Person Page - 426

     Ruth was the daughter of John and Mary (Brewster) Turner of Scituate and great-granddaughter of William Brewster of the Mayflower. She was the sister of mary who married Thomas' brother Isaac.

After her husband's death, Ruth moved to Duxbury with her children and later married Israel Sylvester of Duxbury. He was a shipbuilder in Duxbury. Ruth and Israel had 3 more children: Ruth , born 1701; Israel, born 1705; and Grace, born 1706. Ruth Turner was born before 17 May 1662.¹ She was baptized on 17 May 1663 in Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.²

Ruth married Thomas Prince on 23 December 1685 in Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. Thomas and Ruth had 4 sons and 1 daughter..³

Ruth married Israel Silvester on 3 October 1701 in Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. Children of Israel and Ruth are listed in NEHGR article but were not copied.⁴

Ruth died circa 1729 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.⁵

     Israel Silvester was born on 23 September 1674 in Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.¹ He was baptized on 19 September 1675 in Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.¹

Israel married Ruth Turner on 3 October 1701 in Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. Children of Israel and Ruth are listed in NEHGR article but were not copied.¹

Israel died circa 13 February 1716/17 in Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts.¹

     Eleaser Morton was born in 1659.¹

Eleaser married Rebecca [--?--] Morton in 1693.¹

     Rebecca [--?--] Morton was born in 1661?.¹

Rebecca married Eleaser Morton in 1693.²

     Thomas Morton was born in 1667.¹

Thomas married Martha Doty on 23 December 1696.¹

     Martha was the daughter of Edward Doty. Martha Doty was born in 1669?.¹

Martha married Thomas Morton on 23 December 1696.²

     Samuel Wood was born on 21 May 1647 in Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. His parents were Henry Woos and Abigail Jenny Wood..¹

Samuel married Rebecca Morton before 1679. They had at least five children, namely:
-Ephraim, Jan1679;
-Rebecca, 1682:
-Samuel Jr., about 1684;
-Anne, 20 January 1687; and
-Jabez, 1690..²

Samuel died on 2 February 1718 in Middleboro, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, at age 70.¹ He was buried in the Nemasket Hill Cemetery at Middleboro, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.¹

     Nathaniel Merrill was born on 1 May 1601 in Wherstead, Babergh District, Suffolk, England.^1,2 He was baptized on 4 May 1601 in Wherstead Parish, Suffolk County, England.² Nathaniel married Susannah Wolterton on 23 September 1623 at Wherstead, Suffolk County, England.^3,4

John and Nathaniel Merrill, brothers, together with their wives and at least one child each, came from England to America in 1633 and landed in Ipswich, MA. In 1635 they were among the original settlers and proprietors of Newbury where they settled and remianed until death. Since John's only child was a daughter, all the Merrill's of New England and perhaps most of those in the United States have descended from Nathaniel's sons.^5,6 On 5 May 1638, Nathaniel was granted land in Newbury on the Neck, south of the Parker River.⁷ Nathaniel made a will on 8 March 1654/55 at Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. It was proven on 27 March 1655. His will mentions Nathaniel as his oldest son and executor, indicating that he was probably of age at this time. Legacies were bequeathed to the other sons to be paid to thame when they shouldbe of the "age of two and twenty years.".^8,5

Nathaniel died on 16 March 1654/55 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, at age 53.^9,10,2 He was buried in the Burying Ground of the First Settlers at Newbury, Essex County, Massachesetts.²

     Susanna's ancestry is uncertain. She has been thought to be the daughter of Stephen Wolterton and his wife Susannah. Per Davis, Mass & Maine Families, Mrs. Mary Lovering Holman concluded that Susanna was the sister of Gregory Wolterton, with whom Nathaniel's brother John lived. But Mr. Jacobus in a scholarly article ("The Wives of Gregory Wolterton," Donald Lines Jacobus, 32:197) decided otherwise, suggesting, however, the possibility that Wolterton's first wife Susanna, may have been Susanna Merrill's mother by a previous husband. Susannah was born in 1599 at Ipswich, Ipswich Borough, Suffolk County, England.¹

Susannah married Nathaniel Merrill on 23 September 1623 in Wherstead, Suffolk County, England.^2,3

Susannah married Steven Jordan on 16 August 1661 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.¹ Susannah died on 25 January 1672/73 at Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.^4,1 She was buried in the Burying Ground of the First Settlers at Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.¹

     Unnamed Merrill was born circa January 1593 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.¹

Unnamed died on 21 January 1593 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.²

     Mary Merrill was born circa February 1594.¹

     Steven Jordan was born circa 1608?.¹

Note that a Stephen Jurdan or Jordan was listed as a passenger on the Mary & John which sailed from London to New England in 1633/4.

Steven married Susannah Wolterton on 16 August 1661 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.²

Steven died on 8 February 1669/70 in Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts.³

     Frances Merrill was born in July 1595 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.¹

Frances died on 1 August 1598 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England, at age 3.²

     Martha Merrill was born circa 1596 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.¹

     John Merrill was born circa 1599 at Wherstead, Suffolk, England.¹ He married Annis Bishop on 24 January 1628 at Wherstead, Suffolk, England.² John Merrill came from England to America in 1633 with his brother, Nathaniel, and landed in Ipswich, Mass. In 1635, they were among the original settlers and proprietors of Newbury, Mass. where they settled and remained until death. John was made a freeman in Newbury in 1640.³ John died on 12 September 1673 at Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. At his death, John left only one child, a daughter, Hannah, who married Stephen Swett..^4,5

     Annis Bishop was born ??? 1602.¹

Annis married John Merrill on 24 January 1628 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.²

     Michael Merrill was born circa 1603 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.¹

     Thomas Merrill was also known as Thomas Merrill. He was born circa 1605 in Wherstead, Suffolk, England.¹

     Sarah was the daughter of Henry Wood. Sarah Wood was born in 1649?.¹

Sarah married John Nelson on 28 November 1667 in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. John and Sarah had at least 3 children, Namely:
- Mehitable. Married John Doty (or Doten). She is mentioned in her father's will;
- John, born 1672. Died 5 Jun 1676;
- Martha, born 1674. Died 19 Feb 1675..^2,3

Sarah died on 4 March 1675/76.²

     Lydia (Barnaby) Bartlett was born on 8 June 1647 in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Lydia was the daughter of Robert and Mary (Warren) Bartlett. She was the widow of James Barnaby..¹

Lydia married John Nelson on 30 October 1677 in Plymouth County, Massachuetts. John and Lydia had at least 2 children, namely:
- Samuel, born 4 Jul 1683. Married Hannah Ford about 1709. Married 2nd Bathsheba Nichols. Samuel was John's only son;
- Joanna, born 9 May 1689..²

Lydia died on 11 September 1691 in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, at age 44.^3,4

     Gregory Wolterton was born circa 1612.¹

Gregory was an original proprietor in Hartford Connecticut. His home-lot in 1639 was on the south bank of the Little River, on the highway now Elm Street. He was chosen townsman in 1639, 1646, 1651, 1666; constable in 1643 and 1654; and fence-viewer in 1650. He signed the agreement to move to Hadley in 1659 but did not go. He was a tanner.

     Gregory married three times, He first married Susanna who died in 1662, aged 75. He married second Benet, widow of Thomas Stanley, who died in January 1663/64. He married third Jane, widow of Nathaniel Ward, and previously wife of John Hopkins.

     Gregory died in 1674. His will was dated July 14 and inventoried on August 6. He left no children but named a large number of people in hill will including wife Jane; James Wolterton of Ipswich, old England, son of Matthew, and brother of Gregory; land in Hartford to John Shepard, son of Edward, of Cambridge; Dorothy, Hannah, and Sarah, daughters of Thomas Lord, deceased; and others, not of Hartford.² He died in Hartford between 14 July 1674 (will drafted) and 6 August 1674 (inventory of will).³

     Matthew Wolterton was born in in England.

     Aquila Chase Jr. was born on 9 April 1618 in Chesham, Chiltern District, Buckinghamshire, England. His parents were Aquilla Chase (1580-1644) and Martha Sarah Jelliman Chase (1582-1643)..^1,2

Aquila probably came from Chesham, Buckingham, England where a Robert Chase had a son Aquila baptized in 1580, or from a neighboring parish. Robert Chase had seven sons and it is probable that one of them was the father of Aquila and his brother Thomas Chase who emigrated to New England. They were in Hampton, New Hampshire by 1640.³ He married Anne Wheeler circa 1645 at Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Loose Quarterly Court Records filed with Newbury Vital Records, Phillips Library, Essex-Peabody Museum, Salem, MA say Thomas, s/o Aquilla Chase, born 21 July 1654, John, s/o Aquila born 2 Nov 1655; Esther, d/o Aquilla Chase, born 18 Nov 1674.⁴

Aquilla appeared first in Hampton, New Hampshire to be one of the Hampton petitioners for a modification of the law regulating military drill which had been in force for those years previously, and later removed to Newbury, Massachusetts to build and keep a mill at the Landing about half a mile south of the "Green". It is likely that this was called "The Landing" on account of being the place where the first settlers brought their shallop to shore. He possessed some skill as a mariner and for this reason was induced by the inhabitants of Newbury by a grant of land to join the settlement at the mouth of the Merrimack in 1646. This grant was made "on condition that he do goe to sea and do service in the towne with a boate for four years." His service was probably confined to short coastwise and fishing cruises He was the first to pilot a vessel across the bar of the mouth of the Merrimack River.^5,2

Aquila died on 17 December 1670 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, at age 52.⁶ He was buried in the Old Town Cemetery at Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.²