John Merriam Family from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880)

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Surname: MERRIAM
Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, 
        The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 331-332

MERRIAM, JOHN, came to Walpole in the month of November 1782, from Littleton Mass, and 
bought fifty acres of land in the south east corner of the town, on which he built a substantial habitation, 
cleared six acres of the land and sowed it to winter wheat the same season. This fifty acres was the 
nucleus of a farm of 300 acres, which he afterwards possessed. This old farm has been in the 
possession of the Merriam family one hundred and seven years. At the time of the battle of Bennington, 
a courier was dispatched to inform him that soldiers would pass his house on their way to the scene of 
conflict and he must prepare to furnish them with water, the next day. Accordingly every available vessel 
that would hold water was filled from his well and ready for use. The following day 3,000 soldiers drank 
and filled their canteens from his well, and passed on to Col. Josiah Goldsmith’s tavern, where they 
were again refreshed by devouring a whole ox, which he had been ordered to prepare for them. He was 
born Oct. 1726 and m. Fanny, dau. of Josiah Goldsmith, who was born in 1729. He d. 1814; she d. 
1824. Ch.
I. John jr., m. Susan Brockway, of Surry, and moved to Barton, Vt. He was in the Revolutionary 
service and was wounded seven times in his trowsers, so tradition says, i.e. seven bullet holes 
were made in his pants without any injury to himself.
II. Richard, m. Susan Skinner and went to Hartland, Vt.
III. Hannah, m. Dyer Wilcox, of Surry; she d. and he afterwards m. a Howard, of Acworth, N.H.
IV. Lydia, m. Thomas Messer, (see Messer.)
V. Daniel, b. Aug. 2, 1769, m. Sally, dau. of Rev. Ebenezer Bailey, of Westmoreland, N.H. Ch. 
1st, Clarissa, b. Feb. 28, 1797; d. Sep. 17, 1865, unmarried. She had a memory strikingly 
remarkable, being able to repeat all of Watts’ hymns and also much of the Bible. 2d, Sarah, b. 
June 2, 1800, m. Josiah Emerson of Alstead, and had six ch. one of whom is the wife of Samuel 
H. Porter of this town. 3d, Rhoda, b. May, 28, 1802; m. Daniel Emerson of Alstead, and had 
five sons and one daughter. 4th, Almira, b. Oct. 20, 1805, m., first, William Goodenow, of 
Keene, m. second, Joseph Paige, of Boston; d. Jan. 29, 1879. 5th, Eliza, b. Sep. 22, 1807. 
6th, Daniel jr., b. Feb. 28,1810; m. Sep. 17, 1840, Emily E. Robinson, of Surry, b. Mar. 17, 
1818; Daniel jr. was moderator, tax collector and one of the board of selectmen in this town for 
several years, and represented the town in the General Court in 1842. More recently he has 
taken but little interest in ton affairs. Ch. (1) Ellery R., b. Apr. 23, 1841 and resides in Boston, 
Mass. (2) and (3) Elmore E. and Emily, (twins,) b. Apr. 23, 1844. Emily m. Milton Blake of 
Keene and has 3 ch. (4) Hattie L, b. Aug. 15, 1846; m. Luke J. Paige, of Boston, Mass., and 
has l ch. (5) Jennie M., b. Mar. 22, 1850. (6) Susan Jane, b. Apr. 29, 1853.