Good stuff. Your post mentions Colby Hill and being named by Merrill Colby. I've read somewhere that it is near Meriden, NH. This tidbit of info seems to further substantiate the Merrill--Jesse--Newell connection. I read some, I can't find the source right now, Newell Colby surveyed and named the town Meriden, KS after his hometown in NH. Appears that Newell was a busy surveyor. In addition to Meriden, KS he did some work in Iowa as per the following link: http://iagenweb.org/state/places/blackhaw.htm Brooklyn Located in both Black Hawk (Spring Creek Twp.) and Benton counties. Surveyed 3 April 1856 by Newell Colby. The plat was filed 22 June 1860 with H. N. Brooks as proprietor. The town never prospered and was known only in name. In addition here are a few things about Newell Colby while he was in Kansas. This is from Cutler's History of the State of Kansas (1883) and can be found on the following link: http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/jefferson/jefferson-co-p20.html Meriden is located on the southwestern quarter of Section, 7, Township 10, Range 17, east It as surveyed and platted in October, 1872; and was on the land owned and occupied as a farm by Albert Owens. The first building was a railroad section house, erected in fall of 1872. The next was a small building by N. Colby, a part completed the first dwelling in November. About the same time blacksmith shop was started in a building moved from Mount Florence. The above constitute about all the improvements of 1872. http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/jefferson/jefferson-co-p3.html In August, 1857, a Free-state election took place for State officers and members of the Legislature. From Jefferson County, Geo. S. Hillyer was elected Senator, and Dr. S. S. Cooper and Henry Owens, representatives. A. G. Patrick, of Jefferson County, was elected Clerk of the Supreme Court. In September, a Free-state mass convention was held at Grasshopper Falls, to discuss the contest for the control of the Legislature. The members of the party from the north side of the Kansas River favored a contest, while those south opposed it. After a boisterous session it was determined to put a full ticket in the field. Immediate action was taken. The convention for Jefferson County was held the same month, at Osawkie. The Pro-slavery party put a ticket in the field headed by C. A. Buck, and the election was held in October. There is no record of the election, but the nominees of the Free-state party were elected, it is claimed, by about one hundred majority. They were A. G. Patrick, member of the Territorial Council; S. S. Cooper and Henry Owens, Representatives; Robert Ward and John Hughan, County Commissioners; J. L. Spear, Probate Judge; Ephraim Bainter, Sheriff; Henry Evans, Treasurer; John W. Day, Recorder; Jacob A. Boucher, Corner; Newell Colby, Surveyor and Lewis A. Cobb, Assessor. This was the first election in which the two parties participated to any extent, and the first at which Free-state men were elected to county offices. and the other link http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/jefferson/jefferson-co-p5.html At the first election of county officers, after the admission of the State, in 1861, M. R. Dutton was elected Clerk; S. C. Gephart, Register of Deeds; N. W. Taylor, Sheriff; S. S. Cooper, Treasurer; Jno. W. Day, Judge, and Newell Colby, Superintendent of Schools N. Chapman, J. P. Barnes and Allen Griffin were elected Commissioners. Hope this post wasn't too long. Regards, EJ ----- Original Message ----- From: Ronald Colby <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 7:03 PM Subject: [COLBY] Merrill Colby and Jesse Colby > EJ and all > > I have been working on this line of Merrill Colby and Jesse Colby of Plainfield, NH > Here is some of what I have found. > Merrill Colby b. 16 FEB 1767 d. 1845 married 25 JAN 1791 Elizabeth Colby b. 17 AUG 1768 > I have the followin children: > Hannah Colby b. 10 Jan 1791 > Rebecca Colby b. abt 1792 > Jesse Colby b. abt 1797 > Catherine Colby b. 10 Mar 1800 > Charles Colby b. 1813 d. 1902 > > The following was sent to me and I am forwarding it. > > > History of Plainfield, NH 1991 > > COLBY, Merrill > > P507: Appendix B Plainfield town Officers: Moderator 1811 Merrill COLBY > > p509 " " " " " "" Representatives(to the General Court) 1821-22 Merrill Colby > > p513/514 " " " " " " " " " Selectmen : Merrill Colby 1800-01, 1802, 1803-4, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1817, 1823 > > > p117: Colby Hill Road was named for the Colby family who farmed along the side of Colby Hill > > > > > > COLBY, Jesse > > p496: Appendix B Plainfield Town Officers: 1853 Jesse Colby, Auditor > > p516: Superintendent of School Committee 1850 Jesse Colby > > p520: Surveyor of Highways: 1830 Jesse Colby > > p522: " " " " " : 1853 Jesse Colby > > p5: Landscape: Colby Hill elevation 1200' > > p11: Landscape: Colby Hill Location: Northwest of Meriden covered bridge Origin of name: MERRRILL(1768-1845) and CHARLES (1813-1902 ) COLBY > > Colby or River Cemetery (map p268) located on the (Connecticut) River Road > > P 10: Transportation: : by 1890, the ferry had been moved to the south end of the field (Colby Meadow.) > > How's that for information?? Even provides us with birth & death dates. It would appear that Charles inherited the family farm. > > There are lots of other Colbys mentioned in the book. > > COLBY > > Alice (Wilson) > Bertha (Mrs. Everett Cameron) > Byron > Carlos > Carlos D. > Charles > Earle W. (Biographical piece.) > Edith (Westgate) > Edmond > Gertie (Wood) > Grace > J.C. > Jacob > Jacob C > Jesse > Merrill > Merrit > Merrit F > Norman L. > Sarah (Westgate) > Stanley > Susan (Lewin) 1889-1978 Pictures p441 Susan was the model for most of Maxfield Parrish's paintings. And third wife of Earle W Colby m 1960 > Virginia > William D. > > > Do you know any of these people?? > > > ==== COLBY Mailing List ==== > Search Colby resources: > http://resources.rootsweb.com/surnames/c/o/COLBY > - > Need to search the Rootsweb List Archives? > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > - > To contact the list owner, use [email protected] > - > Please don't send ATTACHED FILES to the list! > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx >