Elizabeth (Smith) Merrick (bef. 1648 - 1733)

Born before 16 Sep 1648 in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Wife of Jabez Snow — married 5 Sep 1670 (to 27 Dec 1690) in Eastham, Plymouth Colony

Wife of William Merrick Jr. — married after 22 Apr 1691 in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 8 Jan 1733 after age 84 in Harwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts

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Biography

Elizabeth Smith (aka Smyth) was born in September 1648 in Hingham, Massachusetts, daughter of Ralph Smith. Despite some online trees that claim her mother was Elizabeth Hobart, Anderson argues that there is proof that Ralph had only one wife, Grace. (See research notes, below)

Elizabeth was the fifth of the 7 children (5 boys, 2 girls). Elizabeth's oldest brother, Ralph, died in infancy in 1639, all too common then. She grew up first in Hingham, then in Eastham, on Cape Cod, where her family moved in 1654 and where her younger sister, Deborah, was born the same year.

Eastham was a tiny, isolated community then and Ralph Smith was elected its Constable (policeman); as such he had many dealings with Nicholas Snow, Town Clerk and a town leader. Nicholas' son, Jabez Snow, courted her and they married in Eastham on October 10, 1668. Their union was blessed with 8 offspring (3 sons, 5 daughters) before Jabez died December 27, 1690, leaving her with several minor children to raise.

Widow Elizabeth Snow married widower William Merrick. The date of this second marriage is unknown, but probably sometime after 22 April 1691 when Elizabeth swore to her deceased first husband's estate inventory as "Elizabeth ye Relict of Liut Jabez Snow."^[1] They had no children together. William already had had 9 children by Abigail Hopkins, grand-daughter of Stephen Hopkins and niece of Constance Hopkins Snow, Elizabeth's former mother-in-law. Thus everyone in this extended Puritan family was kin. They had no recorded children together but raised a large, extended family. William lived to be 85 and died in October 1732; Elizabeth followed him to her grave in January 1733. She was 84 years old.^[2]

Christening Date: 16 SEP 1648 - Place: Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts^{[citation needed]}

Marriage Date to Jabez Snow: BEF 6 SEP 1670

Death Place: Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts

Research Notes

For reference regarding mother, see Ralph’s profile discussion and consider this:

Anderson (GMB, p 1698) indicates only one spouse, Grace _____:

"Most sources claim that Ralph Smith had two wives, and the children were by the first. There are also claims that his wife Grace was widow of Thomas Hatch of Barnstable, but his widow had apparently died by 1662. The only wife seen in the records for Ralph is Grace. Therefore until more recent (than 1995) research indicates otherwise, Elizabeth Hobart is being detached as his spouse and mother of his children. "The record of the first wife of Mr. Smith has not been found. She was probably the mother of his children. His second wife Grace ___, was the widow of Thomas Hatch.”

Sources

1. ↑ Bowman, George Ernest. "Abstracts of Barnstable County, Mass. Probate Records." The Mayflower Descendant. Vol. 12:39. 'Lieut Jabez Snow's Inventory'.
2. ↑ http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lescail&id=I1376 - a well-researched Smith genealogy; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=hhadaway&id=I11382 - with several primary sources on the Merrick family. Biography sketch researched and written by Chet Snow, October 23, 2014.

See also:

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lescail&id=I1376. Note: Outstanding, well-researched source that details the English origins of Elizabeth Smith who married Jabez Snow, and, after his death in 1690, William Merrick. Everything is there. Source found and added by Chet Snow, October 22, 2014.
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bch&id=I1879 - this Tree gives a source that identifies her as Elizabeth SMITH, daughter of Ralph Smith; grand-daughter of John Smith. She was christened on 16 September 1648 shortly after birth.
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=hhadaway&id=I11382
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lescail&id=I1376
• Ancestry Member Family Trees this tree is private, ancestry members can request access.
• LDS Online Family History Title: LDS Online Family History