USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. I > Part 38
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nine years old, he performed its duties in an efficient and energetic manner. Mr. Merrill was interested in the advancement of education and religion. For many years he was trustee of Colebrook Academy and was one of the trustees of the Methodist Society of his town. Sarah Blackstone (Merrill) Merrill, wife of Sherburn Rowell Merrill, died at Colebrook, September 27, 1877. Of their six children five lived to maturity. The first of these: Lucretia Frances, born at Woodstock, New Hampshire, April 7, 1838, married Edward Norris Cummings, son of Archelaus and Mary Fletcher Cummings of Colebrook, New Hampshire. He resided at Colebrook, New Hamp- shire, and Lynn, Massachusetts, and was a merchant. He died at Lynn, February 1, 1901. Their children are: I. Edward, born at Colebrook, New Hampshire, April 20, 1861; graduated at Woburn high school, 1879; Harvard College 1883; professor of sociology at Harvard University 1891-1900; a Unitarian clergy- man, settled in 1900, at the South Congregational Church, Boston, Massachusetts; married, 1891, Re- becca Haswell Clarke, Roxbury, Massachusetts. Their children are: Estlin, born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, October 14, 1894; Elizabeth Frances, born April 29, 1901, Cambridge. 2. Jane, born at Colebrook, New Hampshire, December 27, 1863; graduated Lynn high school, residence Lynn and Cambridge. 3. John, born at Colebrook, New Hamp- shire, May 18, 1868; graduated at Lynn high school, 1887; Harvard College, 1891 ; Ph. D. at Chicago Uni- versity ; instructor at Harvard College, department of Political Economy; in 1902 became assistant pro- fessor of Political Economy at Chicago University ; married December 3, 1900, Carrie Rebecca Howe, of Indianapolis, Indiana; their daughter, Frances Ellen, born at Chicago, Illinois, August 18, 1901.
Sarah Louisa, the second, born at Woodstock, New Hampshire, December 14, 1840, died at St. Paul, Minnesota, October 12, 1871 ; married at Cole- brook, April 14, 1859, Ira Allan Ramsay, son of Robert Ramsay; lawyer at Colebrook, New Hamp- shire, and St. Paul, Minnesota. He died at St. Paul, November IS, 1871. Their children were: Sherburn Merrill, Ira Allan, and Louis.
Ellen Louvena, the third, born at Woodstock, New Hampshire, January 5, 1843; married January 7, 1863. Joseph Erastus Lombard, son of Dr. Lyman and Betsey (Loomis) Lombard, Colebrook, New Hampshire; business, farmer; their children: I. Darwin, born June 9, 1864, Colebrook, New Hamıp- shire; married January 7, 1891, Rosa, daughter of Alfred and Sarah (Chase) Capen; their daughter, Ellen, was born at Charlton City, Massachusetts, May 13, 1894; residence, Colebrook, New Hampshire; business, merchant. 2. Lyman, born at Colebrook, New Hampshire, November 6, 1869; married De- cember 5, 1891, Angeline, daughter of Fayette and Martha (Reed) Marshall. Their children are: Merrill, born April 6, 1894; Marshall, born April IS, 1898. Residence, Colebrook, New Hampshire; busi- ness, merchant.
Caroline Hatch, the fourth, born at Woodstock, New Hampshire, August 14, 1845; married Irving WV. Drew, November 4, 1869. (Sec Drew, IV).
Mary Jane, the fifth, born at Woodstock, October 22, 1846, died at Boston, Massachusetts, November 6, 1906; married Tune, 1869, William Henry Shurtleff, son of Otis and Eliza (Peninoyer) Shurtleff. Law- yer, residence Colebrook and Lancaster, New Hamp- shire. Died at Lancaster, April 18, 1902. Their chil- dren are: 1. Merrill, born at Colebrook. March 10, 1870; graduated at Holderness School. 1888; Dart- mouth College, 1892; married June 14, 1897, Emily
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Porter, daughter of Horace and Abby (Small) Porter, Lancaster, New Hampshire. Lawyer, of the law firm of Drew, Jordan, Shurtleff & Morris, Lan- easter, New Hampshire. Their children are : Porter, born April 28, 1898; Merrill, born June 11, 1902. 2. Harry, born at Colebrook, June 25, 1871 ; married September, 1898, Louisa Wright, of Battle Creek, Michigan. Residence, Lisbon. Business, merchant.
A boy, Sherburn Samuel, died in infancy.
In 1879 Mr. Merrill married Mrs. Sarah Butler MeDole. She died at Concord, New Hampshire, in March, 1906. All his life Mr. Merrill was an in- defatigable worker; he gave the strictest attention to all the details of his diversified business interests ; he was frugal and prudent in his way of living ; lie was publie spirited, and took a keen interest in town, state and national affairs. By care and temperate liv- ing he retained good health and an unimpaired in- telleet to the ripe age of eighty-one years. He died April 9, 1891.
The following tribute to his worth is quoted from a letter written by former Governor Goodell, in whose council Mr. Merrill served the last two years of his life. "If ever a man deserved the title of Honorable, he is that man. A good, great, broad, honorable, honest man is gone." "He served his day and generation well."
(V) Nathaniel, youngest son of Abraham (2) and Mehetable (Stevens) Merrill, was born Sep- tember 15, 1755, in Derryfield ( Manchester), and re- sided there. He settled in what is now called Halls- ville, in East Manchester, where lie engaged in agri- culture. He was a soldier of the Revolution, serving three years, 1777-8-9. He married (first), Mary, daughter of Israel and Mary Young, who was the mother of five children; and his second wife was a widow, Mrs. Anna Davis. His children were: Lovina, Israel, Mehitable, Ezekiel, Nathaniel and Rebeeea.
(VI) Israel, eldest son of Nathaniel and Mary (Young) Merrill, was born June 24, 1788, in Man- chester, where he was a farmer, and died March 31, 1872. He settled on the east bank of the Merrimack river, just below Amoskeag Falls, and was employed by a boating company on the river, and subsequently on his own account, covering a period of many years, and was universally known by the title of Captain Merrill. It is said that he possessed a more compre- hensive knowledge of the Merrimack river, its depths and currents, between Lowell and Concord, than any other man of that period. There is a record of a boat race-his boat and another-covering the entire distance from Boston to Concord, and Captain Mer- rill won the contest by only the "length of a boat or so." He was pilot of the steamer which made its first trip to Concord, in 1817. A man of great museu- lar strength and wholly without fear, he rescued numerous persons from drowning, to the imminent danger of his own life. The Massachusetts Humane Society presented him an elegant and valuable gold medal, suitably inscribed, for saving the lives of two men and a boy on one occasion. This is still pre- served by his descendants. After boating on the river was superseded by the railway, he purchased a farm on the Merrill road, in what is known as the Harvey distriet of Manchester, where he resided until his death. He was a devoted member of the Congregational Church, and was warmly interested in the general welfare and prosperity of his home town. He was married January 30. 1816, to Naney Farmer, of Manchester, who died July 15. 1854. Their children were: Mary Ann. Henry Clinton (died young), infant daughter died young, Israel,
Henry Clinton, Eliza Jane, Sophia Maria, William Parker and Ann Johnson.
(VII) Mary Ann, eldest child of Israel and Naney ( Farmer) Merrill, was born July 1, 1817, and became the wife of Rev. Elisha Adams. (See Adams, VII).
(III) David, fourth son and eighth child of Abraham and Abigail (Webster) Merrill, was born February 20, 1677, in Newbury, and resided in that town and Amesbury. He was married December 18, 1706, to Mary Morse, daughter of Benjamin and Ruth (Sawyer) Morse and granddaughter of An- thony Morse, of Newbury (see Morse). David Merrill died about the beginning of the year 1760, surviving his wife more than five years, she having passed away August IS, 1753. Their children were : David, Stephen, Benjamin, Moses, Eliphalet, Mary and Abraham.
(IV) Eliphalet, fifth son and child of David and Mary (Morse) Merrill, was born about 1717, residing first in Amesbury, and later in Kensington and South Hampton, New Hampshire. According to the records of Amesbury he was married, July 10, 1736, to Lydia Clough, who must have died within a very short time. The records of South Hampton show his marriage June 7, 1744, to Mary Clough. Neither of these appear on the roll of members of the South Hampton church, but all of their children were baptized at that church as shown by the records. In the records of all the baptisms the mother's name is given as Anna, and since this is multiplied so many times it is assumed that the name was erroneously entered at the time of their marriage. Their children were: Joseph, Eliphalet, Mary, Thomas, Sarah, Nathaniel, Enos, Parker, Lydia and John.
(V) John, seventh son and youngest of the ten children of Eliphalet and Anna (Clough) Merrill, baptized August 23, 1766, in South Hampton, re- moved from that town in early life to the town of Weare, New Hampshire, and lived on Barnard Hill. He was married in South Hampton, January 21, 1796, to Anna Perkins, and they were the parents of several children. According to the history of Weare there were only four, three of whom were born in Weare.
(VI) Enos, eldest son of John and Anna ( Per- kins) Merrill, was born in South Hampton inn 1803 and died in Concord in January, 1896, aged ninety- three years. He accompanied his parents to Weare, was in trade in East Weare for many years, and was the first postmaster at that place. He re moved to Coneord, and in company with Mr. Harris formed the firm of Harris & Merrill, dealers in gen- eral merchandise. Some years later he removed to Boston, where he was a successful merchant. After retiring from business he returned to Concord and resided with his son. He was a man of integrity. and highly respected. In politics he was a Whig and afterward a Republican, and was a member of the city council while residing in Boston. He was a member of the Baptist church, and a deacon of that organization in New York. He married Harriett Cross (see Cross), daughter of David Cross, of Manchester, and they had four children, all born in Weare: Darius, Horace K., Nelson, and Harriett.
(VII) Darius, eldest son and child of Enos and Harriett (Cross) Merrill, was born in Weare, Au- gust 11, 1827, and died in Concord, March 29, 1900. aged seventy-three years. He attended the common schools, and was some years a elerk in a book- store conducted by his unele, Nathan Merrill, in
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Charlestown, Massachusetts. Soon after his return from a sojourn of some years in California, he en- listed September 5, 1861, in Company D, Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into service as a private December 31. On March 12, 1863. he was appointed quarter- master sergeant, and served in that capacity until he was mustered out. December 27, 186.1. In June, 1865, he was appointed to a clerkship in the United States pension office at Concord, where he served thirty-three years. In 1887 he was deputy secre- tary of state of New Hampshire. He was an at- tendant of the Baptist Church and in political senti- ment a Republican. He was a very methodical and reliable man and highly esteemed as a citizen. His pleasant manner and fraternal spirit made him many friends. He was past master of Eureka Lodge, No. 70, Free and Accepted Masons, of Con- cord, and was its treasurer twenty-six years. He was treasurer of the Masonic Association fourteen years. He married, January 15. 1866, Sarah Anın D. Peabody, born in Meredith, February 11. 1837, daughter of Asa and Sallie (Young) Peabody. Asa Peabody was born in Meredith in 1805. and died there in 1857, aged fifty-two years. He was a car- penter by trade. Sallie Young was born in Gilman- ton in 1798, and died in Laconia in 1864, aged sixty-six years.
(JI) Nathaniel (2), third son and child of Na- thaniel (1) and Susanna (Jordan) Merrill, was born about 1638. in Newbury, and died in that town January 1, 1683. He subscribed to the oath of fidelity and allegiance in 1668 and again in 1678. His will was made December 1, 1682, and probated on April 10 following. This will disposes of lands in Haverhill, and his sons Nathaniel and Peter were the heirs. He was married October 15. 1661, in Newbury, to Joanna Kinney. Their children were: John, Nathaniel, Peter, Joanna (died young), Jo- anna, Hannah and Mary.
(III) Jonathan, eldest child of Nathaniel (2) and Joanna ( Kinney) Merrill, was born January 16, 1663, in Newbury, and lived for a time in that town, removing thence to Haverhill in 1697. He was in Bradford in 1699, returning to Haverhill the next year. He was a house carpenter and no doubt moved about somewhat on account of his occupa- tion. Administration of his estate was granted July 9. 1705. and his widow was administratrix. He married Lucy Webster, daughter of John and Ann (Batt) Webster, of Haverhill, and granddaughter of John Webster, of Ipswich. (See Webster.) She was still living in Haverhill in 1718. Their children were: Nathaniel, Abel. Lucy, Abigail, John, Han- nah, Stephen. Enoch and Nathan. (John and de- scendants receive notice in this article.)
(IV) Nathaniel (3). eldest child of John and Lucy (Webster) Merrill, was born July 26. 1687, in Newbury, and resided in Haverhill. His will. made in 1837, mentions his wife Ruth (Walling- ford) and children : Daniel, Nathaniel, James, Anne. Lucy and Sarah.
(V) James, third son of Nathaniel (3) and Ruthi (Wallingford) Merrill, settled in that part of Haverhill which became the town of Atkinson, New Hampshire. He was married in Atkinson, in 1759. to Mary Emerson, of Atkinson, and their children. recorded in that town were: James. Nathaniel. Joshua, John, Stevens, Sarah, Ruth and Jeremiah. (VI) Stevens, fifth son and child of James and Mary (Emerson) Merrill, was born January 22. 1767, in Atkinson, and settled in Thornton, New Hampshire, where he was a farmer and cattle
dealer. He owned a farm of one hundred acres, and took a great pride in raising sheep. He was a Democrat in politics, and a Calvinist Baptist in religion. He married and had nine children : George, Thomas, Daniel. Edward, Priscilla. May and Charles Stevens, and two who died in infancy. Stevens Merrill died in Laconia.
(VII) Charles Stevens, son of Stevens Merrill, was born in Thornton, New Hampshire, October 6, 1800. He was educated in Weare, New Hamp- shire. He engaged in farming and owned a farm of one hundred acres in Woodstock. He was a successful stock raiser, and took great pride in his cattle. He was a Democrat in politics, and be- longed to the Free Will Baptists. He married Nancy, daughter of Edward Dowse, who was born at Thetford, Vermont. May 3, 1807. They had nine children: May, Emily, Daniel, Charles, Palmer Wood, Jane, Nellie N., widow of Eben Blake, George and Lucy. Charles Stevens Merrill died November 9, 1881. and his wife died November 29. 1895.
(VIII) Palmer Wood, third son and fifth child of Charles Stevens and Nancy (Dowse) Merrill, was born in Woodstock, New Hampshire, February S. 1838. Hé was educated in the district schools of Woodstock, after which he took up farming and lumbering. For twenty-five years he did an extensive lumber business, and owned a hundred- acre farm. At present his farm, near Lakeport, New Hampshire, has but seventy acres, and he has gone into stock raising. He operates a small milk route, deals in cattle, and takes great pride in horses. He is a Democrat and belongs to the Baptist Church. He married. November 27. 1864. Marie S. Davis, born at Gilford, New Hampshire, August 13. 1839. They have three children: Mamie A., born Febru- ary 4, 1868, married Sidney Buchannan, of Lebanon. New Hampshire: Laura B., born November 6, 1871, married Frank Johnson, of Malden, Massachusetts ; Herbert, born May 11. 1875, married Mabel G. Pit- man. has three sons-Raymond H., Glendon S., and Stanley A.
(IV) John, second son and fifth child of Jona- than and Lucy (Webster) Merrill, was born April 2. 1696. in Newbury, and was reared in Bradford and Haverhill. Ile went to York, Maine. for a short time, and was there in 1718. Soon after this he settled in Concord, New Hampshire, where 'he was one of the pioneers and was an active and useful citizen of the infant colony. He maintained a ferry over the Merrimack river, and built his house at the lower end of Main street, where the roads part. The location of the house is described as on a hill. This was probably at the corner of Main and West streets. The original well con- tinued in use as late as fifty years ago. Mr. Merrill was chosen a deacon of the church December 17, 1730, and was ever thereafter known by the title of Deacon Merrill. He married Lydia Haynes, and the baptism of his first three children is recorded in IJaverhill. The names of his children were: Moses, Thomas, John, Hannah (died in infancy ). Jonathan, Hannah, Nathaniel. Sarah, Ann, Abigail and Lydia. He had forty-three grandchildren bear- ing the name of Merrill. Among luis descendants were seven ministers, two lawyers and two physi- cians.
(V) John (2), third son of John (1) and Lydia ( Haynes) Merrill, was born November 25. 1725. in Haverhill. Massachusetts, and died in 1760. in Bow, New Hampshire. He was a farmer, and had land lying in Concord. Pembroke and Bow. Ile married Rebecca Abbott, daughter of Captain Na-
his certify, that having examined the Belhver, Lieut. Jeremitan Merrillin the requisite branches of Education, 2 consider him qualified to teach a town School, and to commence theirpractice surveying.
Meredith, Nov. 8, 1826. Dudley Leavitt, Teacher 7
REPRODUCTION OF TEACHER'S CERTIFICATE.
John J! Merrill.
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thaniel and Penelope (Ballard) Abbott, of Concord, and they were the parents of four children, all born in Concord, namely: Rebecca, Lydia, Penelope and John.
(VI) John (3), youngest child of Jolin (2) and Rebecca (Abbott) Merrill, was born June 14, 1756, in Concord, and resided in that town and in Bow. He married Sally Robertson, of Bow, and their children were: John, Moses, Eben and James.
(VII) James, son of John (3) and Sally (Rob- ertson) Merrill, was born June 17, 1793, in Bow. He was a successful farmer, also a carpenter and wheelwright. He married, April 18. 1816, Susan Silver, of Bow. They had nine children, the first three born in Bow, three in Wentworth, the seventh in Wilmot and the ninth in Salisbury: Moores Corliss, born in Salisbury, New Hampshire, August IS, 1817; Elihu, born July 22, 1820, married Harriet M. Batchelder in 1849; Willard, born December 2, 1822, died in 1833; Lydia, born August 7, 1824, married B. P. Fifield, in 1847; Judith, born May 15, 1827, married M. L. Walker, son of Israel and Phoebe Cross Walker, in April, 1847; Mchitabel M., born May 2, 1829, married E. Busiel, in 1846; Benjamin, born May 12, 1831, married Abigail E., daughter of Thomas K. and Susan Swett, January 20, 1856; one child who died in infancy ; James H., born July 10, 1837, married Eliza Jane Sleeper, April 24, 1859.
(VIII) Moores Corliss, eldest of the nine chil- dren of James and Susan ( Cilley) Merrill of Bow, was born in Salisbury, New Hampshire, August 18, 1817. He was educated in the common schools of Salisbury. He was a successful farmer all his life. In 1840 he bought a hundred-acre farm in North Sutton, and carried it on until his death, September 15, 1873, at the comparatively early age of fifty- six. He was a Democrat in politics, and at one time was a member of the Know-nothing party. He attended the Baptist Church, and was respected and liked by all who knew him. He married Mary Jane Cunningham Tucker, daughter of Jonathan and Susannah Rowell Tucker, on Christmas Day, 1844. She was born February 16, 1819. and sur- vived her husband twenty-one years, dying Febru- ary 1, 1894, aged seventy-five. They had one child, John Taylor Merrill.
(IX) John Taylor, only child of Moores Cor- liss and Mary J. C. (Tucker) Merrill, was born in North Sutton, New Hampshire, May 16, 1847. He was educated in the common schools of North Sutton. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade, in which he became very competent. He did much work for the late John Hay at his summer home on Lake Sunapee. John T. Merrill's farm has one hundred and seventy-five acres, and he has carried on a successful dairy business. He is a Democrat in politics. He has been constable for several years, and in 1890 was tax collector. He was selectman for several terms, in 1900 was chair- man of the board, and received every vote in town but two. While selectman he made several im- provments in town. He built a fine iron bridge over the river at South Sutton and completed a cemetery there. He is on the board of health at South Sut- ton, and was formerly a Granger. For many years he taught singing-schools in the surrounding towns. For fifteen years he was leader of the old Kear- sarge Band of Wilmot, New Hampshire. He mar- ried, January 1, 1871, Effie Violet Johnson, daughter of Joseph and Hannah ( Peaslee ) Johnson. She was born August 24, 1854. They have six children : Carl Gilmore, born May 3, 1872, married Luvie
Edith Hazen of North Sutton on March 19, 1905. Elwin Lee, born December 25. 1882, married on De- cember 25, 1904. Genevieve M. Ellis; they have one child, Clara G., born April IS, 1906. The other four children of John T. and Effie V. (Johnson ) Merrill are: Fred Elgin, born September 28, 1885; Reba Effie, born July 17, 1886, died the same year ; Orra Johnson, born July 5, 1889; Ethel Olive, born April 1, 1899.
(II) Abel, fourth son and youngest child of Nathaniel (1) and Susannah (Willerton) Merrill, was born February 20, 1644, in Newbury, Massa- chusetts, and died October 28. 1689. He was mar- ried February 10, 1671, to Priscilla Chase, who was born in Newbury, March 4, 1649, daughter of Aquila and Anne (Wheeler) Chase (see Chase V). Anne Wheeler was the daughter of John Wheeler, of Hampton, New Hampshire, who was born in Salis- bury, England, and moved to Newbury, where he was granted land in 1646. He was a mariner, and is said to have brought the first vessel over the Merrimac bar. The children of Abel and Pris- cilla Merrill were : Abel, Susannah, Nathan, Thomas, Joseph, Nathaniel, Priscilla and James.
([I]) Nathan, second son and third child of Abel and Priscilla (Chase) Merrill, born in New- bury, April 3, 1676, died in 1742, resided in West Newbury. He married (first), September 6. 1699, Hannah Kent, born September 10, 1679. After her death he married (second) Elizabeth Willet. The children by the first wife were: Hannah, John. Priscilla, Nathan, James, Stephen, Mary, Richard and Sarah.
(IV) Nathan (2), second son and fourth child of Nathan (1) and Hannalı (Kent) Merrill, was born May I, 1706, and died November 22, 1745. He married. November 22, 1731, Dorothy Carr, born in Salisbury, and they had six children: Richard, Nathan, Moses, Joseph, Jolmn and James.
(V) Richard, eldest child of Nathan (2) and Dorothy ( Carr) Merrill, who was born in New- bury, November 6, 1732, and died in 1791, was a housewright. He married, 1755, Mary Pillsbury, of Newbury, and they were the parents of eleven children : Mary, Dorothy, Nathan, Eunice, Rhoda, and Hannah (twins), Sarah, Joseph, Anne (or Sally Anna), Lydia and Lois.
(VI) Nathan (3), eldest son and third child of Richard and Mary ( Pillsbury) Merrill, was born in Newbury, January 6, 1761, and died August 29, 1836. He was in the war of the revolution, and served as a private in Captain Moses Little's com- pany of minutemen, which marched to Cambridge on the alarm of April 19, 1775. He was also in the service in Rhode Island in 1778. He moved to New Hampshire in 1804, and established a tavern on the turnpike near Bakers river in Rumney. Hle married 1785, Sarah Lowell Merrill, born March II, 1765, died July 13, 1822, granddaughter of Ben- jamin Lowell, and they had nine children: Mary, Nathan, Sally, Priscilla, Henry, Lydia, Phoebe, Jeremiah, and George.
(VII) Captain Jeremiah, third son and eighth child of Nathan (3) and Sarah Lowell ( Merrill) Merrill, was born September 7. 1803. in Newbury, and when a young child was taken by his parents to Rumney, New Hampshire, where he spent nearly his entire life, and died October 30, 1851. He ob- tained a better education than was usual at that time, and was a school teacher and civil engineer. The following is a copy of the certificate issued to him by Dudley Leavitt, the noted almanac-maker and a leader in educational work of his time:
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In August, 1826, before he was twenty-three years old, Mr. Merrill was commissioned a lieu- tenant in the Third Company, Fourteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Militia, and on April 28, 1828, he was commissioned captain of the same company. This position he resigned at the end of four years. July 1, 1834, he was commissioned captain of a rifle company of the same regiment. His superior ability and attainments made him a man of large influence in his town, and his untimely demise was widely regretted. He was inarried November I, 1831, to Mary Ann George, who was born No- vember 2, 1812, in Plymouth, daughter of Robert and Sarah (Dearborn) George, and died Septem- ber 14, 1877. She was a teacher in early life, and was a lady of refinement and many Christian vir- tues. She survived her lamented husband almost twenty-six years. Their children were: Byron (died in infancy), Byron G., Adelaide, Jennie and Henry.
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