Samuel Merrifield Jr. (1744 - aft. 1809)

Born 4 Apr 1744 in Winchester, Frederick, Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

Samuel Merrifield Jr. left Frederick Co., VA and was living in Hampshire County by 1770. On 8 Sep 1770 Samuel Merrifield Jr. of Hampshire Co., VA, sold the 200 acres in Frederick Co., VA deeded to him by his parents in 1765 (Frederick Co., VA Deed Bk.13, pp.540-543). This is the only record found of him in Hampshire Co. as there are few extant records that are useable from this county prior to the year 1866. Note: Samuel Merrifield Jr. was not married at the time this deed was written. The deed was signed only by "Samuel Merrifield Jun." If he had been married when he sold his land in Frederick Co. his wife would have been required to sign the deed, or make a seperate deed of release, to relinquish her dower rights to one third of her husband's property. If she had refused to give up her dower rights it should have been noted by the clerk recording the deed.

It appears he settled in Augusta Co. (later Monongalia Co.), VA in 1773: ---"Samuel Merrifield is intitled to four hundred acres of land in Monongalia County (now Harrison Co., WV) on the west side of the west fork of Monongalia to include his Settlement made thereon in the year 1773." (Core, Vol. 1, p.248, 1781 Land Certificate).

Samuel and his brothers Thomas and Richard served in the militia during Dunmore's War in 1774. In 1775 they were payed for their service and were listed on the payroll of Capt. Zackquill Morgan's Co. at Fort Pitt. (Bockstruck, and Library of Virginia website). Note: In Feb 1772 the Pricketts moved from Georges Creek, Fayette Co., PA, up the Monongahela River to present day Pricketts Creek. In 1774 Prickett's land became a local center of activity. Settlers from up to seventeen miles away moved to Prickett's settlement. A militia unit commanded by Capt. Zackquill Morgan and Lt. James Chew was formed. The militia began construction of a fort to protect the settlers. Evidence suggests that the fort was completed by July 1774. In July 1774, Lord Dunmore (John Murray), the Royal Governor of Virginia, began his campaign against the Native Americans, also known as Dunmore's War. Many men from Pricketts Fort were involved. (from "Important Dates" at: www.prickettsfort.org/Resources/Important%20Dates.pdf).

Although Samuel's land was in Augusta/Monongalia Co., VA, he was living to the north in Pennsylvania by 1778. Census records reveal that Samuel and Sarah's children James (b.1778), Mary (b.abt.1783) and Emanuel (b.abt.1786) were all born in Pennsylvania. Their other children were most likely also born in PA, probably in Westmoreland/Fayette County. Samuel was taxed in Springhill Twp., Westmoreland Co. in 1783 (no land listed) and Fayette Co., Pennsylvania in 1785 as was his mother Mary, but had moved west to Washington Co. by 1789. Although he was taxed in Green Twp., Washington Co., PA in 1789 he was also listed that year among persons "Exonerated on the Frontiers of Washington County for being distressed by the Incurtions & Depredation of the Indians." He was listed in the 1790 census in Greene Twp., Washington Co., PA. In 1790 he was listed with 1 free white male 16 and over (Samuel), 3 free white males under 16 (James, John, Emanuel), 4 free white females (Sarah, Sarah, Ann, Mary).

Samuel was back in VA in Harrison Co. by 1793. Samuel Merrifield is listed in the tithables of Harrison Co. from 1793-1797. In 1798 and 1799 he was taxed in Monongalia County. During the years 1794-1798 he was charged with 2 tithes. Then in 1799 in Monongalia Co., he was charged with 1 tithe and his son "James Marrifield Jr." listed next to him was also charged with 1 tithe. He was again listed in Harrison Co. from 1803-1809.

There are entries in the records of the District Court in Harrison County of Samuel and some members of his family beginning in 1793 and at least as late as 1800: ---John Rose, (and 4 others) summoned to answer Sarah Merrifield in a plea of trespass damage 500 pounds, 7 May 1798, 8 and 17 September 1799. . . . Sarah complained that the defendant stole "a quantity of household furniture, calves, sheep, hogs and geese." Samuel Merrifield and Sarah his daughter and the defendants agreed to submit all matters of controversy to arbitrators Col. John Evans, Henry Dering, Benjamin Reeder, William Tingle, Daniel Sears, Zackquil Morgan and Francis Burrell, Jr. who met at the home of Tingle on Saturday, 21 December 1799. "It is expressly understood between the parties that the dispute between the said John Rose and the said Samuel Merrifield is distinct and separate from the dispute between the said John Rose and Sarah Merrifield . . ." September 1799 term of court, "We the jury find for the plaintiff $50 damage, . . .", and "We the jury find for the plaintiff $56 in damage." (Zinn, Vol.1, p.179). ---Thomas Reed summoned to answer Sarah Merrifield in a plea of trespass, 7 and 29 May 1798. . . . . John Anderson summoned to testify in behalf of Reed, 30 April 1800. James and Sarah Merrifield summoned to testify in behalf of Sarah, 19 September 1800. Sarah complained that in March 1798, Thomas Reed, Sheriff of Harrison County, broke into her house and property and took away the following items: "1 dutch oven and 1 cover lid, 8 spoons, 6 geese, 9 hogs, 200 lb hemp, 2 cows and 2 calfs, 6 sheep, 6 plates, 3 basins, 1 dish, 1-10 gallon kettle and 1 hand mill. . . . May 1800 term of court, "ruled non-suit." Sarah said, "the above plea is not the same trespass alleged in the said declaration and this she prays may be inquired of by the county." (Zinn, Vol.2, p.14).

I have not been able to determine where Samuel resided after 1809, although it seems reasonable to assume that he and Sarah may have moved to Ohio, possibly Greene Co., where their sons James and Emanuel had initially located after leaving Virginia.

Note: Samuel Merrifield Jr. is often confused with another Samuel Merrifield. Some list the wife of Samuel Merrifield Jr. as Sarah Bird, however, the Samuel Merrifield who married Sarah Bird (not her maiden name) was born 29 Jul 1742 in Suffolk Co., MA and was the son of Robert Merrifield and his wife Mary Stanton. Samuel Merrifield and Mrs. Sarah Bird were married 8 May 1777 in Dorchester, Suffolk Co., MA. (F. H. L. microfilm no. 982354, item 1). They had a son Richard, born abt. 1778, who married Sophina Merrifield on 21 Mar 1799 in Berkshire Co., MA. Sophina, born abt. 1783 in MA, was a daughter of Thomas Merrifield and Eunice Watkins. (see notes for Thomas, brother of Samuel Merrifield Jr.). Richard died in June 1814 in Attica, Genesee (now Wyoming) Co., NY. Richard's brother-in-law Silas Merrifield (Sophina's brother) also died in Attica in 1814. (see Genesee Co., NY Will Bk.1, p.61, will of Richard Merryfield, written 13 Jan 1814, proven 28 June 1814; also, 1810 Census, Sheldon Twp., Genesee Co., NY, p.122, households of Richard Merrifield and Tyler Merrifield). This Richard is sometimes mistakenly listed as a child of Samuel Merrifield Jr. After Richard's death, Sophina married Moses Jewell (will of Thomas Merrifield of Mantua, Portage Co., OH). She and her husband Moses lived in Orangeville (11 miles south of Attica), Genesee Co., NY. Census: 1820, p.205 and 1830, p.222 Moses Jewell household and 1840, p.173 "Sophira" Jewell household. "Sophia" Jewell is listed in the 1850 Census in Orangeville, Genesee Co., NY, p.42. Apparently a widow, she was living in the household of her son Emery Merifield with her grandchildren Rosina and John Nichols, and Minerva Fallow. There is no family connection (at least in America) between our Merrifields and the Merrifields of New England.

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[1] It's a rough draft and needs to be edited.

Lord Dunmore's War

Samuel Samuel Merrifield Jr. was a veteran of Lord Dunmore's War. He appears on the roster of Captain Zachquil Morgan's Company, Virginia Militia in 1744.

Samuel is listed on the rolls of Captain Zachquil Morgan's Company along with brothers Richard and Thomas Merrifield and brother-in-law George Tucker.^[2]

Research Notes

Many of Samuel Jr.'s online trees conflate his information with that of his father Samuel Sr.

Some of the Indian names need sourcing.

Baty-260 07:49, 18 June 2020 (UTC)

Sources

• Core, Earl L., "The Monongalia Story: A Bicentenial History," Vol. 1, p.248.

• Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt, "Virginia's Colonial Soldiers," p. 144.

• Zinn, Melba Pender, "Monongalia County, (West) Virginia: Records of the District, Superior and County Courts" Vol. 1, p.179, Vol. 2, p.14.

1. ↑ Merrifield-161 was created by Paul Linden through the import of Anna May Hammer Family Tree 062814.ged on Jun 30, 2014. This comment and citation can be deleted after the biography has been edited and primary sources are included.
2. ↑ Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, Baltimore: MD, 1998. p. 144. Accessed 13 June 2020 by SJ Baty at Ancestry. Ancestry shared record.