John Merriman (1660 - 1741)

Born 29 Feb 1660 in New Haven, New Haven Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Lines) Merriman — married 28 Mar 1683 in Wallingford, CT

Husband of Elizabeth (Peck) Merriman — married 20 Nov 1690 in Wallingford, CT

Descendants

Died 1741 at about age 80 in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut

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Biography

John Merriman, second son by that name of Nathaniel and Joan Merriman, was born in New Haven, New Haven Colony last of Feb 1659 [1659/60 OS/NS].^[1][2][3]

John and his older sisters Abigall and and Marey, children of Brother Mereman were baptized 27 June 1661 at the First Church of New Haven.^{[4] [5]}

In 1670, the new town of Wallingford was settled in what was at the time a wilderness. Nathaniel Merriman Sr. his wife, and his sons and daughters moved to the new settlement. This was six years after the New Haven Colony was absorbed into the Colony of Connecticut.^[6]

John was captain of the Wallingford train band. He also served as deputy to the General Court of the Colony of Connecticut for fourteen years.

John married four times. All of his children were born in Wallingford.^[2]

1. 28 March 1683, Wallingford, Hannah Lines (1665-1688), dtr of Ralph and Alice Lines.
2. 20 Nov 1690, Wallingford, Elizabeth Peck (1673-aftr 1709), dtr of John and Mary Peck.
3. on or about 15 Mar 1710/11 Hannah Dewey, widow of Benjamin Newberry of Windsor; John divorced her for desertion in 1718.^[7]
4. After 1720 Elizabeth (Brown) Street, widow of Michael Todd and Samuel Street, dtr of Eleazer and Sarah Brown

Mary Doolittle and John Merriman were not married as stated by Davis in Early Families of Wallingford , Connecticut.^[8] Various deeds clearly show that Elizabeth Peck was his second wife and that Caleb his youngest son was a child of Elizabeth.^[3] The vital records list his children's mother's names, Hannah and Elizabeth.^[9]

The highly contentious divorce from his third wife Hannah (Sackett) Dewey Newberry Merriman, undoubtedly ruined both their reputations. He was twice fined for being a loudmouth and a trouble maker. In Windsor he accused his wife of being a whore and implied that the Justices of Windsor had sex with her. In Wallingford, he bragged that he had sexual relations with a local widow, who would become his fourth wife. The voters of Wallingford, in 1716, chose others to hold the positions of Deputy and Captain of the Trainband.^[10]

John Merriman died in 1741, in Wallingford, Connecticut^[2][3]

Merriman's will was dated 15 May 1740 and proved 7 Feb 1741. He mentions sons Israel, John and George; Daniell, son of George; Elisabeth sometime wife of Gershom Todd; children of his daughter Sarah deceased, sometime wife of Moses Atwater; children of daughter Mary, deceased, that was wife of John Merriam; children of daughter Susannah, wife of Ezekiel Tuttle; and son Caleb.^[3]

Children all born in Wallingford, the first three by Hannah Lines and the rest by Elizabeth Peck.^[2]

1. Esther b. 24 Jan 1683 [1683/4]; died young
2. Abigail of John and Hannah b. 1 Feb 1685; died young
3. George son of John and Hannah b. 14 July 1688; d. 1736; m. Susanna Abernaathy
4. John, son of John and Elesebath b. 16 Oct 1691; d. 17 Feb 1784; m. Jemima Wilcoxson
5. Israel, of John and Elizabeth, b. 23 Jan 1693/4; d. after 1753; m. Comfort Benham
6. Sarah b. 17 Feb 1702; d. 3 Feb 1733 Wallingofrd; m. Moses Atwater
7. Elizabeth of John and Elizabeth, b. 2 July 1703; d between 1732 and 1735; m. Gershom Todd
8. Mary of John and Elizabeth, b. 15 Mar 1705; d. 23 May 1732 Wallinford; m. 21 Apr 1725 John Merriam
9. Caleb of John and Elizabeth, b. Apr 1707; d. 2 Jun 1770; m Ruth Sedgwick
10. Susanna of John and Elizabeth, b. 20 July 1709; m. Ezekiel Tuttle

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records of New Haven 1649-1850 Part I. Hartford: The Connecticut Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America, 1917. p. 17
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Jacobus, Donald Lines (compiler). Families of Ancient New Haven, Vol I-VIII. and Index Vol IX New Haven: 1931. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1974, 1981, 1997. Originally published as New Haven Genealogical Magazine, Volumes I-VIII. Rome, NY and New Haven, CT 1922-1932. p. 1167/8
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Merriman, Mansfield. Reunion of Descendants of Nathaniel Merriman at Wallingford, Conn., June 4, 1913 (Donald L. Jacobus, New Haven, Conn., 1914) p. 142
4. ↑ Connecticut Church Records Index: New Haven First Congregational Church 1639-1937. Vol. J-Z. Hartford: Connecticut State Library, 1947.
5. ↑ "Baptisms in the Church in New Haven, Conn. during the Ministry of Rev. John Davenport" New England Historical and Genealogical Register 9:361 (1855) p. 361 Children of Nathaniel Merriman baptized 1661, June 27: John b last of Feb 1659; Abigail b 18 Apr 1654; Mary b 12 July 1657. Baptized 25 June 1665: Caleb b May 1665.
6. ↑ Davis, Charles Henry Stanley. History of Wallingford, Conn., from its Settlement in 1670 to the Present Time. Meriden, Conn.: 1870. Vol 1.
7. ↑ “Divorce Papers, 1712-1899, A-Z”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSPW-5SRG-1  : 16 March 2021), New Haven, Connecticut, FHL microfilm 008237553, image 234-301.
8. ↑ Davis, Charles Henry Stanley. Early Families of Wallingford, Connecticut. (1870). Reprint Gen. Publ Co. 1979
9. ↑ Connecticut Vital Records to 1850 "Wallingford" (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.) From original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928.
10. ↑ 'Women Before the Bar: Gender, Law, and Society in Connecticut, 1639-1789 by Cornelia Hughes Dayton, publ. UNC Press Books, 2012. p. 138 link to view at Google books

• Find a Grave (www.findagrave.com/memorial/28820708/john-merriman), memorial page for Lieut John Merriman (28 Feb 1659–1741), Find A Grave: Memorial #28820708, citing Center Street Cemetery, Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by V. Nareen Lake (contributor 46613568) . No stone.