The Delahorne/Curtis Family History

Merryman

♂Walter Merryman

Born 1747.

Walter Merryman (born about 1747), called Walter Jr. in the records of his day, was a son of the first Merryman family of Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, and in 1790 was one of two Walter Merrimans, both heads of households at Harpswell, the other being his father or a namesake; the census does not show which household was his. He was the fourth great-grand-uncle of Nancy Jane Blanchard (1929–2006), the brother of Michael Merryman (1760–1848), Nancy Jane’s fourth great-grandfather.

Family and marriage

A Maine births and christenings index gives 1747 as his birth year and names his parents as Walter Merryman and Betsy Potter (born 1722). Both Harpswell histories that list the family, the town history by George Augustus and Henry Warren Wheeler of 1878 and the genealogy by the Rev. Charles Nelson Sinnett of 1905, make him the third of five brothers, after Thomas and Hugh and before James and Michael. Wheeler says he married Betsey Webber. Sinnett gives the date as 14 February 1771 and calls her a daughter of Benjamin Webber and Sarah Strout, born about 1750.

The Harpswell church’s baptism register, where the name is written Meryman, records a daughter Betty baptized on 7 June 1778 to Walter Merryman Jr. and his wife. The “Jr.” suffix distinguished him from his father, who bore the same name; whether the father was still living in 1790 is not on record (the tree gives no death date for him, and the census cannot settle it). Sinnett lists a son James, born on 30 June 1771 and died on 17 November 1800, and a son Samuel, born on 27 November 1773, and a birth index records further children of Walter and Elizabeth between 1778 and 1786.

Harpswell

In the census of 1790 he was head of a household at Harpswell, one of two Walters, alongside the households of his brothers Thomas, Hugh, James and Michael. In November 1797 Wheeler’s history records “Walter Merryman, Jr.” as the buyer of pew No. 4 in the Harpswell meeting-house, at twenty-five dollars. The buyer cannot have been his nephew Walter Merriman (1785–1867), then twelve years old. By the census of 1800 only one Walter Merriman remained in the town, and the records do not say which.

Sinnett gives his place of death as Bowdoin, Maine, without a date. The tree has no death date for him.

Notes

Three Walters

At least three men of the name lived in Harpswell in his lifetime: his father, himself, and his nephew Walter Merriman (1785–1867), the son of Michael. A bare “Walter Merryman” in a Harpswell record before about 1810 therefore cannot be assigned without a date or a relationship term. The two 1790 households cannot be told apart from the census alone, and the tree does not say which was his.

Birth

The 1747 birth rests on an index entry in “Maine, Births and Christenings, 1739-1900”; the entry is filed under Bowdoin, where the town record was kept, and is not a birthplace, since Bowdoin was settled only about 1762. Sinnett gives Harpswell as his birthplace without a date. The parentage of all five brothers rests on the two compiled histories, which drew on one family’s recollections, together with the index entry here and the Harpswell christenings of James and Michael.

Family time line

○ Walter Merryman 1747–
Betsy Webber 1750–
Married 14 Feb 1771
○ James Merryman 1771–1800
○ Samuel Merryman 1773–1834
○ Sarah Merryman 1775–
○ Miriam Merryman 1776–1863
○ Waitstill Merryman 1778–1853
○ Nancy Merryman 1780–
○ Ruth Merryman 1781–1828
○ Thomas Merryman 1783–1853
○ Rhoda Merryman 1786–1859
○ Joseph Merriman 1788–1834
○ Benjamin Merriman 1791–1865 ⚭

Recorded events

EventWhenWhereEvidence ?on record - the record itself, its image, or a transcript or printed copy of it has been read
from a compiled source - an index, a printed genealogy or a memorial page says so
not yet documented - in the family record, no source attached yet
Birth 1747 from a compiled source
Living at 1790 Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States on record
17471790 1750176017701780

Sources

  • Maine, Births and Christenings, 1739-1900 - Walter Merryman, born 1747, son of Walter and Betsy Potter — Birth, about this person
  • U.S. Bureau of the Census, Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States: 1790 - Maine (Washington, 1908), Harpswell — Living at
  • WHEELER (George A.) and WHEELER (Henry W.), History of Brunswick, Topsham and Harpswell, Maine, including the ancient territory known as Pejepscot (Boston: Alfred Mudge & Son, 1878) — about this person
  • Sinnett, Walter Merryman of Harpswell, Maine, and His Descendants (1905), p.87 — about this person
  • Sinnett, Charles N. Walter Merryman of Harpswell, Maine, and His Descendants (1905) — about this person, Marriage (Betsy Webber)

Borders as they stood about 1763 (they follow the event under the mouse), from the historical-basemaps project, the Newberry Library's Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (states and territories, 1783 on) and Natural Earth; the colonies and provinces are drawn along today's lines.

Line of descent

  1. Walter Merryman
  2. Betsy Potter 1722–

Descendants

  1. James Merryman 1771–1800
  2. Samuel Merryman 1773–1834
    1. Lucy Merryman 1792–1832
      1. Harriet N. Springer 1822–1901
        1. Harriet A. Tibbetts 1845– ⚭
        2. Martha Louisa Tibbetts 1847–1848 ✧
        3. Laura Tibbetts 1849–1888 ⚭
        4. Deziah Brown Tibbetts 1851–
        5. Louisa Tibbetts 1856–
        6. George B. McLellan Tibbetts 1863–1879
        7. Benjamin Franklin Tibbetts 1866–
      2. Betsy Springer 1825–1841
      3. Susannah C. Springer 1829–1855
        1. Annie M. Guabert
      4. Lucy Springer 1832–1866
        1. Eva Lucy Clements
    2. Betsy Merryman 1793–1819
      1. William Douglass 1812–1839
      2. Hannah Douglass 1814–
      3. David Douglass 1816–1840
      4. Sarah Douglass 1818–
    3. Mary Merryman 1795–1869 ⚭
    4. David Merryman 1798–1798 ✧
    5. Walter Merryman 1809–1843
      1. Sarah Jane Merryman 1836–
        1. Sarah Eliza Moore 1856– ⚭
        2. Emma Jane Moore 1857–
        3. Charles W. Moore 1860–
        4. Carrie T. Moore 1863–
        5. William W. Moore 1865–
        6. Louisa A. Moore 1867–
        7. Frederick U. Moore 1870–
        8. Leila E. Moore 1872–
      2. William F. Merryman 1839–
        1. Mary Merryman 1863–
      3. Mary Elizabeth Merryman 1841–
      4. Samuel Merryman 1842–1844 ✧
  3. Sarah Merryman 1775–
    1. Elisha Doyle 1797–
    2. Nancy Doyle 1798–
    3. Susanna Doyle 1800–1805 ✧
    4. Margaret Doyle 1802–
      1. Martha Jane Potter
      2. Daniel Potter
      3. Emery Potter
      4. Albert Potter
    5. James Doyle 1805–1864
      1. George Doyle 1836–
      2. Elizabeth Doyle 1839–
        1. Charles Huntington 1863–1900
        2. Frank Huntington 1866–1875 ✧
        3. Nellie Huntington 1872–
      3. James Holman Doyle 1841–1847 ✧
      4. Joshua Doyle 1843–
      5. Charles Doyle 1846–
      6. Jennie Doyle 1849–
      7. Angie Doyle 1851–
        1. Bert Dale
        2. Edith Dale
      8. Georgia Ann Doyle 1856–1867 ✧
    6. Michael Doyle 1806–
      1. Elisha Doyle
      2. Nancy Doyle
      3. George Doyle
      4. Llewellyn Doyle
    7. Susanna Doyle 1808–
    8. Abizer Doyle 1810–
      1. Sarah Jane Doyle
      2. Hattie Doyle
      3. Martha Doyle
      4. William Doyle
    9. Rosannah Doyle 1816–
      1. Samuel Miller 1840–1844 ✧
      2. William Miller 1843–
        1. William Miller
      3. Sarah Miller 1846–
      4. Martha Frances Miller 1851–
  4. Miriam Merryman 1776–1863
  5. Waitstill Merryman 1778–1853
    1. Elizabeth Merryman 1802–1803 ✧
    2. Elizabeth Merryman 1803–1847
    3. Mary Merryman 1805–
      1. Waitstill Curtiss
      2. Vandorus Curtiss
      3. Mary Elizabeth Curtiss
      4. Anna E. Curtiss
      5. Infant Curtiss
    4. Mercy Merryman 1807–1887
      1. Mary Jordan 1829–
      2. Samuel S. Jordan 1831–
      3. John Jordan 1832–
        1. Samuel C. T. Jordan 1857–
        2. Jennie Jordan 1861–
        3. John Jordan 1865–
      4. Mary Ellen Jordan 1836–
        1. James McKeen Holbrook 1858–
        2. William H. Holbrook 1860–
        3. Gertrude Holbrook 1862–
        4. Horace Curtiss Holbrook 1867–
        5. Samuel S. Holbrook 1872–
      5. William Barnes Jordan 1838–
        1. William A. Jordan 1866–
        2. Ruth Jordan 1868–
        3. Arthur Jordan 1870–
        4. Mary Jordan 1871–
        5. Thomas Jordan
        6. Harry Jordan
        7. John Jordan
    5. Celia Merryman 1810–1880
      1. Rebecca Martin 1834–1843 ✧
    6. Eunice Merryman 1812–1844
    7. Jordan Merryman 1813–1886
      1. Vesta Ann Merryman 1848–1899
      2. Waitstill Gaylord Merryman 1849–
    8. Nancy Merryman 1815–
      1. Joseph Ruffle Alexander 1838– ⚭
        1. Nettie Alexander 1861–
        2. William Ulmer Alexander 1863–
        3. Alice Thompson Alexander 1866–
        4. Lena Estelle Alexander 1868–
      2. William Stanwood Alexander 1844–
      3. John Alexander 1848–
    9. Waitstill Merryman 1817–1877
      1. Annette F. Merryman 1840–
      2. George W. Merryman 1845–1864
      3. Emeline C. Merryman 1847–1847 ✧
      4. Abbie Estelle Merryman 1849–1869
    10. John Merryman 1820–1889
  6. Nancy Merryman 1780–
    1. Stephen Miller
  7. Ruth Merryman 1781–1828
    1. Walter Curtiss 1803–
    2. Almira Curtiss 1804–
    3. Albert Curtiss 1807–
    4. Alfred Curtiss 1807–1878
      1. Waitstill Curtiss
      2. Vandorus Curtiss
      3. Mary Elizabeth Curtiss
      4. Anna E. Curtiss
      5. Infant Curtiss
  8. Thomas Merryman 1783–1853
    1. William Merryman 1810–
    2. Lavina Merryman 1812–
      1. Benjamin Adams 1842–
        1. Alice Mabel Adams 1871–
        2. Robert Carr Adams 1878–
      2. Lavina Adams
      3. Alice Adams
      4. Augusta Adams
    3. Sarah Merryman 1822–
      1. Angeline R. Carter 1854–
      2. Joseph Skolfield Carter –1864
      3. William S. Carter
    4. Benjamin Adams Merryman 1829–
      1. Helen Rogers Merryman 1857–1889
      2. Alice M. Adams Merryman 1866–1868 ✧
      3. Abbie Merryman 1876–1877 ✧
    5. John Merryman 1832–1855
    6. Joseph Merryman 1834–
    7. Skolfield Merryman –1846
      1. Joseph Skolfield Merryman 1841–1896
      2. Lavina Merryman 1842–1861
        1. Lillian Small
      3. Catherine Merryman 1844–1868
      4. Mary Ann Merryman 1845– ⚭
        1. Adella May Sanborn 1867–1897
        2. Josie Annie Sanborn 1868–1875 ✧
        3. Belle U. Sanborn 1870–
        4. Willie F. Sanborn 1872–
        5. Bertha May Haley 1876–
        6. Eva Maud Haley 1878–
    8. Mary Merryman
      1. Angeline Rogers
    9. Sewall Merryman
    10. Thomas Merryman
  9. Rhoda Merryman 1786–1859
    1. Bathsheba Curtiss 1809–1879
    2. Benjamin Curtiss 1810–1839
    3. Frederick Curtiss 1815–1870
    4. Ovington Curtiss 1817–1835
    5. Emeline Curtiss 1822–1842
    6. Levi Curtiss 1825–1892
      1. Alice Adams Curtiss 1854–
        1. Russell Wade 1879–1890 ✧
        2. Robert Wade 1882–
      2. Eugene A. Curtiss 1857–
        1. Eugene A. Curtiss 1882–
        2. Annie A. Curtiss 1884–1891 ✧
        3. William Curtiss 1888–
        4. Caroline Curtiss 1889–
        5. Raymond R. Curtiss 1897–
      3. Abbie Curtiss 1866–
  10. Joseph Merriman 1788–1834
    1. Thirza Merriman 1813–1844
      1. Ferdinand Davis Hughes 1838–
        1. Alice Maud Hughes 1862–
      2. Emily C. Hughes 1840–
      3. Lewis Goodrich Hughes 1841–
        1. Florence Hughes 1865–1867 ✧
        2. Lewis McKnight Hughes 1868–
        3. Carrie McKnight Hughes 1870–
        4. Ida Louisa Hughes 1874–1892
        5. Arthur Ferdinand Hughes 1878–
      4. Cornelia G. Hughes 1844–1844 ✧
    2. Joseph Merriman 1815–1895 ⚭
      1. Frank Beaumont Merriman 1846–1897
        1. Eugene Howard Merriman 1868–
        2. Leila Estelle Merriman 1871–1878 ✧
        3. Joseph Martin Merriman 1874–1878 ✧
        4. Harry Elmer Merriman 1882–
        5. Percy Grant Merriman 1885–
        6. Philip Wilder Merriman 1895–
      2. Joseph Martin Merriman 1852–1872
      3. Charles Merriman 1855–
        1. Joseph Martin Merriman 1887–1891 ✧
        2. Charles Russell Merriman 1891–
        3. Helen Annette Merriman 1895–
        4. Irene Louisa Merriman 1895–
        5. Charlotte Elizabeth Merriman 1898–
      4. Jennie Eliza Merriman 1860–1885
    3. Matthew Martin Merriman 1823–1882
      1. Louise Gertrude Merriman 1846–1868
        1. Louise Gertrude Bartlett 1868–
      2. Emma Griggs Merriman 1849–
        1. Cornelia Harriman Lambe 1868–
      3. Robert Given Merriman 1855–
        1. Kathryn G. Merriman 1879–
        2. Maude B. Merriman 1883–
        3. Robert G. Merriman 1886–
        4. Frederick D. Merriman 1888–
  11. Benjamin Merriman 1791–1865 ⚭
    1. Hiram Merriman 1823–
      1. Hannah Levina Merriman 1854–
        1. Annie Eliza Powers 1886–
      2. Octavia Merriman 1858–1899
    2. David Merriman 1828–
    3. William Merriman 1833–1890
      1. Alveda Florence Merryman 1862–
        1. Stanley Virdell Merryman 1901–
      2. William Thomas Merriman 1868–
        1. Amy Bibber Merriman 1896–
        2. Herman B. Merriman 1905–1905 ✧
    4. Margaret A. Merriman 1836–1893
      1. Edmund J. Allen 1854–
        1. Harriet M. Allen 1888–
        2. Jeannette S. Allen 1892–
      2. Clara E. Allen 1857–
        1. Benjamin L. Stilkey 1888–
        2. Mary E. Stilkey 1890–
      3. Winfield Scott Allen 1869–
      4. Weston Lee Allen 1873–1896
      5. Henry M. Allen 1878–
      6. Fred C. Allen