Thomas Merrifield (abt. 1747)

Born about 1747 in Winchester, Frederick, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

Thomas Merrifield left Frederick Co., VA and was in Monongalia Co. (Augusta Co./Dist. of West Augusta until 1776), VA as early as 1766: "Thomas Merifield is entitled to Four Hundred acres of land in Monongalia County on the waters of Booths Creek on a run called Horners Run (now in Harrison Co., WV) in the right of residence to include his Improvement made in the year 1766." (1781 Land Certificate). Thomas' brother Richard was also in what would later be Monongalia Co., VA in 1766 and their brother Samuel was certainly in Hampshire Co., VA by Sep 1770. (Frederick Co., VA Deed Bk.13, p.540). The land certificates issued to Thomas and Richard in 1781 include the earliest records of our Merrifields in this part of Virginia.

Lord Dunmore's War

Thomas Merrifield is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Brittish Colony of Virginia, Captain Zachquil Morgan's Company, Virginia Militia 1744-1744
Thomas Merrifield. fought in Lord Dunmore's War.

Thomas is listed on the rolls of Captain Zachquil Morgan's Company along with brothers Samuel Merrifield Jr., Richard Merrifield, and brother-in-law George Tucker.^[1]

Thomas left Monongalia Co., Virginia* and was in Nelson Co., Kentucky by early 1785 with his brothers John and Alexander, his brother-in-law George Tucker (he married their sister Mary Merrifield). Thomas Merrifield is listed in the Nelson Co. tithables from 1785-1791 and is listed in the Nelson Co., KY tax records most years from 1792-1802 (no land listed).

Note: Although I have found no direct evidence that Thomas lived in Pennsylvania as did his parents and his siblings, it is likely that he did. The following facts infer he probably lived there prior to his move to Kentucky:

1. He was not listed in the tax records of Monongalia Co., VA in the two years prior to his appearance in Kentucky. (available tax records begin in 1783).

2. On 12 Dec 1784 Richard Merrifield signed a promissory note promising to pay Thomas Merrifield 15 pounds Pennsylvania currency "on or before 1 November next." Richard Merrifield was living in Fayette Co., PA in 1784.

Sources

1. ↑ Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt. Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, Baltimore: MD, 1998. p. 144. Accessed 13 June 2020 by SJ Baty at Ancestry. Ancestry shared record.

• Core, Earl L., The Monongalia Story: A Bicentenial History, Vol. 1, (Parsons, W. Va., McClain Print. Co., 1974-1984.) p. 163.

• Zinn, Melba Pender, Monongalia County, (West) Virginia: Records of the District, Superior and County Courts, (Bowie, Md. : Heritage Books, 19--), Vol. 4, p.96, Vol.6, pp.14-15, Vol.9, pp.165-166.

• “The Nelson County Pioneer” (Nelson County Hist. Soc.), Vol. 1, No. 1, Summer 1977, p. 7. NELSON COUNTY TITHABLES – 1785, A List of Tithables Taken by Isaac Cox “on all the waters of Long Lick Creek and all the southern branches below to the mouth of Cox’s Creek. And all the northern branches of Buffalo Creek to the mouth of Chaplin Fork.” “At the second meeting of the newly organized Nelson County Court, June 29, 1785, individuals were appointed to take these lists of tithables. They were returned to the Court at its next meeting, July 28, 1785, thus these lists indicate those people who were considered to be residents in July, 1785.”

• Familysearch.org: Kentucky, Nelson Co. Court, List of Tithables 1785, 1787, 1788-1791, 1795, (Fam. Hist. Library Microfilm no. 9670. 1785: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLZ-94N1?i=162&cat=417360>. 1787: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLZ-94JQ?cat=417360>. Note that Alexander and John were listed in George Tucker’s household in 1787 but their names had been lined out.

• Familysearch.org: Nelson County (Kentucky). Tax Assessor, Tax books (Nelson County, Kentucky), 1792-1894. 1792-1810 Film 8178 <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMQ-VSZR-H?mode=g&cat=156788>, 1811-1826 Film 8179 <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMQ-V9D2-C?mode=g&cat=156788>.