|
Samuel
Merrill, 1928, reprint 1983
Nathaniel1
of Newbury and His Sons - Chapter VII,
pp 66-101
The
Inventory of Nathaniel1
Merrill
An
Inuentory of the lands goods and Chattells of Nathaniell
merrill of Newbury who deceased march 16 1654/55
| Impr
ten akers of vpland and thre akers of marsh with the
preuiledge of afrehold or Comonage vallued at |
20-
0-0
|
| It
one cow and acalfe |
4-15-0
|
| It
three heifers of three yeare old and 2 calues vallued
at |
12-10-0
|
| It
two steers of two yeare old & two heifers vallued
at |
11-
0-0
|
| It
three yearelings vallued at |
4-
0-0
|
| It
one old cart & wheels and sled and an old harcw |
1-
0-0
|
| It
2 spades a mattock a beetle 4 wedges a crosscut saw
& a hand saw & 4 axes and 4 hooes wth
other small tooles |
2-
0-0
|
| It
3 old tubs a fanne an Iron staple & ring &
2 prongs & shouell |
0-10-0
|
| It
his weareing apparel |
2-
0-0
|
|
It
ten bushells of malt & barly 5 bushells of wheate
& nine bushels of rye & about 35 bushells
of Indian corne
|
10-16-0
|
| It
two muskets and 2 swords with match & powder &
other appurtenances therto belonging |
2-0-0
|
| It
in oats & pease |
0-10-0
|
| It
sixe small swine |
3-
0-0
|
| It
2 flock beds & bolsters & 2 small feather
pillows & two couerlets & old blankets &
2 paire of sheets old |
4-
0-0
|
| It
2 old Ketles 2 skillets & a smal braspot &
Iron pot |
1-10-
|
| It
an old warming pan fireshouell gridIron tongs &
other small Iron things & a spit |
0-12-0
|
| It
4 small pewter dishes & askimmer dishes &
spoones |
0-12-0
|
| It
a truckle bedsted 2 buckets and a pre of
cottrells & other small things |
0-10-0
|
| It
a small cart rope & halfe bushell & a pecke |
0-
5-0
|
| It
a small cubbord & 2 chests |
0-16-0
|
| It
one drinke vessels 2 wheels one powdring tub: ten
milke trayes & 3 cheesfats & other lumber |
2-
0-0
|
|
Sum
is
|
84-
6-0
|
| his
debts for Rent due to mr Cutting |
5-
0-0
|
| and
besids in small debts |
2-
0-0
|
| |
|
| A
true Inuentory taken march 23th 1654:55
by vs |
Daniell
P Thurstons marke
Richard
Knight
Nicholaus
Woodman |
This
inventory is that of a man in very modest circumstances.
In the next generation the Merrills were all much more prosperous—and
in the increasing prosperity as the generations succeeded
one another one may find reason for satisfaction. If the
fortunes of a family are on a rising plane it is surely
more creditable than to be the humble descendants of an
illustrious ancestor in whose abilities and material possessions
his descendants have no share.
A
glimpse into the domestic life of rural New England in
the early Colonial period is afforded by the list of articles
enumerated in this inventory. The names of some of these
things are no longer familiar, even on the farms. The
“fanne,” mentioned in the eighth item, was an
implement for winnowing grain. “Prongs,” in
the same item, were hay forks. “Flock beds,”
referred to in the fourteenth item, were beds filled with
wool waste. The “truckle bedsted,” in item 18,
was a low bed, on casters, to be pushed under a high bedstead
when not in use; a trundle-bed. Cotterels (“cottrells,”
item 18) were hooks from which pots were hung over a fire.
The “powdering tub” (item 21) was a tub in which
meat was corned. Cheese-vats (called “cheesfats”
in item 21) were cases in which cheeses were pressed.
If
Nathaniel Merrill who died in Newbury in 1655 is identical
with the Nathaniel whose baptism in 1601 (*)
is recorded in the parish of Wherstead, he was about fifty-four
years old at his death. We know little of his personality
or of the events of his life. His life may seem to us,
indeed, to have been commonplace. It ended before it had
reached the three-sccre years allotted by Scripture, but
no one’s life can be thought to have been in vain
if he has given to the world five stalwart sons, trained
to habits of industry and thrift, and in the wider activities
and greater prosperity of these sons the father’s
life may, in a sense, be considered to have continued.
NEXT
*
See pages 38, 41
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