington, and lives on a part of the homestead ; farmer and marketman; has a daughter.
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