ThomasMerrill

Thomas Abbot Merrill

THOMAS-ABBOT6 MERRILL (Thomas5, Eliphalet4, Thomas3, Abel2) was born 18 Jan.1780, in Andover, Mass., and died 29 Apr.1855. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1801, at the head of his class--a class whose most distinguished member was Daniel Webster. He was pastor of the Congregational Church in Middlebury, Vt., from 1805 to 1842. From 1806 to his death he was a trustee of Middlebury College, and was treasurer of the college from 1842 to 1852. His bequest of $1500 established the Merrill prizes in elocution in the college. He received the doctorate of divinity in 1837. One of his sermons, with supplementary notes, devoted to the history of Middlebury, was published in 1841. He married (1), 17 June, 1812, Eliza Allen (1787-1834), daughter of Rev. Jonathan and Elizabeth (Kent) Allen of Bradford, Mass., and (2) Lydia Boardman (1790-1879), daughter of Col.Amos Boardman. Children:

(a)    Allen-Kent7 (1816-1845); m.Elizabeth-A. Hunter; two ch.
       Thomas7, b.1818; d.1857, in New Orleans, unmarried.
(b)    Henry7 (1820-1847); m.Anna Muse; one daughter.
(c)    Edward7 (1823-1869); m.Laura-M. Harriman; five ch.
       Eliza-Anna7 (1826-1890); m.Henry-W. Starr; lived Burlington,
         Iowa; three daughters.

(a) Allen-Kent7 Merrill graduated at Middlebury College in 1835, and was a lawyer in Eufaula, Alabama. His son Allen-Hunter6 Merrill was also a lawyer, and in 1904 lived in Eufaula.

(b) Henry7 Merrill (Middlebury, '42) was a student of law in New Orleans at his death.

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11/04/2009 Last updated