Deane, Many thanks for your attention to this Mary WHITNEY mystery. It may be that Mary was no more than a transcription error as Robert Ward had suggested. Or it may be that Mary was more of a free soul and preferred not to have the church make record of her family. Or there may be an even more unusual explanation that we have yet to discover?? The records that I have are not copies of originals, but rather transcriptions. They are primarily of deaths and can be found in the NEHGR (vol 30 pp 427-8; vol 48 pp 27-9, 340-1). I have yet to see any original VRs for Statham and surrounding areas. I would very much like to. Is there anyone that might have some access or knowledge of these Stratham Vital Records? Much of this secondary information comes from Marija Sanderling at the Rochester Public Library in Rochester, NH. She has also checked, without success, the following: History of Rochester, NH by F.McDuffee; Abstracts of the Probate Records of Strafford County 1771-1799 by Helen Evans; Directory of Ancestral Heads of NE Families, 1620-1700 by Frank Holmes; Genealogy of the Ricker Family by Percy Ricker & Elwin Holland; NH Marriage Licenses and Intentions 1709-1961 by Pauline Oesterlin; Pioneers of Maine and NH 1623-1660 by Charles Pope; Shannon Genealogy, compiled by George Hodgdon; The Wentworth Genealogy by John Wentworth; History of Rockingham & Strafford Counties by Duane Hurd. Thank you again Marija. I have also written to the Wiggin Memorial Library of Stratham, NH but as yet have not had a reply. If anyone else has any information or useful theories about these individuals please post it to the List. It seems there are a number of people who are now very interested. I am hoping that one of you reading this is more knowledgeable than I. And might shed some light on this current mystery of the month. until later, Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Deane Merrill <merrill@crocker.com> To: Robert L. Ward <rlward1@erols.com>; Ron Graham <rgraham1@maine.rr.com>; <MERRILL-L@rootsweb.com>; <WHITNEY-L@rootsweb.com>; <NHROCKIN-L@rootsweb.com>; <hjmerril@eatel.net>; <dfxor@tiac.net>; <73524.3332@compuserve.com>; <lilhall@mpinet.net>; <jwmuse@compuserve.com> Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 5:06 AM Subject: Mary WHITNEY b.abt.1714, d.1755, of Stratham, Rockingham, NH > Listed below are some secondary sources that include Mary WHITNEY > b.abt.1714, d.28 Jun 1755 in Stratham, Rockingham, NH, who m. Feb 1740/1741 > in Stratham, Rockingham, NH, Enoch MERRILL 1711/2-1787. Can anyone > identify (and confirm) the primary source of these data? The ancestry of > Mary WHITNEY is a mystery. > I am forwarding this message to > MERRILL-L@rootsweb.com (MERRILL surname) > WHITNEY-L@rootsweb.com (WHITNEY surname) > NHROCKIN-L@rootsweb.com (Rockingham County, NH) > Howard and Jean MERRILL (hjmerril@eatel.net) > Robert Ward (rlward1@erols.com) > Ron Graham (rgraham1@maine.rr.com) > Daniel Francis X. O'Reilly, dfxor@tiac.net > Jack Merrill, 73524.3332@compuserve.com > Lillian Follett-Hall, lilhall@mpinet.net > Jeanne (Whitney) Muse, jwmuse@compuserve.com > > Deane Merrill > merrill@crocker.com > > 1. Samuel Merrill, "A Merrill Memorial: An Account of the Descendants of > Nathaniel Merrill, an Early Settler of Newbury, Massachusetts" by Samuel > Merrill. Privately published by Mr. Merrill in Cambridge, Massachusetts, > 1917-1928. The original edition was limited to 26 copies, most of which > were deposited in various genealogical libraries in the United > States. None were offered for sale. A 1983 edition. containing the full > text of the original edition, was printed under the auspices of Parker > River Researchers, P.O. Box 86, Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950. Printed > by the Anundsen Publishing Co., 108 Washington Street, Decorah, IA 52101. > > "A Merrill Memorial" contains no information on primary sources. > > 4th GENERATION: > > On page 282: "(#118) ENOCH4 MERRILL (Joseph3, Abel2) was born 17 January, > 1711/12,in Newbury,Mass.,and died 10 Jan.1787. He lived in > Stratham,N.H. He married (1) Mary Whitney,who died 28 June,1755; (2) > Abigail _______,who died 8 July,1757and (3) Sarah Pratt. Children,born in > Stratham: > (#1201) i. Thomas5,b.30 Jan.1741/2; d.18 Feb.1822. (12 children) > ii. Susanna5.b.6 Sept.1744; m. Noah Barker. > iii. Joseph5, lived Stratham. > iv. Mary5,b.20 Jan.1747/8. > v. Anna5,b.29 Jan.1749/50; d.1825 in Cornish,Me.,unm. > vi. Sarah5,b.13 Feb,1752; m.Noah Barker(?); lived Cornish. > vii. Enoch5,b.11 Mar.1755; d.21 Apr.1841; lived Stratham,and removed to > Francisborough (now Cornish),Me.; m.1785,in Stratham,Lydia Johnson,dau.of > David Johnson of Hampton,N.H.; had two children,both daughters. > viii. Abigail5,b.23 May, 1756; m.____ Bean. > ix. Elias5,b.13 Nov.1761; said to have lived in Vermont. > x. Lydia5,b.8 Feb.1764. > (#1209) xi. Wiggins5,b.23 July,1765; d.Jan.1839. (10 children) > (#1210) xii. Paul5,b.14 May,1767. (8 children) > xiii. Phebe5,b.8 Oct.1770. > xiv. Levi5,b.15 Sept.1772. > xv. Samuel5,b.10 Jan.1775. > xvi. Mehitable5,b.22 June,1777. > xvii. Betsey5." > (hereafter are two signatures "Enoch Merril") > "Facsimiles of signatures of Enoch4 Merrill. The first is from a bond > dated 9 Feb.1750. The second from his will, dated 13 Oct.1786. > > 2. LDS Ancestral File updated 3/22/99 (www.familysearch.org) submissions by > (1) DEBORAH M MERRILL, 15 HOLMES STREET, city not specified (2) JO ANN > CORNELIUS, 5054 TRIANA STREET, SAN DIEGO CA > USA 92117-3123 (3) ARTHUR HENRI DELOREY, BARBARA MAE VAN AMBURG, 79 > BROOKVILLE AVE, BROCKTON MA, 02402-1157. > > "Enoch MERRILL (AFN: MS2D-NL) b.17 Jan 1711/1712, Newbury, Essex, Ma; d.10 > Jan 1787, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire. > > m. Mary WHITNEY (AFN: ZR9Q-H4) b.Abt 1719, Stratham, Rockingham, New > Hampshire; d. 28 Jun 1755, Stratham, Rockingham, Nh; no children listed. > > m. in Stratham, Rockingham, Nh, Abigail _____ (AFN: ZR9Q-J9); b.abt.1734, > Of Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire, d. 6 Jul 1757, Stratham, > Rockingham, Nh; no children listed. > > m. in Stratham, Rockingham, Nh, Sarah PRATT (AFN:MS2D-PR) b. Abt > 1739, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire; child is Wiggins MERRILL b.23 > Jul 1765, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire; d.Jan 1839, Charleston, > Penobscot, Maine. > > 3. LDS International Geographical Index (IGI), Film Number: 170678, Page > Number: 939, Reference Number: 23313. "Mary WHITTNEY, wife of Enoch > MERRILL, d. 28 Jun 1755, <stratham>, Rockingham, New Hampshire." > > 4. LDS IGI, Film Number: 458245 and 471897. "Mary WHITNEY m.abt.1741 Enoch > MERRILL, <stratham>, Rockingham, New Hampshire." > > 5. LDS IGI, Film Number: 442437, Page Number: 1, Reference Number: 86926. > "Mary WHITNEY b. Abt. 1716, Of Stratham, Rocghm, New Hampshire, m. Enoch > MERRILL." > > 6. LDS IGI, Film Number: 177919, Page Number: 762, Reference Number: 29159. > "Mary WHITNEY, wife of Enoch MERRILL, Of Stratham, Rockingham, New > Hampshire, d. 28 Jun 1755." > > 7. LDS IGI, Film Number 1760753. "Mary WHITNEY, abt.1740 in <stratham>, > Rockingham, New Hampshire, m. Enoch MERRILL." > > 8. www.mytrees.com, submitted by Daniel Francis X. O'Reilly, > dfxor@tiac.net: "Enoch MERRILL b.17 Jan 1711/1712 MA m. Feb 1740/1741 > Stratham, NH, Mary WHITNEY." > > 9. www.mytrees.com, submitted by Jack Merrill, J-150 West Turner Road, > Lodi, California 95242, 209-334-3952, 73524.3332@compuserve.com: "Enoch > MERRILL b. 29 Dec 1712 Mass, m.ABT 1741 Stratham, N.H., Mary WHITNEY > b.abt.1714." > > 10. database lilhall2, 1/16/1997 by Don E. Merrill and Lillian Follett-Hall > lilhall@mpinet.net, hosted by Deane Merrill (merrill@crocker.com) at > http://www.bearhaven.com/family/data/lilhall2.html: "Mary WHITNEY > b.abt.1714, d. 28 Jun 1755, Stratham, N.H., m.abt.1741, Stratham, N.H., > Enoch MERRILL (29 Dec 1712 - 10 Jan 1787) > > 11. GENDEX "unconnected Whitneys database" by Jeanne (Whitney) Muse, > jwmuse@compuserve.com, at http://www.my-ged.com/whitneys/: "Mary WHITNEY, > b. ABT 1719, Stratham, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire, d.28 JUN 1755, > Stratham, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire, m.Enoch MERRILL, 1741, Stratham, > Rockingham Co., New Hampshire: CHILDREN: > 1.Thomas MERRILL > 2.Susanna MERRILL > 3.Joseph MERRILL > 4.Mary MERRILL > 5.Anna MERRILL > 6.Sarah MERRILL > 7.Enoch MERRILL > > At 08:31 PM 9/27/00 -0400, Robert L. Ward wrote: > >Ron, > > > >At 01:11 PM 9/27/00 -0400, Deane Merrill wrote: > >>Dear Ron, > >> > >>You probably know that Enoch MERRILL 1711/12-1787 is Enoch4(Joseph3,Abel2). > >>See Merrill Memorial, or LDS Ancestral File. > >>Your data differ slightly from "A Merrill Memorial", for example MM lists > >>Thomas5's > >>birthdate as 30 Jan 1741/2, not 1740/1 as in your data. I have not > >>consulted the original documentation. > >> > >>As far as I know, the father of Mary WHITNEY who d. 28 June 1755 is not > >>known. I am forwarding your message to Robert Ward, who is a WHITNEY expert. > >> > >>Deane Merrill > >> > >> > >> > >>At 11:57 AM 9/27/00 -0400, you wrote: > >>>Dear Deane, > >>> > >>>I recently read about your contribution to resolve the controversy about > >>>the Joseph MERRILL who married Lucinda WHITNEY. And I was very interested. > >>> > >>>I too, have male MERRILL marrying a female WHITNEY and have had some > >>>problems with it. > >>> > >>>I wonder if I might ask if you would have either of the following > >>>individuals in your files? > >>> > >>>1) Mary Whitney b: Abt. 1719 in Stratham, Rockingham, NH or > >>>2) Enoch Merrill b: January 17, 1711/12 in Newbury, Essex county, Mass > >>> > >>>I will paste in a report of 3 generations of Mary & Enoch's descendants > >>>down below. I have much more information on the descendants and the > >>>MERRILL ancestors, if you would like it. > >>> > >>>I am trying to determine which family this Mary WHITNEY descends from. > >>> > >>>Any thoughts or suggestions you might have on this would be greatly > >>>appreciated. > >>> > >>>And again, I have much more information if you would like to see it. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>hoping to hear back, > >>>Ron Graham > >>>North Yarmouth, Maine > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>>Descendants of Mary Whitney > >>> > >>>1 Mary Whitney b: Abt. 1719 in Stratham, Rockingham, NH d: June 28, 1755 > >>>in Stratham, Rockingham, NH > >>> > >>>. +Enoch Merrill b: January 17, 1711/12 in Newbury, Essex county, Mass > >>>d: January 25, 1787 in Stratham, Rockingham county, NH m: 1741 in Stratham, NH > >>> > >>>....... 2 Thomas MERRILL b: January 30, 1740/41 in Stratham, Rockingham, > >>>New Hampshire d: February 18, 1822 in Nobleboro, Lincoln, Maine > >>> > >>>........... +Sarah BLACKSTONE b: January 10, 1749/50 in Of Nobleboro, > >>>Lincoln, Maine d: October 07, 1835 in Nobleboro, Lincoln, Maine m: Abt. > >>>1768 in Nobleboro, Lincoln, Maine > >>> > >>>................. 3 Susannah Blackstone Merrill b: September 16, 1791 in > >>>Nobleboro, Lincolnville County, Maine d: September 28, 1830 in > >>>Nobleboro, Lincolnville County, Maine > >>> > >>>..................... +Washington Knowlton b: October 14, 1790 in > >>>Nobleboro, Maine d: December 03, 1841 in Gloucester, Massachusetts m: > >>>1813 in Nobleboro, Lincolnville County, Maine > >>> > >>>....... 2 Susanna MERRILL b: September 06, 1744 in Stratham, Rockingham, > >>>New Hampshire > >>> > >>>........... +Barker m: Abt. 1771 in Stratham, Rockingham, NH > >>> > >>>................. 3 Child Barker d: July 18, 1771 in Stratham, > >>>Rockingham county, NH (at Enoch Merrill's house) > >>> > >>>....... 2 Joseph MERRILL b: June 26, 1746 in Stratham, Rockingham, New > >>>Hampshire > >>> > >>>....... 2 Mary MERRILL b: January 20, 1747/48 in Stratham, Rockingham, > >>>New Hampshire > >>> > >>>....... 2 Anna MERRILL b: January 29, 1749/50 in Stratham, Rockingham, > >>>New Hampshire d: 1825 in Cornish, Maine (unmarried) > >>> > >>>....... 2 Sarah MERRILL b: February 13, 1752 in Stratham, Rockingham, > >>>New Hampshire d: in Lived in Cornish, Maine > >>> > >>>........... +Noah Barker > >>> > >>>....... 2 Enoch MERRILL b: March 11, 1755 in Stratham, Rockingham, New > >>>Hampshire d: April 21, 1841 in Cornish, Maine > >>> > >>>........... +Lydia Johnson m: 1785 in Cornish, Maine > > > >I don't know what your source for the maiden name of Enoch MERRILL's wife > >might be. If it is a primary source, I would be very interested. If it > >is not, I suspect that it is incorrect, since there is no Mary WHITNEY > >belonging to the two New England WHITNEY families who could be this person. > >Furthermore, there was no branch of those families living in Stratham (or > >anywhere in NH, for that matter) in 1719. > > > >Have you tried WHITING, which looks very much like WHITNEY in handwriting? > >Some records of each family are occasionally found under the other spelling. > > > >Regards, > > > >Robert > > > >Robert L. Ward > >rlward1@erols.com > ><http://users.erols.com/rlward1/> > >12236 Shadetree Lane, Laurel, MD 20708-2832 > >301-776-1659 >