Deacon John Merrill

http://www.jmerrill.net/

3. DEACON JOHN7 *MERRILL (NATHANIEL6, NATHANIEL5, JOHN4 *MERRELL, THE YOUNGER, JOHN3 *MERYELL, JOHN2, THOMAS1) was born Bef. February 16, 1635/36 in Lawford, Essex, England, and died July 18, 1712 in West Hartford, Hartford, Conn. He married SARAH MARGARET *WATSON September 23, 1663 in Hartford, Hartford, Conn, daughter of JOHN *WATSON and MARGARET SMITH. She was born 1641, and died Aft. 1714 in West Hartford, Hartford, Conn.

Notes for DEACON JOHN *MERRILL: From "A Merrill Memorial" by Samuel Merrill, Cambridge, MA, 1917-1928

John(2) Merrill (Nathaniel(1) one of the older sons of Nathaniel went to Hartford, CT before 1657, while still a minor and it is said was adopted by Gregory Wolterton. Savage, in his "Genealogical Dictionary" said that Gregory Wolterton "had good estate, large tan works, and no children." Gregory Wolterton made his will 17 Jul 1674, and died soon after, leaving legacies to a number of persons, including relatives in Ipswich, England. Savage adds: "Most of his estate was given to John Merrills, because he hand adopted him." The same statement of adoption is repeated in the "Memorial History of Hartford County."

These facts lend plausibility to the theory that Gregory Wolterton was a brother of Susanna Merrill. It was a long journey from Newbury to Hartford; means of communication were meagre, and both communities were in their infancy. It seems unlikely that John, as a very young man, would have made such a journey, seperating himself from a lifetime from home and kin, unless to make a home with other kin in the place where he went to live.

Addendum 1996:Baptismal records show that John was baptized on 16m 1635/36 in Lawford, Essex, Co., England.

Children of JOHN *MERRILL and SARAH *WATSON are: 13. i. SARAH8 MERRILL, b. September 19, 1664, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. 1719, Hartford, Hartford, Conn. ii. NATHANIEL MERRILL, b. January 15, 1665/66, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. April 25, 1725, Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 14. iii. JOHN *MERRILL, b. April 7, 1669, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. June 6, 1748, West Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 15. iv. ABRAHAM MERRILL, b. October 25, 1670, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. November 6, 1747, West Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 16. v. DANIEL MERRILL, b. June 15, 1673, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. August 7, 1750, Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 17. vi. WOLTERTON MERRILL, b. June 28, 1675, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. May 14, 1755, Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 18. vii. SUSANNAH MERRILL, b. May 20, 1677, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. Unknown, Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 19. viii. ABEL MERRILL, b. January 25, 1679/80, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. August 18, 1759, West Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 20. ix. ISAAC MERRILL, b. March 11, 1681/82, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. 1742, West Hartford, Hartford, Conn. 21. x. JACOB MERRILL, b. March 27, 1686, Hartford, Hartford, Conn; d. 1725, Hartford, Hartford, Conn.

Birth: Feb. 16, 1636

Newbury Old Town

Essex County

Massachusetts, USA

Death: Jul. 18, 1712

Hartford

Hartford County

Connecticut, USA

The son of Nathaniel & Susannah (Wilterton) Merrrill, he married Sarah Watson on September 23, 1663 in Hartford.

As a young man, he removed from Newbury with Gregory Wilterton, his uncle, to Hartford. Mr. Wilterton left a lot of his estate to John.

Family links:

Children:

Sarah Merrill Kellogg (1664 - 1722)*
Susannah Merrill Turner (1677 - 1773)*
Spouse:
Sarah Watson Merrill (1636 - 1687)
*Point here for explanation

Burial:

Ancient Burying Ground

Hartford

Hartford County

Connecticut, USA

Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?]

Created by: Nareen Lake

Record added: Jun 01, 2009

Find A Grave Memorial# 37798788

Notes from "A Merrill Memorial" by Samuel Merrill, Cambridge, Mass. 1917-1928

John, one of the older sons of Nathaniel, went to Hartford, Conn., before 1657, while still a minor and it is said was adopted by Gregory Wilterton. Savage, in his "Genealogical Dictionary" said that Gregory Wilterton "had a good estate, large tan works, and no children." Gregory Wilterton made his will 17 Jul 1674, and died soon after, leaving legacies to a number of persons, including relatives in Ipswich, England. Savage adds: "Most of his estate was given to John Merrills, because he had adopted him." The same statement of adoption is repeated in the "Memorial History of Hartford County."

These facts lend plausibility to the theory that Gregory Wilterton was a brother of Susanna Merrill. It was a long journey from Newbury to Hartford; means of communication were meager, and both communities were in their infancy. It seems unlikely that John, as a very young man, would have made such a journey, separating himself for a lifetime from home and kin, unless to make a home with other kin.

He was admitted a freeman 20 May 1658. He was a tanner, and lived on the south side of Elm St., on the second lot west from the corner of Main St. After some years he removed to the West Division of the town, now West Hartford, where he made large purchases of land in 1683 and the following years. In 1684, 1694 and 1700 he was a "townsman," or selectman, and he was a deacon of the Second Church.

adopted by Gregory Wilterton

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John Merrill's land in West Hartford, CT is now Westmoor Park A Historical Overview through the Families of Westmoor Park John Merrill is the first known owner of the Westmoor Parcel. Originally from Newbury, MA he came to Hartford as an apprentice tanner to George Wilterton. Between the years 1683-1700 he purchased several large tracts of land in the west division of Hartford; some of that land is now Westmoor Park.

In 1705 and 1709 the Westmoor parcel was transferred to John’s son Abel in two sections. In addition to the Westmoor parcel, Abel also owned ten acres of land near the intersection of North Main Street and Fern Street.

Thomas Merrill inherited the Westmoor Parcel as instructed in his father’s will, dated 1757. Thomas Merrill lived there until transferring the property to Abijah Flagg in 1801.

Abijah Flagg was married to Thomas Merrill’s sister Thankful Merrill. Abijah was the owner of the Westmoor Parcel until he transferred part of the property to his son George in 1805 and the rest in 1834. The property remained in the Flagg family and was used as a farm. Willis Flagg was a dairy farmer who sold milk in Hartford for 30 years. In 1922 Willis Flagg’s son Howard sold the property to Frank R. Scott.

On September 28, 1923 Mr. Scott sold the Westmoor property to A. Raymond Ellis. Lt. Ellis started the Westmoor Fox hunt in 1925 and formed the Westmoor Farms Polo Club. He was the first person to name the property “Westmoor”. When the Great Depression gripped the country, Lt. Ellis suffered financially and Hartford Connecticut Trust foreclosed upon his property in 1934.

Charles Hunter purchased Westmoor Farms through Foreclosure from the Hartford Connecticut Trust in 1939 for $27,250.00. It was some time in 1940 or 1941 that Charles and his wife Leila moved on to the property. They later bought six additional acres located close to Mountain road, which increased their property size to 52 acres Charles and his wife Leila Hunter used the farm for boarding horses for friends but not as public boarding stables. The Hunter's hired William Wouters, a renowned horse trainer to take care of the horses and the farm. Mrs. Hunter was an avid gardener; she developed a perennial garden behind the main house which is still maintained today.

When Mr. Hunter passed away in May of 1961 at the age of 87, he left the property to the Town of West Hartford, with the understanding it would not become the town's until Leila Hunter passed away. Leila Hunter lived twelve more years and upon her death in January of 1973 at the age of 94, the Town of West Hartford took over the property for use as a park in March of 1973. The following year the town council, in accordance with the Hunter's will bequeathing Westmoor to the town, recommended that Westmoor Park be used as a public education and recreation area to emphasize horticulture, natural science, and agriculture.

Through the Hunter's generous gift to West Hartford and because of their love for nature and children, we are now able to have this wonderful resource for all ages to love and enjoy.

http://westmoorpark.com/page/history-of-westmoor-park

• John Merrill Find A Grave Memorial# 37798788
• Ancient Burying Ground, Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA
• Also known as: Center Church Graveyard