Stephen Merrill

  General Notes:

Paternity Drama in Colonial America by Melissa Berry 18 April 2023 on Genealogy Bank
Stephen Merrill (1688-1755) was the son of Daniel Merrill and Sarah Clough and grandson of John Clough.
On 26 September 1706 Amesbury's Dorothy Straw accused Stephen Merrill of fathering a son, Stephen Merrill, born on 2 September 1706 in Amesbury.
The court ordered Merrill to pay a fine of 40s for the fornication charge. In addition, he was ordered to pay for the maintenance of the child.
There is an "intention of marriage" filed for Dorothy and Stephen on 26 November 1706, but they did not marry.
Dorothy (1684-1715) was the daughter of William Straw and Mehitable Hoyt and the granddaughter of John Hoyt.
On 20 July 1710 he married Mary Carr, daughter of William Carr and Elizabeth Pike and the granddaughter of Robert Pike.

Stephen had a relationship with Dorothy Straw, daughter of William Straw and Mehitable Hoyt. (Dorothy Straw was born about 1684 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts and died on 29 Sep 1715 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.)