Meribah (Sweet) Gereardy (abt. 1632 - aft. 1681)

Wife of John Gereardy — married before Oct 1654 in Warwick, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died after 31 Jul 1681 after about age 49 in Rhode Island [uncertain]

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Biography

Renewed (Sweet) Gereardy immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

Meribah Sweet was born say 1632 either in England or shortly after her family arrived in New England. She was the daughter of John Sweet and Mary (birth surname unknown.^[1] Her father died in 1637 and her mother was remarried to Ezekiel Holliman. At some point they changed her name to "Renewed" Sweet. ^[2]

Renewed was married to "Dutchman" Jan/John Gereardy. His business interests led them to live in New Amsterdam, Warwick, and Providence. Two daughters were baptised on October 11, 1654 in Long Island, New Amsterdam.^[3]

1. Philippe/Phyllis Gereardy
2. Marritie Gereardy
3. (prob) John

Regarding Phillis and Marritie/Mary, this deposition was given by Samuel Gorton on 24 Feb 1719:

It was deposed by Samuel Gorton that John Gereardy, late of Warwick, deceased, did marry a daughter of Mary Holliman formerly wife to Ezekiel Holliman, named Renewed, and that the wifes of Jeremiah Smith of Prudence and John Smith, now of Kings Town (sic) were reputed to be daughters of John Gereardy by Renewed, their names being Mary and Phillis.^[4] (p. 302 of Austin).

Renewed and John Gereardy were mentioned in the 31 Jul 1681 will of Renewed's mother, Mary (Unknown) Sweet Holliman when she bequeathed her house and land in Warwick to them. The will noted that they were "formerly of Warwick, now of Prudence" (presumably Prudence Island but it is uncertain where the couple lived after this point.^[4] So far this is the last documented appearance of the couple.

Sources

1. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 1995. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010) Subscription Link $. Page 1789.
2. ↑ Fuller, Oliver Payson. The History of Warwick, Rhode Island, Settlement in 1642 to the Present Time. Providence, RI: Self-Published, 1875. Page 42.
3. ↑ Bolton, Charles Knowles. "Philip Gereardy of New Amsterdam, Landlord of the City Tavern, and His Rhode Island Descendants." New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 52. Boston, MA: 1898. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) Subscription Link $. Pages 313-318.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} The genealogical dictionary of Rhode Island : comprising three generations of settlers who came before 1690 : with many families carried to thefourth generation by Austin, John Osborne, 1849-1918 Publication date 1887 p. 195

• Ezekiel Holliman of Warwick, by Perry Streeter, Canisteo, NY; Dedham Historical Register, Vol. 3-4 by Dedham Historical Society, (Mass) 1892.