Tuesday, July 12, 2011

JOSEPH MERRIAM 1600-1640

[Ancestral Link: Marguerite Anderson (Miller), daughter of Hannah Anderson (Anderson), daughter of Mary Margaret Edmiston (Anderson), daughter of Martha Jane Snow (Edmiston), daughter of Gardner Snow, son of Abigail Farr (Snow), daughter of Jonathan Farr, son of Thomas Farr, son of Mary Taylor (Farr), daughter of Mary Merriam (Taylor), daughter of Joseph Merriam.]



Old Burying Ground, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts


Margery Merriam Eaton standing in front of the 1639 Merriam House at Merriam Corners, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Meriam's Corner

Merriam house Concord

JosephJoseph Merriam
Probably born circa 1600 in Kent, England. Died 1 January 1641. Married about 1623 to Sarah Goldstone.
Another source says death was in Concord, Massachusetts and gives death dates of 1640 in one place and agrees with the above (1-1-1641) in another.
Clothier
Emigrated from Kent on board the Castle of London, arriving in the new world July 1638.
Resided in Concord, Massachusetts Bay Colony, being made a freeman of the colony March 1639.
Seven Children:
William Merriam
Sarah Merriam (about 1626-?)
Joseph Merriam (about 1628/9-1677), married Sarah Stone
Thomas Merriam (about 1630-?)
Elizabeth Merriam (about 1632-?), married Thomas Henchman
Hanna Merriam (about 1636-?)
John Merriam (1641-?), married Mary Cooper
found on ancestry.com


Joseph MerriamJoseph MERRIAM was born in 1600 in, Tudeley, Kent, England. He died on 1 January 1640/41 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. He signed a will on 29 October 1640 in Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. He was christened in, of Hadlow, Kent, England.
JOSEPH MIRIAM. From London to Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1638 The 29th the 10th month in the yeare of our Lord 1640. The last will and Testament of Joseph miriam of Concord. I Joseph Miriam of Concord being weake hi bodie, but blessed be God of good memory and sense inwardly do comit my soule to God in Jesus Christ and my body to the earth from whence it came. Item. To wife Sarah all my whole estate towards and for the bring vp of al my children. Power to her to sell my house I now live in, it beinge larger and bigger than she shall stand in need of. The overplus of providing a lease house shal be disposed in some way for the good and benefit of my wife and children. Wife to bring up all the children till they are one and twenty the sonnes: and the daaghters either at that time or at the day of marriage. When my oldest child shall be one and twenty, the estate to be prised and wife Sarah to hare one third. If she marries to have one third. Wife whole executor and wth her my welbeloved brethren Mr. Thomas ffiint Simon Willard Robert Miriam put in trust. Testified vpon oath to be the last will of Joseph Miriam 26: 8. 1642, by George ffowle. Capt cop nobis die et anno superadicto Rich: Bellingham Increase Nowell The Merriam (Joseph, George and Robert) and Flint families are mentioned in one of Ralph Waldo Emerson's poems "Hamatreya:" "Bulkeley, Hunt, Willard, Hosmer, Meriam, Flint, Possessed the land which rendered to their toil Hay, corn, roots, hemp, flax, apples, wool and wood. Where are these men? Asleep beneath their grounds And strangers, fond as they, their furrows plough. They added ridge to valley, brook to pond And sighed for all that bounded their domain. Each of these landlords walked amidst his farm Saying 'T' is mine, my children's and my name's" The poem was cited in a book on Concord by Ruth Wheeler, "Concord, Climate for Freedom." Peter Bulkeley was the Reverend and one of twelve families to which Concord was granted. There is no record of the other incorporators, but it is concluded that the Merriams and Flints were likely among them.

The following is from "Meriam's Corner" on the internet at www.meriam.org Meriam's Corner, Minute Man National Historical Park For the past few years, members of the Merriam family have been meeting each spring at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts, to plan a campaign to restore the historic house at Meriam's Corner This house is one of the oldest surviving structures built by the family after it immigrated to America, and dates at least to 1705. In 2005 it will be 300 years old. On April 18, 1775. Meriam's Corner was the scene of the first heavy fighting of the Battle of Lexington and Concord In recognition of its role in American history, the National Park Service purchased Meriam's Corner to be part of Minute Man National Historic Park and the western anchor of the Battle Road Trail, a new 5-mile interpretive hiker biker trail. The house is structurally sound, but the exterior finish and the interior are deteriorated and badly in need of repair. The family hopes to raise $300-500,000 to restore it, and to establish an endowment for continuous maintenance of the house. We are officially launching a 5-year fundraising campaign this year, the 225th anniversary of the Battle, and hope to reach our goal by the 300th anniversary of the house in 2005. A fund has been established with the National Park Foundation, 1101 17th St. NW, Suite 1102, Washington, D.C. 20036, so that donations can be tax-deductible. NPF exists primarily to oversee, private donations for projects in National Pinks and has extensive experience in fund management. Important!! Make sure you mention "Merriam's Corner Fund" when you send any donations. This will be a public-private partnership. Minute Man Park has successfully competed for $1.6 million, a share of the Exxon Valdez settlement, to rehabilitate the exterior of Meriam's Corner and other historic houses in the Park. This work is underway, and will complement ours. Every April, the community holds a Meriam's Corner Observance with marchers in Revolutionary costumes, as part of Concord's and the Park's observance of the battles and of Patriot's Day. Parents: William MERRIAM and Sarah BURGES.
Spouse: Sarah GOLDSTONE. Joseph MERRIAM and Sarah GOLDSTONE were married by 1624 in , Tudeley, Kent, England.11,771 Children were: Mary MERRIAM, William MERRIAM, Thomas MERRIAM, Joseph MERRIAM, Elizabeth MERRIAM, Hannah MERRIAM, John MERRIAM, Sarah MERRIAM.
found on ancestry.com


JOSEPH MERRIAM'S WILLWilliam’s son:
Joseph Merriam born about 1600, Hadlowe, Kent, England; married about 1623 England

Died: 1 January 1640-41 Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts

The last will and Testament of Joseph Miriam of Concord.I Joseph Miriam of Concord being weake in bodie, but blessed be God of good memory and sense inwardly do comit my soule to God in Jesus Christ and my body to the earth from whence it came.
Item. I give and bequeath to Sarah my wife all my whole estate towards and for the bringing up of all my children; and I do give to the said Sarah my wife power and authority to sell my house that I now dwell in if God shall offer such an opportunity it being larger and bigger than she shall stand in need of; and that overplus of providing a lease house shal be disposed in some way for the good and benefit of my wife and children: And my mind and will is ha my wife shall have the bringing up of all my children untill they come to the age of one and twenty years the sonnes: and the daughters either at that time or at the day of marriage: and my will and mind is that when my eldest child shall come o the age of one and twenty yeares, then my estate shal be prised and the said Sarah my wife shall have the third part of my estate a that time in possession, whether augmented or diminished, according as God hath blessed it: and my sonns shall have a double portion with my daughters and according as my children come to age, I meane my sonns to one and twenty and my daughters either at that age or at the day of marriage: hey shall receive theire portions according to the proportion of estate at that time when each of them shall come to age or as aforesaid And my will and mind is that if the said Sarah my wife shall marry againe that then my estate shall be prised: and valued and the said Sarah my wife shall have the third wholely to her selfe; the rest of my estate shalbe for my children, and the increase of that shalbe for the bringing of them up untill my sonne William shall come to one and twenty yeares, and then he shall have his portion as aforesaid:L and then the rest of my estate both principall and increase shalbe preserved for my other children I conceiving they then being sufficient to live of themselves: except it be in case of sickness or infirmity; wch then according to any of theire necessities shalbe supply made out of the stock undivided. And further my will and; mind is, that if my wife be with child; that then none of my children shall have any increase of my stock preserved for them, but according as they come to age they shall receive theire portions as aforesaid; and the increase of the stock still undivided shall go for he bringing up of the yonge one. And my mind and will is o make my wife my whole executor and with her my trusty and wellbeloved brethren Mr. Thomas Flint, Simon Willard, Robert Miriam, whom I humbly intreate and put in trust to take care and oversee and give counsel to my wife about my estate and children and theire affaires; and especially my wife shall not sell my house or any accommodations without theire councell and approbation or the major part of them. Proved 26 October, 1642

FATHER HYPERLINK "http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brookefamily/merriamwilliamsr.htm" William Merriam
MOTHER Sarah Burges
WIFE HYPERLINK "http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brookefamily/goldstonesarah.htm" Sarah Goldstone
CHILDREN
1. HYPERLINK "http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brookefamily/merriamwilliam.htm" William Merriam born about 1624
2. Sarah Merriam born 1626
3. Joseph Merriam born 1628
4. Thomas Merriam
5. Elizabeth Merriam
6. Hannah Merriam
7. John Merriam born 9 July 1641

His widow was about two months pregnant when he died. Sarah, his widow, married again to Lieut. Joseph Wheeler on May 19, 1642. "The three sons, William, Joseph, and John, joined in a quitclaim deed of any rights they might be supposed to have in the estate of Joseph Wheeler, "their father-in-law", April 17, 1667.
found on ancestry.com

Joseph Merriam 1600-1641
According to our written Merriam family history:
Joseph Merriam, his wife Sarah (Goldstone) Merriam, and their children sailed from London, England in April of 1638 on the ship, "Castle." They arrived at Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony in July, 1638. Joseph died on January 11, 1641 in Lynn, Massachusetts.
found on ancestry.com

Joseph Merriam (Mirriam) life
source: Merriam Genealogy - google books web site http://books.google.com/books?id=XoeWEtcTtsMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=merriam+genealogy&e i=9ABQSZXYA5ysMuzzsegL#PRA1-PA32,M1
"Joseph, eldest of the sons mentioned in the father's will, and the only one through whom the family name has descended, was probably born in the count of Kent, about the year 1600. He married Sara, daughter of John and (probably) Francies Jefferie Goldstone, whose brother was a resident of the town of Tonbridge, near the home of Joseph and that of his father at the period of emigration.
Robert Goldston of Tonbridge, in the county of Kent, in his will dated 10 April, 1637, proved the 16th of May, mad the following bequests to this family.
"To Sara the wife of Joseph Merryam of Tewdly, Clothier, my sister, Ten shillings ... and to Hanna Mirriam my goddaughter the daughter of the said Joseph one paire of fine sheets."
..........
"I give and bequeath unto Willia, Sara, Joseph, Thomas Elizabeth and Hannah the six children of the said Joseph Mirriam by the said Sara his now wife to either of them the like some of Six pound apeece to be paid them likewise with five yeares next after my decease."
We know that Joseph had learned and entered on the business which his father had followed, for Robert Goldstone's will gives him the title "clothier," which is evidence of an unquestionable sort. This business had put him in possession of good means for the venture on a voyage to New England, and gave him a good start here. But it would necessarily give him a great deal of work in the line of collections, settlements, sales, and shipments. With so much property and such excellent business experience, it is not strange that he joined with others in chartering a vessel and taking freight and passengers to help pay the expenses of the voyage. The particulars of his venture are many of them brought out in connection with lawsuits between partners. And the Note-bood of the lawyer, Thomas Lechford, who was doing a nortarial business in Boston in those years, contains abstracts of the the papers."
"The papers in the case were sent to Plymouth Court with a letter from Gov. Winthrop to Gov. Bradford, asking that justice be done between the parties, 22(6), 1639.
Joseph made his home in Concord, having a comfortable homestead for a "planter." He was soon received to the church, and in accordance with the method of the time, was admitted to the freemanship or citizenship of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay on the 14th of the first month, March 1638-9, nine months after his arrival. "
found on ancestry.com


Joseph MerriamJoseph Merriam, son of William Merriam (1), was born in Hadlow, county Kent, England, and all of the name Merriam in America trace their lineages to him. He was an "undertaker" or stockholder in the ship "Castle," which arrived at Charlestown in July, 1638. He also settled in Concord, Massachusetts. He was admitted a freeman March 14, 1638-39. He died January 1, 1640-41. His will was proved October 26, 1642. His wife was left the whole estate for the bringing up of all the children until they were of age. Children of Joseph and Sarah Merriam: William; Joseph, see forward; a daughter who married John Buss; Elizabeth, married Thomas 'Henchman, of Charlestown; Sarah, married William Hall; John, born July 9, 1641.
found on ancestrycom


"Clothiers" professionSource: Merriam Genealogy - google books page 28
http://books.google.com/books?id=XoeWEtcTtsMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=merriam+geneal ogy&ei=9ABQSZXYA5ysMuzzsegL#PRA1-PA32,M1
" A "clothier' was a man who combines the various departments of cloth-making and handled the products. The carder prepared the wool for the spinser; the weaver passed his pieces over to the webster and fuller; the tucker got things in shape for the shearman; and the clothier criticized, accepted, or rejected, and adjusted the prices of the cloths, and put them on the market. Clothiers were generally men who comprehended the entire process of manufacturing cloth, and who were cloth merchants."
found on ancestry.com

2 comments:

  1. I found this a very interesting page as I am the 12 generation down from the Joseph Merriam (Miriam from Surname Meryham) spoken of on this page.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I keep finding references to a daughter named "Mary", but he had just 6 kids, so where does she fit in?

    ReplyDelete