Subject: Re: Merrill family Darius Merrill
Date: Tue, June 15, 2004 2:54 pm

Question: Darrin Matteson wrote:

I was wondering if you're aware of a book written about Darius Merrill's settling in the Adirondack Mountains in the late 19th century? Initially, Darius' son, Charles, wrote the story in serial form for newspapers in the Adirondacks. In the early 1970s a book which compiled all of the clippings was published by a small publisher in NY State. The book is long out of print and is considered a collector's item by many who live in the Adirondacks due to its portrayal of Adirondack life of the 19th century. My father and each of my two uncles were given copies by my grandmother, Gladys (Merrill) Matteson (daughter of Watson Merrill and Frances Davis) at the time of the book's initial publication. One of my cousins also has a copy but he told me it took him over a year of searching the Internet to find it. Considering that the two of you are "the experts" I thought I'd make you aware of the book (if you weren't/aren't already) as it is quite pertinent to Merrill family history. If you're interested in acquiring this book, I have found a copy for sale ($110) on the net @ http://www.northernlightsbookshop.biz/pi/12416.html Best Regards, Darrin E. Matteson great great grandson of Darius Merrill & Sarah (Wallbridge) Merrill

Answer: Darrin:

Darius Warren (7) Merrill was b. 1829 Aug 16 in Belmont, Franklin, NY, son of Paul and Hannah Shepard. His lineage is Paul (6,5), Enoch (4), Joseph (3), Abel (2), Nathaniel (1). More details are available.  He m. 1855 Nov 8, Sarah Ann Walbridge in Belmont. He d. in Apr 1887.  Darius and Sarah had four children: Mary Jane, 1857 Aug 16; Watson Paul, 1859 July 20; David Shepard, 1861 Mar 17; and Charles Ernest, 1863 Jun 13.

We know that Watson Paul m. Frances W Davis, but we don't have dates or any info on their children.

The story about the DeMerrrill from France has to be considered as family myth. It may be true in the  far distant past, perhaps about the time of William the conqueror, but immigrant Nathaniel (1) came to Newbury MA in 1639 from Lawford, Essex, England. He was b. 1601 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England and his family had been in that area for several generations.

We are trying to database the Merrill/Merrell surname nationwide from the original immigrants right down to the present day for all the immigrant lines. So far we have over 60,000 Merrill males, plus their wives and daughters in our database, but we estimate that there are 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 interested in any info you have on the Merrill surname descendants of Watson Paul or his brothers down to the present.

We write the query column for the MERRILL NEWSLETTER published by Lil Hall Welch. Check out the Newsletter homepage at <www.merrill.org/genealogy/tmn>

Howard and Jean Merrill