MERRITHEW sure caught my attention as it is my G gm's maiden name from families of the Vinalhaven, Islesborough, and Deer Isle areas of Maine. In addition, her mother was an AREY, descended from the AREY's of the New Bedford, MA area. My MERRITHEW direct line is: Janice d/o Alton Linwood ROBBINS s/o gm Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" MARSH 1877-1945 m Charles William ROBBINS 1875-1963 d/o G gm Addavilla Frances "Addie" MERRITHEW d 1920 1m James MARSH d 1877 s/o William MARSH b England (m Lucy RINES, lived Alna, Lincoln Co, ME) 2m Edson Leander MORSE had several ch d/o GG gf Ira Newman MERRITHEW m Azuba "Ruby" AREY d/o Crosby AREY & Anna COOMBS (This may be Anna's 2nd m, possibly 1m PHILBRICK / PHILBROOK?) s/o GGG gf Benjamin MERRITHEW m Sarah COOMBS s/o GGGG gf Roger MERRITHEW m Rhoda MALLORY Dr Benjamin Lake NOYES in his genealogical collection of data on Deer Isle families notes some (early 1800's) MERRITHEW info re those who settled and lived onVinalhaven and Isle au Haut when it was a part of Deer Isle. This info includes references to MERRITHEW's coming from CT (eastern areas near RI) and RI or possibly coming down the Penobscot River to the coastal areas south and east of Bangor. The following is quoted from Dr NOYES' material: Typed by BLN 1937 MER(R)ITHEW (Origin of this family to Penobscot Bay) The first comers to what was Ancient Deer Isle of the MERITHEWs were Aaron and Benjamin MERITHEW -- Aaron having shown himself on Isle au Haut (when a part of Der Isle) as a poll tax payer 1811, and Benjamin as a poll taxer on the same island 1819. Aaron became the possessor of a home and real estate, paying quite a tax for his holdings near Moore's Harbor where he resided up to the time of his being drowned in 1844. These Isle au Haut pioneers came from Fox Islands (Vinalhaven) and by marrying into the Isle au Haut SMITH family tended to hold th?? (them?) to this section -- these affiliators being the 2nd generation, Aaron, Jr and Benj. MERITHEW , Jr. The MERITHEWs were early in Vinalhaven but not in the list of settlers who petitioned for ownership of the islands, 1785-6, to the General Court of Mass, on the basis of having been settled there and made improvements prior to Jan. 1st, 1784. Investigating the documentary history of this section we find that a large group of immigrants came from the Rhode Island and Connecticut region to Vinalhaven, and the following declared, officially, in the year 1800 to Geo. HALLIBURTON, to have come from Marthas Vineyard -- also listed as Martins Vineyard. There were 9 as follows: -- Abijah, Bethuel and Maletiah LUCE; Samuel and Uriah NORTON; Samuel and Flavilla PEASE; Widow ALLEN, and, finally, WILLIAM MERRITHEW, who had in 1800, 2 sons and 4 daughters under 10 years of age; a boy and girl between 10 and 16 and a wife nearly 45 and himself just above 45 years of age. WILLIAM was not alone as the pioneer, for ROGER MERITHEW, hailing "from Connecticut" was there. He and his wife were about the ages of William and wife; having 2 boys and 2 girls under 10 years; a girl between 10 and 16 and another daughter above 16 yrs of age. Roger at one time many years ago, lived upon and owned Babbidge's Island off the east border of North Haven, named from Courtney BABBIDGE, 2nd of Deer Isle who moved there where he lived until his death in 1834. An old STIMPSOM family had settled on North Haven and Courtney, having lost his first wife, married the widow of Ephraim STIMPSOM of No. Haven which naturally was one incentive to hold him there. Back of 1800 we find still more interesting data as to the MERITHEW origin by consulting the 1790 U.S. census which discloses Roger MERITHUE in Frankfort with with a good sized family --1-2-4; so sometime between 1790 and 1800 he dropped down the Penobscot River to Fox Islands. If he actually came from Connecticut, then he was the only one there, for the 1790 census shows a total absence of the name in Conn. On the other hand, he may have been near the Rhode Island border of Conn., in which state (R.I.), apart from every other N. England State where not a single family (including Mass., N. H., Vermont, & Conn) of this name or any of its resemblances can be found. "Reuba MERRIHEW" (1-2-2) in New Bedford, Mass. is the nearest simile found and could be mispelled (a "t" just left out between i and h) for MERRITHEW; and another strong evidence is the fact that, being in Bristol County, Mass., it's not far from Rhode Island where we really find the "home territory" of the first MERITHEWs. Here they are -- Samuel MERITHEW (1-3-3) in Coventry, Kent County; and in Providence County these 3 families: - Mary (1-0-2) in Cranston; and William (1-0-3) and Philip, (1-1-1) both in the town of Foster, R. Island. This William could have been the one who is described 10 years later in Vinalhaven as detailed above; if not, then we would have to see if he would work in as one of the two sons of Roger at the top of this paragraph. Figuring it out in a family tabulation will better solve the question. "Austins Dictionary of Rhode Island Families" should be investigated. End quote from Dr. Benjamin Lake NOYES. Hope this is helpful or of interest to some MERRITHEW researchers. Janice