Samuel Merrill, 1928, reprint 1983

Some Eighteenth Century Migrations - Chapter XI, pp125-152

Corinth, VT

    The foot-trails, marked by "blazed" trees, which served the earliest settlers on their journeys into the wilderness, were succeeded by bridle-paths, and these in time became cart-paths. The march of improvement had reached this stage when Joshua⁶ Merrill (John⁵, Abel^4,3,2) moved from Kingston, N.H., to Corinth, Vt. (See page 569) In February, 1795, his wife and infant child took their places on the ox sled, wrapped warmly in blankets, no doubt, the sled being covered with canvas, after the fashion of the "prairie schooners" of more recent times, and the long journey began. Room was found on the sled for a goodly store of household effects.

   It was more than eighty miles, as the crow flies, to Warren, where Joshua's brother Abel lived. But the journey was not so direct, nor so rapid, as the flight of the crow, and the travelers found a visit of a fortnight with the Warren relatives a welcome change from the monotony of their slow progress over the snow-covered road.

   Corinth had been settled in 1777, and since 1780 had had an organized government. Joshua had bought a farm in the eastern part of the town, and upon it stood a log cabin which was awaiting its new tenants.

   After a welcome rest in Warren the migrant family resumed their places on the ox sled for the remaining twenty-five miles of their journey. The log cabin was their home until 1806, when they took poesession of a large and convenient frame house. Joshua became a justice of the peace, selectman and lister, and, with his family of sixteen children, contributed his full share to the prosperity of the town. A century after his arrival in Corinth his great-grandson, Rodney-E.⁹ Merrill, was living on the farm which Joshua had purchased. (*)

(*) Authorities: Letter from Rev. John-Leverett Merrill, 27 July, 1904; Child's Orange County Gazetteer. A few years after JoshuaM⁶ Merrill settled in Corinth, Peter⁶ Merrill (Peter^5,4,3, Nathaniel²) moved there from Windham, N.H., and kept a store, and his sons lived there, with their families. (See page 444)

Kennebunkport, ME

   If you have further information on the book, "A Merrill Memorial" and would like to share it with others, please contact me.