Subject: Re: Merrill family Israel Merrill
Date: Thu, October 4, 2007 9:07p

Question: Todd J. Merrill wrote:

I am hoping to find out the name of Israel Merrill's (b/abt 1750)wife. He is the son of Israel, son of Daniel, son of John of Hartford. Who is son of Nathaniel Merrill of Newbury. I believe there is a possibility that her last name could be Shepherd or Shepard, because my g,g,g,grandfathe! rs middle name is Shepherd (Austin) is his first name. My home is Preston, Idaho.

Answer: Todd:

We are sorry, but we do not know the name of either of Israel (5)'s [ca 1752-ca1816] two wives.

Let us introduce ourselves. We are Howard and Jean Merrill. For twenty five years we have been trying to database the Merrill/Merrell surname nationwide from the original immigrants right down to the present day for all immigrant lines.  So far, we have info on over 60,000 Merrill males, plus their wives and daughters in our data base, but we estimate there have been well over 100,000 so we have a long way to go, and we need and appreciate all the help we can get, particularly with the later generations. We use this database strictly to try and help folks trace their Merrill roots.  Be assured that no info on living individuals will become internet accessible.  We would be very interested in  the details of your Merrill line down to the present day, particularly the last few generations.

While our database is not searchable, we will be glad to search it for anybody and share what we find at no cost. All that we ask is that folks share their Merrill data with us , so that we can expand our database, and do a better job of helping solve Merrill lineage problems.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Lafayette Merrell
Date: Fri, October 5, 2007 10:47p

Question: Pamela G. Williams wrote:

My family is trying to locate information on Lafayette Merrell son of Charles and Sarah Merrell believed to have been born in TN,lived and died in Southern Illinois in 1898.

Answer: Pamela:

We believe the Lafayette you refer to is Lafayette (7) [1850/53 Lincoln Co. TN - 1898 Thompsonville, Franklin, IL].  His parents were Charles (6) [b. ca 1822 Lincoln Co TN - bef 1880 IL] and Lydia Massey who he m. 1839 July 13 in Lincoln Co TN. His lineage is Lafayette (7), Charles (6), Jonathan (5,4), Benjamin (3), William (2,1).  Lafayette's name is probably Jonathan Lafayette [named for his grandfather]. He was listed as Jonathan L, 3 months, in the 1850 Lincoln Co. TN census with Charles and Lydia and siblings. In 1860, He was Lafayette, 9, in Williamson Co IL with parents and siblings. We haven't located him in 1870. He m. 1879 Jun 15, Susan Sarah Springs in Williamson Co. In 1880, he and Sarah were in Galalia, Saline, IL.  His widowed mother, Lydia, was still in Williamson Co. IL with two of his brothers.

Let us introduce ourselves. We are Howard and Jean Merrill. For twenty five years we have been trying to database the Merrill/Merrell surname nationwide from the original immigrants right down to the present day for all immigrant lines.  So far, we have info on over 60,000 Merrill males, plus their wives and daughters in our data base, but we estimate there have been well over 100,000 so we have a long way to go, and we need and appreciate all the help we can get, particularly with the later generations. We use this database strictly to try and help folks trace their Merrill roots.  Be assured that no info on living individuals will become internet accessible.  We would be very interested in  the details of your Merrell line from Lafayette down to the present day.

While our database is not searchable, we will be glad to search it for anybody and share what we find at no cost. All that we ask is that folks share their Merrill data with us , so that we can expand our database, and do a better job of helping solve Merrill lineage problems.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Barney et al
Date: Sun, October 7, 2007 3:47p

Question: Joy B Merrill wrote:

I have been attempting to research my Husbands family but am having trouble with his gr grandfather. My husband was Van Matthew Merrill s/o Van Buren Merrill and Margaret D. Eanes, s/o Barney Merrell/Merrill. ( I have been told he changed the spelling because there were too many Merrells! in Tennessee)and Sarah E. Howell. We believe his father as Jonathan Merrell Wife Nancy Elliot. Barney was born in Bedford Co. TN in 1836( according to his CSA records) Jonathan is the only Merrell with a connection to Bedford Co. and the right mix of children since they were not named in the census then. From there it goes to Jonathan Sr and then to Capt. Benjamin Merrell. I believe Jonathan Sr had 10 children and Jr. had 7, Barney had 10 and Van Buren 9 ( 6 sons) 31 grandchildren Mostly Boys and I haven't been able to keep up with the greats If you are listing all Merrells/ Merrills there is a bumper crop here. but my question is do you have any information on this family? They came from NJ to TN Then Van Buren to TX. I have been told they came from the Le Merles of France Who escaped from the St Barthalamu Massacre to Eng where the name was anglesized to Merrell the to NJ then TN. Any information would certainly be appreciated. Joy Merrill

Answer: Joy:

We corresponded at length back in 1999.  We don't think there is any doubt that Barney was the son of Jonathan Jr. and Mary [Polly] Cooper.  He is with Mary and 5 siblings in 1850 in Lincoln Co. TN.  These children match age-wise those for Jonathan Jr. in 1840 [Lincoln Co.] You mention a connection for Jonathan Jr. and Bedford Co TN. What was that? We found a Jonathan Merrit, but not a Merrell in the 1830 Bedford Co. census [definitely a T, the census taker makes an ending T with a flourish not found on his ending L]. Jonathan Jr. [also Jonathan Sr] was in Lincoln Co in 1820 but we didn't find him there in 1830.

Barney's lineage would be Barney (6), Jonathan (5,4), Capt. Benjamin (3), William (2,1). William (1) came with his brother Richard to Staten Island NY ca 1680 from Tysoe, Warwickshire, England. William later moved to Hopewell NJ.

The "family Myth" about the Huguenots has been claimed by folks from all lines of Merrell/Merrill, even though there were several unrelated Merrill families in England. We know for certain that it is not true for immigrant Nathaniel Merrill of Newbury MA and his family for we can trace that back to at least 1444 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.  While we can't be as positive about your line, Warwickshire records show there Merrills thereat least in the early 1500's, well before the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of Aug 24 1572.  We don't know where this "Myth" originated, but we know of no substantiating  evidence, so we relegate it to the "Family Myth" category.  The use of surnames by the common man has only been around about 400 years, so we are getting close to as far as a surname can take us.

A new tool to aid in Genealogical research is DNA testing. The DNA associated with the male Y-chromosome is passed from father to son to grandson essentially unchanged over many, many generations, and so should follow the surname, barring an adoption or other non-parental event.  We are urging all Merrill males to have their Y-DNA tested.  There are several commercial labs which do the test, a simple saliva swab.  The complete 43 marker test costs $189 as part of the Merrill Surname project, and you get the results in about three weeks.  For those who don't feel they can swing that cost, there is a less desirable alternative, a free test given by Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, <smgf.org>, a non-profit.  With them, you don't get the actual results, but eventually, maybe a year or more, the results are posted on their website for comparison with other Merrills on a match-don't match basis. With a good bit of manipulation you can regenerate your results.  We had my DNA tested at both SMGF and DNA Heritage <dnaheritage.com> about 2 years ago. SMGF still has not posted all my results.  DNA testing of your husband, son, or grandson will not tell you who Barney's father was, but if their DNA pattern matches the other descendants of Captain Benjamin that have been tested, that is pretty good evidence that you have the lineage correct.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Israel (5) Merrill
Date: Tue, October 16, 2007 2:05p

Question: Terry Merrill wrote:

Hi Howard, We exchanged emails some time ago. I saw this in your last newsletter and believe i have an answer: Question: Todd J. Merrill wrote: I am hoping to find out the name of Israel Merrill's (b/abt 1750)wife. He is the son of Israel, son of Daniel, son of John of Hartford. Who is son of Nathaniel Merrill of Newbury. I believe there is a possibility that her last name could be Shepherd or Shepard, because my g,g,g,grandfathe! rs middle name is Shepherd (Austin) is his first name. My home is Preston, Idaho. Answer: Todd: We are sorry, but we do not know the name of either of Israel (5)'s [ca 1752-ca1816] two wives. I show a Israel Merrill (b:172?) son of Daniel Merrill (b:1673). Israel's wife was Abigail Cadwell (B:1723) Hartford, CT. My direct line is as follows: Thomas Merrill Born: 1444 John Merrill Born about 1470 - Wherstead, S, England Died March 12, 1529 - Wherstead, S, England John Merrill Born: 1500 - Wherstead, S, England Died: January 29, 1552 - Wherstead, S, England John Merrill Born: 1545 - Whersetad, S, England Died: December 22, 1609 - Wherstead, S, England Nathaniel Merrill Born: 1571 - Wharstead, S, England Died: March 17, 1626 - Wharstead, S, England Nathaniel Merrill Born: May 1, 1601 - Wharsetad, S, England Died: March 16, 1655 - Newbury, Essex, MA John Merrill Born: February 16, 1636 - Newbury, Essex, MA Died: July 18, 1712 - Hartford, Hartford, CT Daniel Merrill Born: June 15, 1673 - Hartford, Hartford, CT Died: July 18, 1750 - Hartford, Hartford, CT Israel Merrill Born: April 15, 1716 - Hartford, CT Died: October 15, 1784 - Hartford, CT Jared Merrill Born: 1754 - Hartford, Hartford, CT Died: May 7, 1832 - Genessee, NY Samuel Merrill Born: September 24, 1780 - Simsbury, Hartford, CT Died: September 25, 1878 - Salt Lake City, UT Philemon Christopher Merrill Born: March 12, 1820 - Byron, Genesee, NY Died: September 15, 1904 - Safford, Graham, AZ Morgan Henry Merrill Born: February 17, 1850 - Salt Lake City, UT Died: July 26, 1896 - Thatcher, Graham, AZ Herbert Denzil Merrill Born: April 5, 1896 - Thatcher, Graham, AZ Died: April 13, 1974 - Mesa, Maricopa, AZ Harold Herbert Merrill Born: August 26, 1922 - Los Angeles, CA Died: still living Terrence Lee Merrill Born; June 17, 1948 - Long Beach, CA Died: still living Morgan Dean Merrill Born: December 9, 1979- Palm Desert, CA Died: still living I'd be glad to help anyone with my line. Terry Merrill

Answer: Terry:

Thank you so much for replying regarding Todd Merrill's query. Todd was asking about the wives of  Israel (5) [1752-1815]. He was the son of Israel (4) [1716-1784] and Abigail Caldwell that you referred to. Israel (5) was the brother of the Jared (5) [1754-1832] in your line. Generation numbers (5) refer to generations from Immigrant Nathaniel (1).

Thank you for updating your line.  

Also Welcome to the Merrill DNA-Genealogy Group.  We are urging all Merrill  males to consider having their Y-DNA tested. It is a simple saliva swab. Several commercial labs can do the test. The full 43 marker test is $187 as part of the Merrill surname Project.  A less desirable alternative, but better than nothing. is the free test by Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, a non profit, <smgf.org>.  With the free test you don't get the actual results back. Eventually, maybe a year or more, the results are posted on their website for comparison with other Merrills on a [match-don't match] basis. We had mine tested by both DNA Heritage and SMGF about two years ago. The results from DNAH were back in three weeks, SMGF still has not posted all my results.

Sorry, we do not have an updated address for Rob Glaeser. Ask Steve, cc'd above, if he has one.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Samuel Merrill, 1800
Date: Sat, October 20, 2007 3:11p

Question: Michael Hogan wrote:

Howard & Jean, I am looking for the parents of Sarah Merrill.born 6 Dec 1800 (from headstone) died 7 Jul 1869 in Portland, Me. She married John Edwards 9 Dec 1824 in Portland. Sadly, the marriage and death records from Portland do not contain information on the parents. She is not li! sted in the two volume Merril Genealogy. Any information you could provide would be deeply appreciated.

Answer: Michael:

Sorry, we do not have any information on the parents of your Sarah Merrill, b. 1800 Dec 6, probably in Portland, ME.  In the 1800 census what is now Portland was included in the Falmouth census, but being b. in Dec, she would not be included in the 1800 census.  In the 1810 census, she would not yet be 10 in June, but might be included in either the [under 10] or the [10-16] age bracket. Of the seven families listed in Portland in 1810, five had daughters [under 10]. We can eliminate two of these, because we know who the daughters were and who they m. That leaves three "possibles".  Francis (6) [ca 1781-1849], Enoch (5), John (4), Nathan (3) Abel (2), Nathaniel (1) and Mary were in Portland in 1810 and 1820 and had a daughter [name unknown] b. 1800-1804. Enoch (5) is listed on pg 272 of "A Merrill Memorial".

Another possibility is what we believe to be Nathaniel (6) bapt. 1770 [Samuel (5,4), Moses (3), Daniel (2), Nathaniel (1)], but in 1820 one of his two daughters [under 10 in 1810] had either d. or had m. and the other daughter was [10-16].  Since your Sarah would be 19 and didn't m. till 1824, this pretty much eliminates Nathaniel as Sarah's father.

The third possibility from the 1810 census is an unidentified Thomas [over 45] who had 3 girls [under 10] and 2 girls [10-16] in 1810. He was not listed in Falmouth in 1800 or in either Portland or Falmouth in 1820. While that does not eliminate him from consideration, it does reduce the likelihood of his being your Sarah's father.

The upshot of all this is that while we have no proof, the most likely candidate for your Sarah's dad seems to be Francis (6) above.  This assumes that Sarah was correctly identified as [under 10] in  June 1810.

Hope this helps,

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Nathaniel Merrill, 1792
Date: Wed, October 31, 2007 10:12a

Question: Chris Hewitt wrote:

I have traced my line back to a Nathaniel Merrill ( born c. 1792) who married Rachel Morse (born c. 1795), but am having difficulty tying back to the earlier Merrills. Do you have any information?

Answer: Chris:

We believe, but have no proof, that Nathaniel, ca 1792-ca 1862, who m. Rachel Morse was the son of Nathaniel, (6) [b, 1761 Mar 30 in South Hampton] and Sarah Dow of Concord.  That would make his lineage Nathaniel (7,6), Richard (5), Nathaniel (4), Thomas (3), Abel (2), immigrant Nathaniel (1). More details are available.

How are You related to Nathaniel (7)?  We would be very interested in your Merrill lineage from Nathaniel forward .  For twenty five years we have been trying to database the Merrill/Merrell family nationwide from the original immigrants down to the present day for all immigrant lines.  So far we have info on over 60,000 Merrill males plus their wives and daughters in our database, but we estimate there have been well over a100,000 so we have a long way to go, and need and appreciate all the help we can get, particularly with the later generations.  We use this database strictly to try and help folks trace their Merrill roots. Be assured that no info on living individuals will become internet accessible from us.  While our database is not internet searchable, we will be glad to search it for anybody and share what we find at no cost.  All we ask is that folks share their Merrill data with us so that we can expand our database and do a better job of helping solve Merrill lineage problems.

Howard and Jean Merrill