Ruth (Chandler) Merrill (bef. 1818 - 1893)

Born before 20 Mar 1818 in Gt Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England

Ancestors

Wife of John Richard Merrill — married 27 Apr 1841 in Gt Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England

Descendants

Died 22 Jul 1893 after age 75 in Gt Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England

Biography

Ruth was born on 20 Mar 1818 at Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, the eighth of nine children born to William Chandler and Elizabeth Boud - James 1798; Samuel 1801; Hannah 1803; David 1806; Joseph 1809; Elizabeth 1812; Rebecca 1814, Ruth 1818; William 1823. None of the children were baptised in the Established Church. The birth dates were provided by the former librarian at the LDS in Salt Lake City, who had access to many records. But all censuses point to 1818 as Ruth's birth year.

She married John Richard Merrill at Gt Gransden on 27 Apr 1841^[1], and lived there for the rest of her life.

They had eight children - John 1842; William 1844; William 1846, Benjamin 1848; Marian 1850; Hannah 1853; Elizabeth 1855, George 1858

The family appeared in all censuses living in Gt Gransden, Huntingdonshire:

1841- Elizabeth Chandler 65; (Ruth's mother); William Chandler 18; separate household, same house; John Merrill 21, Ruth Merrill 23; Ann Purser 7 (Ruth's niece whose mother Hannah died in 1838) ^[2]

1851 - Richard Merrill head married 31 ag lab b Caxton Cambs; Ruth Merrill 33 b Gransden; John Merrill son 9 scholar b Gransden; William Merrill son 5 scholar b Gransden; Mary Ann Merrill daughter 10mths b Gransden. ^[3]

1861 - John R Merrill, head, married 42, ag lab, born Caxton; Ruth Merrill, wife 43 born Gt Gransden; John, son, 18, ag lab; William son, 15, ag lab; Hannah dau 8 scholar; Elizabeth dau 5; George son 3. Children all born Gt Gransden. ^[4]

1871 - John Merrill H M 51 ag lab b Caxton; Ruth Merrill wife 53 b Gt Gransden; William Merrill son 25 ag lab ; Mary A Merrill dau 20 b Gt Gransden; George Merrill son 13 b Gt Gransden ^[5]

1881 John R Merrill head marr 61 ag lab b Caxton; Ruth Merrill wife 63 b Gt Gransden ^[6]

1891- John R Merrill head marr 71 ag lab b Caxton; Ruth Merrill wife 73 b Gt Gransden ^[7]

She passed away in 1893

Research Notes

Confusingly there were two William and Elizabeth Chandler couples having children at the same time in Great Gransden; One couple baptised their children in the parish church, the other couple didn't. I researched this branch of my family 20 years ago and didn't record, nor can I remember, how I established that all the unbaptised children belonged to William and Elizabeth, nor how I decided who the names of the children were. But there's great US interest in this family as three of Ruth's siblings, Rebecca, Elizabeth and Samuel, emigrated to Utah with the LDS, so there are papers in Salt Lake City relating to them. I know, that's no substitute for real evidence!

The first couple, William Chandler and Elizabeth Brockwell married in Gt Gransden on 23 Nov 1790; They baptised William 27 Aug 1791; John 10 Dec 1793; Mary 18 Oct 1796;

Sources

1. ↑ Gt Gransden parish register
2. ↑ 1841 census of England and Wales
3. ↑ 1851 census of England and Wales
4. ↑ 1861 census of England and Wales
5. ↑ 1871 census of England and Wales
6. ↑ 1881 census of England and Wales
7. ↑ 1891 census of England and Wales