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| Notes for Nathaniel MERRILL | ||||||||||||
| Nathaniel MERRILL - bap. May 4, 1601, Wherstead, Suffolk, England; d. Mar. 16, 1654/5, Newbury, Essex Co., MA. Son of Nathaniel MERRELL and Mary BLACKSOLL. A principal source of information about the MERRILL family in England and America is A MERRILL MEMORIAL, by Samuel Merrill (1917-1928 Cambridge, MA). Nathaniel arrived at Ipswich, MA about 1633 and remained there with brother John a year or more before moving to Newbury, MA. His will dated Mar. 8, 1654/5 and proved Mar. 27, 1655 names wife Susanna, daughter Susanna, and five sons, all children except Nathaniel being under age 21. The first paragraph of his will indicates much about the testator's faith: "Witness by those psents that I Nathaniell Merrill of Newbury in the Countie of Essex being sicke of body but through gods mercy of perfect memory do here make my last will and testament. I first bequeath my soule into the hands of my blessed Redeemer with an assured hope of a joyfull resurection, and my body when it shall please the lord to take me out of this fraile life to bee buryed in the burying place of Newbury, and for my worldly goods I give and dispose of as followeth." The estate inventory of Mar. 23, 1654/5 indicated Nathaniel was a man of modest means, with 13 acres of land, 14 head of cattle and common farming and household implements. A debt of œ5 for rent to John Cutting indicates Nathaniel leased his dwelling. Married probably in England. Susanna - d. Jan. 25, 1672/3, Newbury, Essex Co., MA. Although son John was executor and major legatee of Gregory WOLTERTON, Susanna was not the sister of Gregory, a tanner of Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. Susanna's surname is not known. The birth of her first four children are reported in Lawrence I. Shepard's "In Search of English Origins: Edward Shepard Part II," HERITAGE QUEST, No. 24, page 38. Susanna married second Stephen JORDAN (d. Feb. 8, 1669/70, Newbury, MA) who had two daughters by a prior marriage. | ||||||||||||
| Notes for Susanna (Spouse 1) | ||||||||||||
| 988Nathaniel Merrill, m. Susanna Wilterton . Widow Susanna married 2nd. Stephen Jordan of Newbury and died Jan 25, 1672. 989Inventory of the estates of Susanna Jordan, deceased Jan 25 1672, taken Feb 4 1672, by William Pilsbury, Moses Pilsbury and Anthony Somerby: cow, ¹3; 15s; two heifers coming three yere old. ¹5; one pigg, 3s 4d; her wearing apparrell, ¹2; an old flockbed, a paire of sheets, an old Rug & blancket, ¹1; 10s; two old Iron potts, one pr of pot hooks, frying pan, bucket, 2 tramells ¹1; 4s; a little cubbard, 2 old chests, a keiler, an old hogshead & 2 trayes, 14s; 3 old pewter dishes, an old chamber pot, a pint pott & a broken cup, 13s; An old sword, a spit, fire shovel & tongues, 10s; a brasen candlestick, pr of sheep shears, an old brasse skillet & some lumber, 3s; total ¹15; 12s 4d. Debts due from Abraham Merril, ¹1;10s; Richard Bartlett, ¹1;; Thomas Barbur, 9s. The deceased owes to Henry Short ¹1; 10s; goodman Ordway 5s 5d; John Bartlet, 2s; Will Bolten, 3s 8d; Tristrum Coffin, 12s; John Knight, 6s; to Abell Merrill for wintering two cowes 3 winters & 2 calves, ¹7; 4s; cutting & making 3 load & halfe of hay, 18s; charges for her funerall for coffin & diggeing the grave, ¹1;; due to Joane Merrill, ¹2; 5s; total ¹12; 5s 1d. Administration on the estate of Susan Jordan, intestate, granted Mar 25 1673 to Abell Merrill, her youngest son. Ipswich Quarterly Court Records, 5:193 Attested in Ipswich court 25:1m:1673 by Abell Merrill. | ||||||||||||
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| 234"The conjecture has been advanced, and it has even been stated as a fact, that the wife of Nathaniel Merrill was Susannah Wilterton (or Wolterton). John2 Merrill, one of the older sons of Nathaniel1, went to Hartford, Connecticut before 1657, while still a minor, and it is said was adopted by Gregory Wilterton. Savage, in his "Genealogical Dictionary", said that Gregory Wilterton "had good estate, large tan works, and no children" Gregory Wilterton made his will 17 Jul 1674 and died soon after leaving legacies to a number or persons, including relatives in Ipswich, England. Savage adds: "Most of his estate was given to John Merrills (with an s), because he had adoptd him." The same statement of adoption is made in the "Memorial History of Hartford" These facts lend plausibility to the theory that Gregory Wilterton was a brother of Susannah Merrill. It was a long journey from Newbury to Hartford; means of communication were meager, and both communities were in their infancy. It seems unlikely that John2, as a very young man, would have made such a journey, separating himself for a lifetime from home and kin, unless to make a home with other kin in the place where he went to live. Gregory Wilterton of Hartford was childless; Susannah Merrill of Newbury was a widow with five sons and a daughter, most of them in their minority. It would have been natural for Gregory Wilterton under these circumstances to write to his kinswoman in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and offer a home and modest fortune to one of the boys. But Gregory Wilterton may have been a more distant relative, or merely a friend. Until other evidence is brought forward, the conscientious genealogist must say that the maiden name of Nathaniel's wife is unknown" (copied by Deane W. Merrill, Danby VT, 22 Sep 1975) | ||||||||||||
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