One Merritt Family in Connecticut: working timeline.

Y Chromosome test:  male paternal DNA test for original Merrit on this line: haplotype  E1b1b1, could have been in Ireland for thousands of years or came recently from France or Spain.   The name Merritt originally came from France in 1066. 

Some Merrits were Huguenots, French Calvinist Protestants, who came to Northern Ireland before Louis XIV,  between 1555-1685, and settled in Northern Ireland getting along well with Scotch Calvinists forced out of Scotland.    Others Huguenots came after 1685 when forced out by Louis XIV.                                                         

Abt. 1710: George Merritt born in Northern Ireland?

About early 1730’s:  George and three brothers came from Northern Ireland to Stratford, Conn.

After 1735: George married Keziah Morehouse in Stratfield, Fairfield, Conn.

1738: George’s son Joseph baptized in Stratfield (later Bridgeport) Cong. Church

1741:  George’s daughter Mary baptized in Stratfield (later Bridgeport) Cong. Church.

1744:  John Merrit baptized, son of George Merrit, Stratfield Cong. Church, later Bridgeport Cong. Church.  (pos. it was Feb. 1744/45).

1748: Ruanna “Anna” bapt. At Stratfield (later Bridgport) Cong. Church.

9 Dec 1753: George’s daughter Eunice bapt. At Stratfield (later Bridgeport) Cong. Church.

About 1755-56:  George, or John, Merrit frozen to death on the beach picking oyster or clams, at Stratford or Milford.

29 Jan 1756: Joseph of Fairfield, a minor, chose a guardian, Samuel Nichols of Stratford.

4 Jan 1759 – 2 Dec 1759: Perhaps George’s son Joseph enlisted in Capt. Tomlinson’s Co., Col. Wooster’s Regt.

2 Dec 1760: John a minor of Fairfield County, chose a guardian (meaning his father was deceased and he was at least fourteen) John Hall of Stratford. 

8 April to 5 Dec 1761, pos.  John and brother Joseph enlisted in Capt. Samuel Whiting’s Co., during the French and Indian War.

21 Sep 1763: pos. George’s son Joseph married Rachael Videto of Northford, Stratford.

4 Oct 1767: David Wheeler buried in Old Huntington Cemetery, Sharon, Fairfield, Conn.  His stone still exists. His daughter Abigail was to marry John Merrit.

7 Apr 1768: petition for guardianship of Abigail Wheeler who chose her mother Betty Gilbert Wheeler as guardian (meaning that her father was deceased and that she was at least fourteen).

21 Feb 1769: Ruanna Merrit married James S. Shepard of Newtown, Conn.

7 Jun 1769: Ruanna and James Shepard’s son born: George Merrit Shepard, named for her father.  Ruanna’s sixth daughter was named Keziah, named for her mother.

Aug., 1770: Order of Distribution of estate of David Wheeler giving his daughter Abigail  21 acres on the south on the south of Israel’s Hill, Stratford twp., and 48 acres on Pine Swamp Hill, dividing the land among the five parties. 

Before 1773?: John Merrit married Abigail Wheeler of Stratford. 

1773: birth of Dolly B. Merrit daughter of John and Abigail Merrit.

16 Feb 1775: birth of Abijah Merrit, son of John and Abigail Merrit.

Late June to late Nov., 1775:  Joseph, pos. brother of John Merrit, joins from Redding, or nearby, is a member of the Tenth Company, Fifth Regiment, Conn. Line, on the expedition against St. Johns, Canada. 

April 22, 1779: Newtown, partition deed: John Merrit, his wife Abigail, Gamaliel French, Gideon Seeley (wife Betty Wheeler), owners in common of undivided land, about 100 acres, at Pine Swamp Hill, dividing the land among the five parties.   (Pine Swamp Hill called Merritt Hill for 150 years, he built a home near the base of the hill.  The 6 x 8 cellar hole and flowers in the yard were evident until developement in about 1983.)

Summer, 1779: William Tryon with Tory militia landed and burned New Haven, then landed and burned Fairfield and Norwalk.  Many refugees left Boston and other coastal areas and moved inland, as far as the forests of Vermont. 

(Dec.?) 1783: Newtown meeting voted to form a Bear Hills School District; part of the line being south of John Merrit’s place at Pine Swamp Hill.

Sep 1, 1786: John and Abigail Merrit, Daniel Sherman, Abel Johnson, sell Cyrus Beers and Elias Glover all lands given them by Proprietors Committee in exchange for their lands taken for a highway over Pine Swamp Hill.

After 1787 to March 1790: We John and Abigail Wheeler quit claim to Justus Raymond all right and interest we have… in one certain parcel of land on Pine Swamp Hill that was given to him by will of John Sherwood.

1790:  John’s son Abijah Merrit bound out as cloth dresser apprentice, age 15, at Sandy Hook village, Newtown.

July, 1790; John Merrit was apparently missed in the US Census at Newtown, Connecticut.

Feb., 1796: Abijah Merrit comes of age and starts work at Sandy Hook, with an occupation well learned, cloth dressing, no money, and two suits of clothes. 

July, 1800: US Census, Newtown, Conn., John Merrit, aged 26-45 year old male; Abigail same age and Dolly B., aged 16-26 years old. 

16 Jan 1801: Abijah Merrit married Hannah Sanford, Newtown, Conn.

About 1802: Abigail Merrit died.

1803: Abijah Merrit took the Freeman's Oath at Newtown, Conn. 

About 1803: John Merrit married prob. Deborah Judd, daughter of Benjamin Judd and Susannah Knapp of Bethel Society of Danbury, born about 1762-63. 

29 Nov 1803: Deed: Stephen Gilbert to Deborah Merrit for $40, one acre of land in Huntingtown area of Newtown (Deborah made her mark).

15 Sep 1804: Julia Merrit born to Abijah and Hannah (Sanford) Merritt

17 Nov 1804: Deed to Deborah Merrit from Collins Chapman for $80 for one acre of land of the late John Williamson. 

17 Nov 1804:  John and Deborah Merrit mortgage to Collins Chapman some land of the late John Williamson.

15 Sep 1804: Julia, daughter of Abijah and Hannah Merrit is born. 

17 May 1806: Collins Chapman quit claims for one dollar to Deborah Merrit one acre of land with dwelling house.  Huntingtown area of Newtown. 

24 Jun 1806: Levan Wheeler Merritt, son of Abijah and Hannah was born.  He was baptized at Trinity Episcopal Church. 

13 Apr 1807: John Merrit to his son Abijah, for twenty dollars paid yearly, deeds Pine Swamp Hill property of “My late wife who is now dead.”

14 Apr 1807: 14 Apr 1807: Dolly B. Merritt of Newtown in consideration of $100 quit claim to Abijah Merrit two pieces of land lying in town of Newtown and one piece in the town of Huntington all my rights of heirship from Abigail Merrit, late of said Huntington – it being the one equal half of said lands that lyeth undivided between me of the said Abijah Merrit, meaning all my right in the real estate of said Abigail Merrit deceased.

About 12 Jan 1808; Dolly B. Merrit married Emmons Scranton of Derby, New Haven, Conn.

July, 1810: John Merrit is listed in US Census, with woman (Deborah) both over 44 years of age.

July, 1810: Abijah Merrit is listed in US Census with woman, and a boy and girl under 10 years old.

1810: The land for the Sandy Hook Cemetery was sold by Abijah Merrit to David
Meeker, Abijah B. Curtis, and Marcus Botsford, selectmen of Newtown, for $60.00, containing a half acre, more or less, to be used as a public burying ground and for no other purpose.

1 Aug 1811-20 Nov 1811: Abijah and Hannah Merrit built a flax mill on the Pootatuk brook raceway at Sandy Hook.

3 Mar 1814: Abijah and Hannah sold their house to Joseph Dick with an option to remain another four years. 

1815-1820: Abijah Merrit accompanied families moving to northern and central New York.

Feb. 1816-17 Oct 1817 Abijah and Hannah arranged to have their new home built, and it is still occupied to this day: 10 Glen Road, Sandy Hook.   They moved in as soon as possible.

1 Nov 1816: 30 year lease of Huntingtown land to Daniel Briscoe by John and Deborah Merrit.

June 1817:  Hannah Merrit wrote: "For 14 years I have been almost Constantly Employed in hard work but now I feel as if I should no more be able to do the like Again."

1819-1839: Abijah Merrit elected elected one of Newtown 3 selectmen for 12 years at intervals.  He was given oversight of the poor of Newtown, cared for in the Poorhouse and by private families.  This included town poor in nearby towns, and foster children.   Selectmen were also given petitions for repair and building new roads in the town.  They called town meetings to consider such measures.  

1820: US Census, Newtown, John Merrit, and woman, Deboarah, over 44 years old. 

            "       "             "           Abijah Merritt pg. 191, 45 and older, Hannah, 45 and over, Levan           10-15 years, Julia 10-15 years. 

Aug 1820 Abijah and Hannah went with a family to Saratoga, then Rochester, and then Scipio, then back home.  

May, 1823-1853: Abijah Merrit acted as agent to settle estates.   

18 May 1825: Julia Merrit married Charles Johnson, a combmaker, in Newtown. 

1825: Abijah Merrit's son Levan went to Sharon with a partner to sell cloth.  

27 Feb 1827, per Newtown Vital Records, or March 25 according to Huntingtown Cemetery grave stone.  John died.  He was 81 years old per vital records, and 80 years old per Newtown Episcopal Church Records.

21 Jan 1829: Trinity Episcopal Church records show alms to Deborah.

3 Jul 1829, same.

25 Sep 1830: same

1830: US Census, Newtown, Abijah Merritt page 288, free white persons, male 20-29, males 50-59, female 50-59.
1830: Levan W. Merritt, son of Abijah, took Freeman's Oath, at Newtown.

1831: Trinity Episcopal Church lists Deborah as a communicant.

1832: Trinity Episcopal Church lists Deborah of Huntingtown Dist. as a member. 

1832: Abijah listed as a Justice of the Peace for Newtown, Fairfield County, per

Green's Connecticut Annual Register and United States Calendar.

1832: Abijah and Hannah had a kitchen built off the back of their house.  

Nov., 1833: Abijah's son Levan goes for a job on the Erie Canal at Medina, Orleans, NY.

1836:  Deborah Merrit made sworn affidavit that she knew Collins Chapman as girl and that he was a soldier in the Revolution and that he was made a prisoner by the enemy and taken to New York.  [He had been in the Army.  He had been issued a certificate for payment in 1783 by the paymaster of the Continental Army.  He was also listed in the Connecticut Line as a soldier serving from Danbury.]

3 Sep 1839: Hannah Merrit, wife of Abijah, died, Sandy Hook.  

21 Jun 1840: Levan Merritt married Cynthia Patience Loomis at Medina, Orleans, NY.

1840: US Census, Newtown, p. 267; one male, 60-69, one female 20-29.

22 Jun 1840 Abijah Merritt married Lucinda (Wheeler) Booth - younger sister of his late wife.

20 Jan 1849: Deborah Merrit died, aged 86, Newtown Vital Records. 

1850: US Census, Newtown, Abijah Merritt 75, Lucinda 64. $1000 val. of real estate owned.
Abijah said his occupation was clothier. 

12 Jan 1854: Abijah died at Newtown, Fairfield, Conn.

1857:  Dolly B. Scranton died in Seymour, New Haven, Conn.