Subject: Re: Merrill family Merrills of Soquel, CA
Date: Fri, April 6, 2007 6:23 pm

Question: Amy Bishop wrote:

My father's mother's name wa Merrill. She married a Bishop. As far as I know, they came from England to Novia Scotia and/or the New England area (Boston, I believe)and came to San Francisco and settled in Soquel, an hour south of S.F. The Merrills were one of the founding families of Soquel and were the only butchers in the area. There is a family plot at the pioneer cemetery in Soquel where I know my grandparents' ashes are interred. Do you know if this family is any relation to any other? Thanks so much for your time and attention. Amy Bishop

Answer: Amy:

We need names and dates in order to find out if your Merrill family is in our database. The more info you can give us the more likely we will be able to find them.  When did they come to CA?

What were their children's names and when were they b.?

We are Howard and Jean Merrill. For twenty five years we have been 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 info on 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 very interested in your Merrill line down to the present day.

We will be glad to try to help with any Merrill/Merrell genealogical problems you may have, or fill in any blanks in your lineage.  While our database is not internet searchable, we will be glad to search it for anybody and share what we find at no cost. All that we ask is that folks share their Merrill data with us, so we can expand the database, and do a better job of helping solve Merrill lineage problems.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Samuel Merrill
Date: Tue, April 17, 2007 10:43 am

Question: Carol Anne Merrill Miller wrote:

Dear Howard and Jean, perhaps you remember a rather bitter email from me a couple of years ago? I am the great grandaughter of Samuel Merrill who wrote the Merrill family genealogy. I have since reconciled how my father, Cushing Jack Merrill, son of Gyles, Son of Samuel, removed from m! y brother, Jack Lewis Merrill, and I of a very rich heritage, but there you have it. I have since obtained a copy, through ebay, of one of the reprints of the book, and of course it is facinating to me. I placed a ad in the El Paso newspapers asking if anyone had knowledge of my grandfather Gyles, asking specifically about his copy of the book, but received no responses. I traveled to Arlington National Cem., and have pictures of his gravesite, and have collected both of my great grandfathers books, and the book edited by the regent of Harvard consisting of the letters my great uncle Wainwright wrote to family and friends while serving with the Canadian Calvary (it is fascinating!)and I have obtained the obits from the Boston Globe Samuel and his wife, who also worked at the Globe, and their death certificates. I am making arrangements now to go to Boston, just to emmerse myself in "all things Merrill", and would so appreciate any tips on places not to miss, etc. I woul! d also like to get a sample of my brothers DNA to whomever is conducti ng that research. By the way, I have been in contact with Senator Ramon Magsaysay, son of the former President of the Phillipines, of whom my grandfather Gyles was instramental in being chosen as the President after the war, and my brother and I have an invitation from the Senator to travel to the Phillipines, my grandfather seems to be held in great esteem to this day, and he is also in approx. 9 books regarding his service during that war. "Quite a character", as they say! This research has been so exciting, and I would so appreciate your help for this next phase of learning, back in the part of our country where it all began! Thank you, looking forward to your response. Carol Anne Merrill Miller

Answer: Carol Anne:

It is good to hear from you again. Glad you were able to find a reprint of "A Merrill Memorial" - it is out of print.  

One of the places in Boston that we would suggest would be the New England Historical Genealogy Society Library at 101 Newbury St.  We know that Samuel left two notebooks of  family group sheets there for we spent most of the day coping them. For the most part they are the supporting data for the comments in AMM for the later generations [6+]. But some of it is after he wrote the book. Apparently he was a prolific letter writer and had correspondence with Merrill's across the country.  We do not know if Samuel also left his letters to NEHGS.  We were so busy copying that we never asked.

We don't know where in Cambridge he lived. We found him in 1900 and 1910, but not in 1920. In the census, the street name is illegible, but it was apparently on the corner of Avon Hill St., because it was Avon Hill both before and after his listing.  The folks at NEHGS could look it up for you in the old city directories.  They could also answer any questions you might have.

We have the dates for Samuel, but do not have them for his wife, Estelle Minerva Hatch. You said you had her obit.  We have the dates for Gyles, but not for his wife, Ann Cheney.  We found Gyles at Fort Bliss in El Paso in 1920 listed as m., but could not find his wife. She may have been having  her baby Cushing, but we didn't find her either in TX or back in MA.  In 1930, she and Cushing, 10, were with Gyles at Fort Bliss.  We don't have any info on your dad, Cushing Jack [is Jack his name, or is that a nickname for John or Jacob?].  We have b. ca 1920 in MA from the 1930 census.  We didn't find him in the SSDI, which would suggest he may have d. before 1965, but he maybe one that didn't have a SS#.  But we don't have his dates, who and when he m., her dates, and his children, other than from your letter.  We would appreciate the details  on you line from Samuel forward to the present day, including your brother's family. Be assured that our database is not internet searchable, and we don't give out data on living individuals, but refer anyone asking back to whoever gave us the data.

The DNA test is run on a simple saliva swab. The test is run by several commercial labs, we used DNA Heritage <www.danheritage.com>. The test costs $189 for the complete 43 marker test, and you get the results in about three weeks.  Gary Merrill, cc'd above is coordinator for the Merrill DNA Surname Project.  We noticed you signed up for the Merrill DNA Genealogy group - Welcome!  We use our database to support the group.  $189 may sound steep, but probably not too bad compared to trips to Arlington or Boston, or the Philippines. The Philippines, wow! We're impressed, and a bit envious.

Howard and Jean

Subject: Re: Merrill family Charles M Merrill
Date: Thu, April 19, 2007 7:34 pm

Question: Betty Kay Ott wrote:

I am looking for the ancestry of Charles M. Merrill. The earliest mention I have of him with any (assumed) parents is the 1850 Lucas Co., Ohio census. He is listed as age 4 and as stepson to Thomas H. Leaming with wife Huldah H. as mother. From another source, I have Charles' birthdate! as 15 Jan 1846 and date of death as 28 Sept 1927. Can you help me?

Answer: Betty:

We do not know who your Charles M's parents were other than Huldah H, but we might have a clue from the location and what other Merrills are there.  Also in Waynesville, Lucas, OH in 1850 is Chauncy (6), 38, wife Harriet, 30, and their three children. Chauncy (6) lineage is Elisha (5,4),  Jacob (3), John (2), Nathaniel (1). It turns out that Chauncy had a younger brother, Edwin R [1822 Oct 28- 1847 Jan 29]. We have no info on whether this Edwin R m. or not, but he would have been old enough to have m. and fathered Charles M, and d. soon thereafter in time for his wife to have remarried by 1850.  This is just a guess on our part, we have no evidence to support it, but it might open an area for investigation. Cemeteries [or vital records] in the Waynesville area might show that Edwin d. there.  Record of Huldah's m. to Thomas Learning might give who she was the widow of.

We would be very interested in the Merrill surname descendants of Charles M down to the present. We are Howard and Jean Merrill. For twenty five years we have been 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 info on 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.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family William Conrad (8) Merrill
Date: Tue, April 24, 2007 2:13 pm

Question: Susan Wellington wrote:

JOHN MERRILL (JOHN JONATHAN JOHN, JOHN, NATHANIEL +MERRILL, NATHANIEL *MERRILL, NATHANIEL, JOHN *MERRELL, THE YOUNGER, JOHN *MERYELL, JOHN, THOMAS) was born April 10, 1802 in New Chester(Hill), N.H., and died September 20, 1892 in Pardeeville, WI. He married RHODA CILLEY Abt. 1822. She was born Aft. 1802, and died January 10, 1885 in Pardeeville, WI. Children of JOHN MERRILL and RHODA CILLEY are: iii. WILLIAM C. MERRILL, b. March 14, 1833, New Chester, N.H.; d. Sept 1915 Liverpool NY. I have trying to find a copy of William's death certificate. NYS vital records says they can't find it without an exact date of death. I've also contacted the village of Liverpool NY and they can't seem to find anything either. Do you know of any published references to his lineage? Thank-you for any help.

Answer: Susan:

 I think we have corresponded before. We have the d. date for William Conrad (8) as 1915 Sep 24 but in Salina, Onondaga, NY.  We know he and his third wife Mary (?) were Salina in the 1900 census [He was also there with 2nd wife, Eliza Lambert, in 1880]. In 1910 he and Mary are listed in Clay, Onondaga, NY, but his three sons are listed in Salina.  I don't find Salina on current maps.

To our knowledge there is no published reference to William Conrad, but his parents, John and Rhoda Cilley, and their Lineage is given in A Merrill Memorial, by Samuel Merrill, 1927, more or less the "bible" for early generations descended from Immigrant Nathaniel.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family William Penn Merrill
Date: Tue, April 24, 2007 4:19 pm

Question: Marilyn Godley wrote:

Looking for information about the Rev William Penn Merrill who lived, at various times, in Westbrook ME, AMESBURY and NEWBURYPORT, MASS. His daughter Emma Sophia (born Hampton NH in 1849) married my great grandfather Brevet General/Dr Issac Warren Starbird, who was living with Rev WP Merrill and family in the Federal 1870 for Cumberland, ME. Have more details about descendants which I can share.

Answer: Marilyn:

Rev William Penn (8) Merrill was b. 1821 May 28 in Hebron ME and d. 1886 Apr 14 in Hyde Park MA, age 63:10:12.  We do not know the name of his 1st wife, with whom he had a son Charles b. 1841.  He m. 2nd, 1844 Sep 6, Sophia B Hill. They had William, ca 1848, d. young; your Emma Sophia 1849 Sep 3;  William Wallace, 1852 May 23; and Frederick Hill, 1854 Aug 13.  He m. 3rd, 1884 Dec 11, Lydia B Gould.

His lineage is William P (8) James (7), Jabez (6), Ezekiel (5), Moses (4,3), Daniel (2), Nathaniel (1).  More details are available.  

We are Howard and Jean Merrill. For twenty five years we have been 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 info on 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 William Penn's Merrill surname descendants down to the present.

Howard and Jean Merrill

Subject: Re: Merrill family Curtis Joseph Merrill
Date: Fri, April 27 2007 9:05 pm

Question: Kathy wrote:

I am searching for ancestors of Curtis Joseph Merrill, I. He was born 26 April 1916. His wife was named Edith, but I do not have a surname for her. I do not know where either of these people were born. They had a son by the name of Curtis Joseph Merrill, II who was born in Framingham,! Middlex County, Massachusetts on 9 October 1937. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.

Answer: Kathy Crib?:

We do not have record of your Curtis Joseph in our database. We only have the MA vital records copied  to 1900, although later ones are available at the State Registrar of Vital Records, Room 103, McCormick Bldg, 1 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108. The MA birth records give the name of both parents.  The SSDI gives Curtis Joseph Sr's death as 1991 Mar 17, but does not give his last residence.  His SS# was 021-05-0114. Sometimes the SS# application gives the person's parents name.  Since you have a d. date you could look in the Boston papers to see if there was an obit. They sometimes give the parents name, and often give the spouse's maiden name. Are you in the Boston Area?

We looked at the 1920 census for Framingham, MA, on the chance that he might have been b. there. The database we have access to from home can only search for the "Head of Household" by name, and there were only 4 Merrills in Framingham, none of which had a Curtis. There were 216 Merrills in Middlesex Co, far too many to look at with our slow dial-up connection.  Our Library System has access to the Ancestry.com site, where you can search for every member of the household, but you have to go to the Library to use it.

Let us introduce ourselves. We are Howard and Jean Merrill. For twenty five years we have been 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 info on 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 very interested in your Merrill line down to the present day.

Sorry we couldn't be more help at this time.  Maybe if we get to the Library, we may find your Curtis in the census with his parents.

Howard and Jean Merrill