1717 :: Will of Daniel Merrill

On this date in our family history . . . the 12th day of July in the year 1717 . . . the will of the late Daniel Merrill is probated in Essex County, Massachusetts . . . this Daniel is a 9th great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog . . . the will itself is transcribed in full in A Merrill Memorial which was published in a very limited edition in 1928 by Samuel Merrill (1855-1932) . . . this Samuel is a fifth cousin five times removed to the Keeper of this blog . . . a different publication has the following to say regarding said Daniel . . .



Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Volume 3 (Google eBook)
Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs
Lewis historical publishing Company, 1909 - Maine

• Sergeant Daniel, fourth son of Nathaniel and Susanna (Jordan) Merrill, was born in Newbury, August 20, 1642,
• and was admitted freeman, May 7, 1684.
• March 22, 1677, Moses Pilsbury and Daniel Merrill were chosen fence viewers "at the farter end" of the town of Newbury.
• In 1665, Daniel Merrill was one of those who were called upon and did take the oath of allegiance to the King, in a modified form.
• His name again appears among those who took the oath "as it is by law established within the Kingdom of England," in 1678.
• In the "Invoyes" of August, 1688, Daniel Merrill's list enumerates two heads (persons); two houses: twelve acres plow lands; two horses; two oxen; five cows; eight younger cattle; thirty sheep and six hogs; showing him to have been in very comfortable circumstances.
• In 1689 he was chosen "Way Warden."
• He was admitted to Newbury church in 1681, and to the Salisbury church later.
• He died June 27, 1717, in Salisbury.
• His will, made May 10, was probated July 12, 1717. In it his wife Sarah is mentioned, and "cousin" Thomas Merrill, to whom he gave land in Haverhill.
• Daniel Merrill married (first) May 14, 1667, in Newbury, Sarah Clough, who was born June 28, 1646, and died March 18, 1706, at Salisbury, Massachusetts.
• He married (second) May 29, 1708, Sarah, who was born October 14, 1650, in Salisbury, daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Clement) Morrill, and widow of Philip Rowell and of one Siphorus Page. They had Daniel, John, Sarah, Ruth, Moses, Martha and Stephen.