Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 279, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1910 — Merryman Family [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Merryman Family

Merriman and Maryman are the oldest forms of this name. Another variation is Marman, although it does not look like a very near relative. Some theories ascribe the name Merry, as a surname, to the personal name Merdericus, some important personage of prehistoric times. Merri is the name of a French commune and from this Merryman, or Merriman, may be derived and therefore of French origin. Other French words which may have been responsible for Merryman are Merle, Merrle, Mery, Merry, Merrye and Merrys. Among varieties of the name Merryman found in the records are Merryam, Meriman, Merryam, Myrrian, Myriam, Merlham and Merriman. The Merrymans probably cannot recall the time when they were not landed proprietors in England. Their largest estates are in Wiltshire and Marlborough. They have held important positions as statesmen and professional men and can count many bright and shining literary lights. One, prominent in the East Indian service, was Major Reginald Gordon Merryman. The New England immigrant was Walter of Harpswell, Me. Virginia also had its pioneers and the family was connected by marriage with the Lewises of Virginia, the descendants of Col. Fielding Lewis, who married Washington’s sister Betty. In the south one orthography is Merrimon. This is the usual form, particularly in North Carolina. The pilgrim Walter has a romantic history, if we are to believe all we read. A little romance now and then helps to enliven the pages of the past, which otherwise might be too prosaic reading. Walter was kidnaped in an Irish port about 1700 and brought to Boston, where his ship money was paid by a man from Maine, who taught him the trade of ship carpenter at Portland. It has been said that Walter was born in Scotland. He is called “one of the most upright of the early settlers of Harpswell.” Walter married Elizabeth, or —Betty, Potter and there was another connection with this family, through the marriage of Mary Merriam with David Potter of Lynn, Mass. Merriam was a colonial form of Merryman. Hugh, son of Walter, and born about 1744, married Delight Bailey of Hanover, Mass., and their children were of the number of the muses. Hugh's house “was a place of great

hospitality.” Walter, Jr., also of the second generation, married Betsy Webber and James, another son, married Hannah Blake. | Frances, daughter of Walter and Betsy, married Andrew Jack of Maine; Miriam, another daughter, married Robert Potter and Mary Merryman married Jonathan Weymouth. Nor are revolutionary ancestors wanting. “Marcus Merryman, Esq.,” of

New Haven was in the continental army and there were doubtless many others. In searching the records we come across interesting data relative to regimental orders to the minute men. Thus, for instance, they are "earnestly recommended again to have their hair cut in the brush mode, hats cocked, their shoes made tight to their feet, with buckles, and generally, when they wear overalls, to have on their hunting shirts, remembering that they now compose part of the grand army of the United States of America, immediately under the view of the general and chief officer (Washington). Such regiments as have not drawn tomahawks are immediately to provide themselves with them.” The coat of arms illustrated is blazoned in Barker’s ‘‘Peerage”: Lozengy, sable and argent; a chief ermine. Crest: A boar passant, collared and bristled, vert This is doubtless the first coat of arms granted to th & family and it is a later one which is blazoned: Argent; on a chevron cotised, sable, between three Cornish choughs, proper, as many crescents, of field.