John Merrill Sr. (1663 - 1705)

Born 16 Feb 1663 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Lucy (Webster) Merrill — married 1687 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America

Descendants

Died 15 May 1705 at age 42 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts

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Biography

JOHN MERRILL (NATHANIEL MERRILL, NATHANIEL MERRILL, NATHANIEL, JOHN *MERRELL, THE YOUNGER, JOHN MERYELL, JOHN, THOMAS) was born February 16, 1663/64 in Newbury, Essex, Mass, and died May 15, 1705 in Haverhill, Essex, Mass. He married LUCY WEBSTER 1687 in Haverhill, Essex, Mass, daughter of JOHN WEBSTER and ANNE BATT. She was born December 15, 1664 in Newbury, Essex, Mass, and died Aft. 1718 in Haverhill, Essex, Mass.

The Newbury tax list of 1688 shows that John owned one house, five acres of plowable land, three acres of meadow, one horse, one yoke of oxen, one cow, and eight sheep.^[1]

John was a house carpenter. He moved to Bradford in 1697 and then to the west parish of Haverhill about 1700.

Poor John certainly appeared to be having significant financial problems and his family appeared to struggle to pay his debts after he died. The probate documents give considerable insight into their life and the varied businesses they were engaged in to support the family.

This bill bindeth us Robert Swan and John Merrill both of haverill… two pay or case two bee payd unto Joseph Emery of Andover… the full quantity of six thousand & half of very good marcenteble deal bords two be payd & delivered by merimick river sid by below ye fals on emerys own land at or befour ye last of next may for a youck of oxen wich wee hath bond and reseved of him… ye 7th day of September: 1700
[signatures cut out]
Eliazar barbank
His X Mark
Judath Ross
Her X Mark

This bill bindeth me John Merrill of heavrill… too pay or case to bee paid unto Isack adems of newbury… ye just sum of fourty shillins in paper mony 20 shillins within ten days ye other 20 by ye 15 of may next after ye eat hear of Just by dew to said adems for corn this day this do reseved of sd adems and for ye true perfourming of ye seame I bind self… this third day of Jeneuary: 1703: or 1704….
John Merrill
In presens of
Abraham Kimbal
Eliazar burbank
His O Mark

To beads and beading.....................................05-00-00
To pewter..........................................................00-17-00
To brass.............................................................01-06-00
To ioron housald old goods............................01-04-00
To woodin housald goods...............................00-18-00
To a cebine [?] and sword...............................00-14-00
To utintials for husbandry..............................01-02-00
To one cow and calf.........................................02-10-00
To two yeer olds...............................................02-00-00
To two old mares.............................................03-00-00
To eight sheep and three lambs....................01-15-00
To swine 7:........................................................02-00-00
To one quarter part of a sawmill and land and
medow belonging to it and utentials.............50-00-00
To the hous and homsted.................................80-00-00

The above is an inventrey of the estate of John meril latt of haverhil deseaced apprised by
Jun 4: 1705 - Josiah Cage, Thomas destun

[ ] racaved of lusi meriel John meriel lat dasaced his widow the just and full sum of twanty shilling money I saye racaved bye mee John hutchins

Reseivd of ye wido meril of haverill ten berils of sider five pound 05=00-0 isay reseivd by mee James Ordway

December 4th: 1705 This may satesfi home it may Consarn yt sister merril harth paid meee seven shillens yt har husband John marill oed mee
William Moulton

December 5 1705 Receved of Luesi merill one pound and ten shillings in full payent for a debt which was dew to me from her husband John merill of haverill Decesed… James ffreese

I Doe hearby acknowledge ye I have Receaved of ye widow Lucy Merrill Relect & widow to John Merrill late of Haverhill Decesed & administratrix to sd John meril his Estate ten pounds as money which was paid in her son Nathanil merill’s labour or service since her husband John merril’s Death & so I doe acquit ye sd John merril his estate- P Simon Wainwright
Dated 3d- May 1706

1706 Agust ye 17 day
Receved of widow Lucey Merrel in pipe staves sider and other pay three pounds and ninten shillings it being in full of a Count Dew from John Merells Eastat unto James ford I say Receved in full to this day of all a Counts £3:19s. 0d
P me James Ford

Feburery 18: 1698/9 my brother John merill Dete for a wheel & sum knot dishes which he hed of me 0-09s-04d this may sartifie whom it may consarn that I do now freely give to my sister ye widow of the above sd merill this debt Neewbery this 5 day of September 1706
James ffreese

Agust 2: 1704 delivered to my son John merill seven yards of cloth which came to in mony 1-08-00 which was not payed and now I do se cause to giv this debt to my daughter in Law Luce merill dated at Newbery septemr 5 1706
Johana merill

John marel datar to me tweanty shilling recived of widow marel in sept 23 1706 the sum of fourteen shilling being in part of that dew I say received by me
Samuel hutchins

Brother John Merill being in deted to me for weeing 17 yards of yardwid cloth at sixpence per yard aight shilling & six pence & 26 yards of yardswid cloth 13 shilings for which I have reseved full satisfaction of her since his death which was due in : 1699 satisfied in: 1706
Stephen Webster

And for own barill five shillings & 4 peance

We whos names ar hereunto subscribed being appointed… to apprize the real and parsonall estat of John merril latte of averhill deceased as may appeer by his honours commission to us directed having datt febuery the 3d 1706/7…

Imprimis to the personal estat to one old
mare..................................................................02-10-00
It to one old cow 2£-10- to two 3yere ol
lucifers...............................................................06-10-00
It to 3 sleep and lambs 1£:4s to swine
1£:10s................................................................02-14-00
It to beads and beading 4£: to brass vessels
2£:3s:.................................................................06-03-00
It to peauter vessels 1£:3s: iron household
ware 1£:7s:........................................................02-10-00
It to utntials for husbandry 10s: to artillery
13s:.....................................................................01-03-00
It to wooden household ware att 16s............00-16-00
............................................................................22-06-00

It to the real estat taking great care and paines in [ ] of the saverall parcels therof we have aprized the same as foloeth vizt
It to the home land that which remains of that
which was bought of Capt: wainwright and of
Mr wadly of Exeter att 95£..............................95-00-00
It to one quarter part of the saw mill att a plase
called spickit falls with land and rights of land
bought of Robart Swan: att.............................40-00-00
Dattd march the 20th: 1706/7......................135-00-00
Sume total.......................................................157-06-00

We expect 12 shillings a pece for our [ ] besids to Josiah Cage two shillings for making this [ ]
Josiah Cage
Thomas duston

We have given notification… to ye severall creditors to ye Estate of John Merrill of Haverhill Decest & have received & examined thir severall claimes & wee find ye said John Merrill Justly Indebted as followeth
To Henry Hasiltine Seven pounds & eaight shilins
by bill.................................................................07-08-00
To Elisha Davis by bill 4£ 8s & by other dealing
20s......................................................................05-08-00
To mr James pecker 2£: 16s-7d by book.......02-16-07
To capt small Ayer 5£ 8s by bill & by book
10s [ ]............................................................05-18-00
To Decon nathll Coffin 3£ 5s by bill & by book
5£:10s:3d...........................................................08-15-03
To John Simons by book for labour 2£ 7s.....02-07-00
To John Green of Bradford for one barrill of
pork 2£:15s.......................................................02-15-00
To Peter Green of Haverhill by book
1£.15s.7d...........................................................01-15-05
To John Dow for labour 18s............................00-18-00
To Stephen Coffin by book 3£........................03-00-00
To Samuel Currier for grain 14s.....................00-14-00
To Robert Kimball 3£ being part of pay for a
hors....................................................................03-00-00
To mr Phillip attwood for barrills 5£ 10s.......05-10-00
To Thomas whittier for a ffatt cow 2£ 16s....02-16-00
To matthew Heriman senr 6s.........................00-06-00
To Nathll Merrill by book 14s-6d....................00-14-06
To Samll Attkinson 10s....................................00-10-00
To capt Stephen greenleif by bill 12£............12-00-00
To mr James Coffin by booke 3£ 2s 6d..........03-02-06
To mr John march sadler by bill 30s..............01-10-00
To col: Nath Saltonstall by book 6s................00-06-00
To capt Benjemen Stevens by bill 3£-3s........03-03-00
To Samll Smith 4s.............................................00-04-00
To Samll Simons 2£:7s for labour & Rates....02-07-00
To John Emery for malt 13s-6d.......................00-13-06
To Stephen Davis by bill 4£ 6s........................04-06-00
To Hanill [?] Clarke senr for hay 3s................00-03-00
To John pensly for labour 20s.........................01-00-00
To ye widow Hanah Swan 4s..........................00-04-00
............................................................................83 11 11

To capt James fry 2£........................................02-00-00
To michill Emerson 3£.....................................03-00-00
To Sent John Hasiltine 24s..............................01-04-00
To Jonathan Emerson for Rates 1£-17s-3d...01-17-03
To Edward Carlton 8s-6d.................................00-08-06
To Capt Thomas Harvy 6s...............................00-06-00
To Samll Hills by book 9s.................................00-09-00
To Col: John wainwright by book 17£-9s-3d.17-09-03
To Beneighiah Tittcomb 20s money sent......01-00-00
To James freez thirty & two pounds according to the tenure of his father in law
Nathanil merril his will....................................32-00-00
To Jacob Saterly for weaving 1£-5s-6d...........01-05-06
To peter patie by book....................................01-09-06
To John White by book 3£-19s-2d..................03-19-02
To Jonathan Simons by bond 7£ 18s.............07-18-00
To Cutting Noyce by book 14s........................00-14-00
To us ye Subscribers for Receaving & examining ye
severall claimes to ye value of six days & found our
selves besides our Travill to Ipswich to be
Sworne...............................................................31 00 00
.......................................................................161 12 01…
Dated at Haverhill Sept 15: 1707
John White
Thomas Duston
Joseph Kingsbury

To Robbord Swan byagrement.......................00 15 00
For amans [?] going for the docter to
amsbery...............................................................00 4 00
To Elisha davis in sider and [ ].....................00 18 00
To Benjemen Huchins pastering and dameg.00 11 00
To Samuel [ ] four shillings [ ] other mony...00 6 00
To John Swan in work.......................................00 22 00
To Sammuel Swan in work..............................00 13 00
To Richard kimbal in keeping a cow...............00 14 00
To Jonnathan kimbal upon a bargin...............00 15 00
To Johana merrills content for work..............00 15 00
To Jonathan lord for a snow [ ] in sider....00 06 00
To Edward carlton in sider and other pay.....01 04 00
To hanel clark for diging the grave.................00 03 00
To Samuel Sheperd in sider............................00 06 00
To Samuel [ ] in pasturing...........................00 03 00
To John adkinson upon agreement................00 10 00
To Samuel huchins upon agreement.............00 04 00
To John [ ] in sider........................................00 06 00
[ ] James [ ]....................................................3 19 -
Wm Moulton..........................................................0 07 0
John Sayer three & ten pence.................................3 10
John shepard forten shillings...............................0 14 –
Caleb mody six shillings.......................................0 06 0
Capt Symon Wainwright in Cash.......................10 0 00
James Freese.......................................................1 10 00
John Hutching......................................................1 00 00
Saml Hutching.....................................................0 14 00
[ ] Webster........................................................1 03 6
John Merrill............................................................2 00 0
Jos Emery...............................................................0 14 0
James Ordway.......................................................5 00 0
Johan Merrill..........................................................1 08 0
James Freese.........................................................0 09 4
...............................................................................37 06 2

Lucy Merrill admx on ye estate of Jno Merri
ll Late of Haverhill Decd her act of adm- Exhibited Novr 3d 1707
The sold [ ] p Reall Estate as pr Inventory
apprzed on oath...............................................138-00-0
P prsonall Estate pr Ditto....................................22-6-0

The said Estate Dr
To sundry Credr as p [ ] on file allowed by
ye [ ]............................................................161-12-00
To ye severall Creditors pd by ye admx before
ye [ ]..............................................................37-06-02
..........................................................................198-18-02

Yor Hond acco prays allowance as follows
To Bond & Letters of admo...............................00-07-6
To Recording ye Inventory................................00-03-6
To Travel to obtaine power wth [ ] &
expences.............................................................00-09-0
To Journey to Exhibitt ye Inventory.................00-06-0
To Journey to Render Accounts........................00-06-0
To Journey to obtaine Comision of Insolvency.00-06-0
To [ ] & Recording ye acco............................00-03-0
To allowing ye acco............................................00-05-0
To Comision of apprisers..................................00-02-0
To Comision of [ ]..........................................00-02-0
To petition [ ] to ye [ ]...............................00-02-0
To Copy of Debts & acco...................................00-02-0
To a [ ].................................................................00-04-0
Allowed ye admx for nine [ ] on a sick child...15-00-0
[ ] ^[2]

Notes for JOHN MERRILL: From " A Merrill Memorial" by Samuel Merrill, Cambridge, MA 1917-1928 John Merrill (Nathaniel) was born 16 Feb 1662/63 in Newbury, MA, and died 15 May 1705. He was a house carpenter. About 1697 he removed from Newbury to Bradford, MA., and about 1700 to West Parish of Haverhill, MA. He left an estate valued at £150, 7s., but his debts amounted to £158,12s. He married Lucy Webster, daughter of John and Ann (Batt) Webster. She was born 15 Dec 1664, in Newbury , and was living in Haverhill in 1718. (William M. Sargent appears to be in error in the Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder{Vol.III.,p.179} in saying that John Merrill married as a second Wife "Mary???.")

Administration on the estate of John Merrill was granted too "Lucy Merrill," his widow, 9 Jul 1705.) Children, the first five of whom were born in Newbury. Children of JOHN MERRILL and LUCY WEBSTER are: 46. i. NATHANIEL MERRILL, b. July 26, 1687, Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. August 25, 1737, Haverhill, Essex, Mass. 47. ii. ABEL MERRILL, b. 1690, Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. March 29, 1753, Newbury, Essex, Mass. 48. iii. LUCI MERRILL, b. 1691, Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. Unknown. 49. iv. ABIGAIL MERRILL, b. 1693, Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. Unknown, Salisbury, Essex, Mass. 50. v. JOHN MERRILL, b. April 3, 1696, Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. 1773, Concord, NH. 51. vi. HANNAH MERRILL, b. 1698, Bradford, Essex, Mass; d. June 9, 1744, Haverhill, Essex, Mass. 52. vii. STEPHEN MERRILL, b. September 11, 1700, Haverhill, Essex, Mass; d. April 28, 1746, Metheun, Essex, Mass. viii. ENOCH MERRILL, b. January 23, 1701/02, Haverhill, Essex, Mass; d. Unknown, Stratham, N.H.. 53. ix. NATHAN MERRILL, b. April 15, 1704, Haverhill, Essex, Mass; d. Unknown. John Merrill was a house carpenter. About 1697 he moved from Newbury to Bradford, Massachusetts, and about 1700 moved to the West Parish of Haverhill, Massachusetts. He left an estate valued at £152,7s., but his debts amounted to £158,12s.

Joseph was born about 1680.

Sources

1. ↑ Taxes Under Governor Andros- Walter Jeffries- NEHGR- Vol. 32, pp. 161 (Apr. 1878)
2. ↑ Essex County Registry of Probate- Docket No. 18268

• Stephanie Winchester, firsthand knowledge.
• "A Merrill Memorial" by Samuel Merrill, Cambridge, MA 1917-1928
• "The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury"- David Hoyt, Snow & Farnum, Providence, 1897- Vol. I, pp. 246-7

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Joe Fitzgerald for starting this profile.
• A Merrill Memorial