| Notes |
- Notes for William Merrill, Jr.:
He resided at Middleton, Monmouth Co., NJ by Nov. 1687 when his father acquired land there. By 170f his family had removed to Hopewell in Burlington Co. NJ. William served on a jury at Maidenhead on June 13, 1714 when it had become Hunterdon Co. NJHe was involved in a law suit there in June of 1718 and an action was brought against him and his mother Grace Merrill on May 20, 1719. He was assessed on the 1722 tax list of Hopewell with 130 acres, 20 cattle and horses, and 7 sheep. On March 8, 1724/25 he is designated in the court records of Hunterdon Co. as overseer of the poor in Hunterdon Co.
Ralph Ege who lived on the former land of Dr.Roger Parke designated in his book "Pioneers of Old Hopewell" in 1908 that Wm's first wife was Anne Parke, Dr. Roger's daughter. I believe this to be true, others doubt it. They had only one child before she died named Anne. His second wife was named Rachel, her surname is unknown. They had several children including a child named Rachel Merrill. She was a member of Hopewell Baptist church prior to 1728 (Town Records of Hopewell, NJ, 1931, p. 127. After May 1, 1727, William married Penelope "Nelly" Stout who had been previously married to Thomas Jewell of Amwell and had several children. She was the daughter of James Stout of Freehold, Monmouth Co., NJ and his wife Elizabeth.
William Merrill purchased 156 acres in Hopewell Twp. from Daniel Coxe of Trenton, James Smith, Francis Bowes, and Samuel Buskill witnessed the conveyance (Hunterdon Co. NJ Deed Book D. p. 488) The court minutes of May 21, 1740 indicate that a habeas corpus against Wm. Meerrill was issued by the Chief Justice at Burlington, NJ. A memorandum to this court entry indicates that on June 25th following William Merrill was killed by lightening at Sheriff Hunloke's door at Burlington. On August 19, 1740 Penelope declined the request of Fenwick Lyell, Atty. at Law of Perth Amboy (then the capitol) to take an inventory of her husband's estate and renounced her right of administration for the reason " that it will be only a profitless trouble for me which I am not able to undergo" So Jennett Parker, a widow residing in Perth Amboy, entered into bond as administratrix of Wm Merrill's estate with Fenwick Lyell as her surety. Then Penelope later married Isaac Herrin. When he died by May 17 1756 (Herrin's will proven) he left part of his estate to "daughters" Anne, Martha, Mary, Rebecca and Rachel - all children of Penelope's with her various husbands. She had no children with Herrin. Herrin appointed Wm. Hoagland and John Jewell as executors to the will, which was witnessed by Reuben Armitage,Azariah Hunt, and Nathan Hunt.
1740: William Merrell Jr. was believed to be a cooper by trade and a farmer at Hopewell. Hunterdon Co, NJ records refer to a William Merrell killed by lightning at Burlington, NJ:
An habeas corpus being [held] before the Chief Justice at his chamber in Burlington ... ordered to be filed [that] the said William Merrell was the 25th of June ... killed with lightning at Sheriff Hunlake's door at Burlington.
Died intestate, a letter in the NJ archives from his widow:
I am informed by my brother Benj'n Stout that you desire me to take an inventory of ye estate of Will'm Merrill deceased - which I do refuse to do or concern myself about that Estate which will only be a profitless trouble for me which I am not able to undergo. ( aside - this was probably because it was during this time period that Coxe was trying to take people's land back unless they re-paid for it and the "mess" that would ensue because of this and the fact that he died without a will, would be more than she could deal with in addition to the unexpected death of her husband. One descendant has even speculated that because lightning will usually strike a structure like the house or doorway to a house rather than a person standing in front of the door or under the eaves of the house that in actuality because the Sheriff had called him over about the re-payment for his land that Coxe was requiring and the probable refusal up to that point of Wm Merrill to pay, may mean that the Sheriff shot him and used the lightning to cover that up. Merrill may have been quite belligerant at that point, made the Sheriff angry and frustrated and shot him. I guess we will never really know.
More About William Merrill, Jr.:
Burial: Cooper & FarmerNotes for William Merrill, Jr.:
He resided at Middleton, Monmouth Co., NJ by Nov. 1687 when his father acquired land there. By 170f his family had removed to Hopewell in Burlington Co. NJ. William served on a jury at Maidenhead on June 13, 1714 when it had become Hunterdon Co. NJHe was involved in a law suit there in June of 1718 and an action was brought against him and his mother Grace Merrill on May 20, 1719. He was assessed on the 1722 tax list of Hopewell with 130 acres, 20 cattle and horses, and 7 sheep. On March 8, 1724/25 he is designated in the court records of Hunterdon Co. as overseer of the poor in Hunterdon Co.
Ralph Ege who lived on the former land of Dr.Roger Parke designated in his book "Pioneers of Old Hopewell" in 1908 that Wm's first wife was Anne Parke, Dr. Roger's daughter. I believe this to be true, others doubt it. They had only one child before she died named Anne. His second wife was named Rachel, her surname is unknown. They had several children including a child named Rachel Merrill. She was a member of Hopewell Baptist church prior to 1728 (Town Records of Hopewell, NJ, 1931, p. 127. After May 1, 1727, William married Penelope "Nelly" Stout who had been previously married to Thomas Jewell of Amwell and had several children. She was the daughter of James Stout of Freehold, Monmouth Co., NJ and hiw wife Elizabeth.
William Merrill purchased 156 acres in Hopewell Twp. from Daniel Coxe of Trenton, James Smith, Francis Bowes, and Samuel Buskill witnessed the conveyance (Hunterdon Co. NJ Deed Book D. p. 488) The court minutes of May 21, 1740 indicate that a habeas corpus against Wm. Meerrill was issued by the Chief Justice at Burlington, NJ. A memorandum to this court entry indicates that on June 25th following William Merrill was killed by lightening at Sheriff Hunloke's door at Burlington. On August 19, 1740 Penelope declined the request of Fenwick Lyell, Atty. at Law of Perth Amboy (then the capitol) to take an inventory of her husband's estate and renounced her right of administration for the reason " that it will be only a profitless trouble for me which I am not able to undergo" So Jennett Parker, a widow residing in Perth Amboy, entered into bond as administratrix of Wm Merrill's estate with Fenwick Lyell as her surety. Then Penelope later married Isaac Herrin. When he died by May 17 1756 (Herrin's will proven) he left part of his estate to "daughters" Anne, Martha, Mary, Rebecca and Rachel - all children of Penelope's with her various husbands. She had no children with Herrin. Herrin appointed Wm. Hoagland and John Jewell as executors to the will, which was witnessed by Reuben Armitage,Azariah Hunt, and Nathan Hunt.
1740: William Merrell Jr. was believed to be a cooper by trade and a farmer at Hopewell. Hunterdon Co, NJ records refer to a William Merrell killed by lightning at Burlington, NJ:
An habeas corpus being [held] before the Chief Justice at his chamber in Burlington ... ordered to be filed [that] the said William Merrell was the 25th of June ... killed with lightning at Sheriff Hunlake's door at Burlington.
Died intestate, a letter in the NJ archives from his widow:
I am informed by my brother Benj'n Stout that you desire me to take an inventory of ye estate of Will'm Merrill deceased - which I do refuse to do or concern myself about that Estate which will only be a profitless trouble for me which I am not able to undergo. (aside —this was probably because it was during this time period that Coxe was trying to take people's land back unless they repaid for it and the "mess" that would ensue because of this and the fact that he died without a will, would be more than she could deal with in addition to the unexpected death of her husband. One descendant has even speculated that because lightning will usually strike a structure like the house or doorway to a house rather than a person standing in front of the door or under the eaves of the house that in actuality because the Sheriff had called him over about the repayment for his land that Coxe was requiring and the probable refusal up to that point of Wm Merrill to pay, may mean that the Sheriff shot him and used the lightning to cover that up. Merrill may have been quite belligerant at that point, made the Sheriff angry and frustrated and shot him. I guess we will never really know. [3]
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1680 - 1740 (60 years)
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