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Joseph MERRY / Mary

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[NI954] Joseph Merry is first found as a resident of Haverhill, Mass., in 1640, where he lived with his wife Mary until about 1654, when he removed to Hampton, NH. There his wife died, having given birth to one child of record, Joseph. The father, Joseph, was a carpenter by trade and plied his craft in Hampton as he had done before in Haverhill. Shortly after his wife's death he bought a house and ten acres of upland in Hampton, from Thomas Coleman. Emanuel Hilliard of that town was drowned in October 1657, leaving a widow Elizabeth, sister of George Parkhurst of Watertown, Mass. The young widow was then about 29 years old, and before two years had passed she entered into a marriage covenant with Joseph Merry, who was then 21 years her senior. In this agreement he gave her the house and ten acres he had recently acquired, and sometime about Dec. 13, 1659, when the covenant was dated, they set up housekeeping, and four children were born to them in rapid succession, who later spent their days on the Vineyard. This explains the curious epitaph on the gravestone of Joseph in the West Tisbury cemetery "That being verified in him Psalms 92 14 They shall bring forth fruit in old age," a reference to his second marriage after middle life and the raising of a family. Joseph Merry and his young family, consisting of Hannah, Abigail, Bathsheba and Samuel, born between 1660 and 1669 in Hampton continued residence there until 1670, when in some way he became attracted to the Vineyard. If we are to credit the tradition that Governor Mayhew's first wife was a Parkhurst, possibly the sister of George of Watertown, it will be seen that Elizabeth Merry was related by marriage to the proprietor of Martha's Vineyard and thus the family connection is responsible for Merry's migration. However that may be, almost as soon as the new township of Tisbury had been bought by Pabodie and his partners, Merry bought of Benjamin Church on Nov. 19, 1669, the grist mill and its privileges "uppon the westermost Brook of Takemmy" with one eighth part of propriety, or two shares, in the new settlement. The purchase price was 90 pounds and Merry paid for it in whole or in part with his Hampton property, the homestead, an island of salt marsh and two shares in cow and ox commons in that town. The deeds finally passed Dec. 2, 1670, (Mrs. Merry and Nathaniel Batchelor acting as his attorneys by previous appointment), and from this it is presumed that Merry was already at the Vineyard attending to his new purchase and preparing the new home for his little family. The property purchased consisted, as laid out, of the mill on the New Mill river so long operated by the Looks, with land adjoining on the west side of the road, and about eighteen acres on the east side of the road, bounded by the river. This last lot is still known as "Merry's Field" after a lapse of two and a half centuries though the property did not remain in the family beyond 1705. After operating the mill for five years, Joseph Merry sold that part of his estate to Tristram Coffin of Nantucket and being then about 70 years of age it is presumed that he devoted the rest of his life to his trade and house, but in all probability it was in his 'Field.' His public services were few. He was constable in 1675, road surveyor in 1678 and 1687, and was chosen to divide common lands in 1689 and 1690. On March 2, 1677/78, the grand jury presented him "for contempt of authoritie in not obeying the summons in his Majesties Name to give in testimony" and for this he was fined the sum of five shillings. In 1681 he sued Simon Athearn in the sum of 20 pounds "for non payment of frame of an house," but the two compromised on 7 pounds and divided the costs. On July 12, 1689, being then about 82 years of age, he gave his homestead by deed of gift to his only son Samuel, then just entering his 21st year, and from that date on until 1701 his name appears but once in the records when he gave some "information" about the ancient bounds of a town lot, being then in his 94th year. He passed the century mark in 1707 and died April 5, 1710 at the remarkable age of 103, undoubtedly the oldest person who has ever lived in the town. It is not known whether he survived his wife Elizabeth, as there is no record of her death nor a stone at her grave. If she survived she was 82 when her husband died. Of his children further evidences of longevity are noticeable. His daughter Abigail Pease died in her 80«sup»th«/sup» year and Hannah Skiffe at 97 years.

[2414] Carpenter

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John STODDARD / Elizabeth CURTIS

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[NI5993] Will dated 30 Nov 1703. Inventory dated 10 Jan 1703/4.

[NI5991] In 1712-1715, he was one of the petitioners for the incorporation of Newington, as a separate ecclesiastical society. He was one of the proprietors, and an early settler, of the town of Litchfield, CT.

[NI7867] Elizabeth's name, as a single woman, appears in a list, dated 11 Nov 1747, of the members of the church in Newington. Inventory of her estate dated 10 Sep 1755.

[NI7868] Joseph's birthdate is plainly written in the town record as 24 Nov 1680. It is possible that the dates of birth of Joseph and Elizabeth were transposed.

[NI7869] Mary & Jacob were living in Hadley, MA on 28 Jun 1726. Perhaps they were the same whose nine children are recorded there.

[NI7871] Will dated 30 Jul 1757.

[NI12008] Samuel is the last in order of the sons named in his father's will. The account book of his brother, John, shows that he died before 12 Apr 1725. His estate was divided among his brothers and sisters on 16 May 1725.

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Richard WOODHULL / Rebecca CARR

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[NI8287] Of Boston.

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Jan Gerritse DEKKER / Barbara DEWITT

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John WILES / Louisa PARK

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[NI9857] John might be the son of William Wiles and Nancy McKee, but no documentation has yet been found.

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