Captain Samuel Merriam

Apr 21
2 min read

Samuel's birth was recorded in Middlesex County (likely Concord) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on the 17th day of the 8th month in 1679. By the modern calendar (including the 1752 adjustment) his birthday would be October 27, 1679. Samuel's parents were Samuel and Elizabeth (Townsend) Merriam. He was the fifth of their seven children, and their only son. Samuel Sr. was admitted to the church in Concord in 1690.

On May 12, 1708 Samuel married Abial Lee. He was 28 and she was 23. They had one child, a son named Samuel born in Concord in 1712. Sadly their son died unmarried in 1736.

The Merriams did quite well for themselves. As the only son of his parents he inherited the family land. He appears to have sold or gifted much of it away in the 1730s, likely because he did not have any sons or nephews to leave it to and he did not want good land to go to waste. Samuel served as a Captain in the local militia, and was elected as a Deacon of the church in Concord in 1736. Both positions were prestigious, so he must have been quite highly regarded by his fellow townsmen. He also served as the town treasurer and as a town selectman. After their son's death they took in Samuel Farrar, son of their kinsman John Farrar, to have help working and managing the farm. They also took in Susannah Soper, widow of Consider Soper, who had been wounded during the Seven Year's War.

Abial died in 1756 and shortly after her death Samuel made his will. He left his house, husbandry and shop tools, and most of his land in Concord and Bedford to Samuel Farrar. To Samuel's brother John Farrar he left meadow land. His clothes he gave to Deacon Ephraim Brown and Samuel Farrar. Samuel did not forget his nieces and nephews: to them he left all of his household goods and furniture.

Samuel Meriam died on June 1, 1764 and was buried in the South Burying Place in Concord next to his wife and son.

IN MEMORY OF CAPT: SAMU: MERIAM

who Departed this Life in the 85th year of his

Age. NATUS Oct: 27 A.D. 1679

MORTUUS Jun. 1st: A.D. 1764

Our Departed Friend to whose Memory this

Monument is Erected; while Living was an

Emenant Example of christian virtue, he was

Pious towards God, Kind & Beneficent toward

his fellow men, he was Just in all his Dealings nither

was Guile found in his lips, as he liv'd So he died

above the fears of death and his End was peace.