Thomas Merrick was born circa 1620 in St. Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales to John Meyrick (1579-1650) and Dorothy Bishop (1570-1650) and died 7 September 1704 Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts of unspecified causes. He married Sarah Stebbins (1623-1649) 14 July 1639 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Tilley (1630-1684) 23 October 1653 in Massachusetts.
Biography
Thomas Merrick, b. in 1620, is said to have come from Wales.
He arrived in Roxbury. Mass., in 1636; removed to Hartford, Conn., in 1638 ; thence to Springfield. Mass.
Welch Ancestry
Thomas Merrick of Springfield by tradition, is said to have come from Wales through Roxbury, and reach Springfiled in 1636; but there is evidence that he was of Hartford early in 1638. He was very young, if he left, as is said, his native land in 1630; and no trace is seen at Roxbury of him, pr his family, nor can the name be found there before 1649. At Springfield he married July 14, 1639, Sarah, daughter of Rowland Stebbins which was the third marriage in that town, of any English "GD FSNE Freeman 1665."
The North American branch of the Merrick family came from Bodorgan on the Isle of Anglesey. They were descendants of Llewellyn Merrick who had been the Captain of the Guard during the Coronation of Henry VIII, and later, the first High Sheriff of Anglesey.
Immigration
In the spring of 1636, four Merrick brothers arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts, from Bristol on the sailing ship “James”. They ranged in age from thirty-three to sixteen, and the Merrickville branch sprang from the sixteen year old.
Co-Founder of Springfield MA
Thomas Merrick was the ancestor who started it all. He was a restless pioneer who was destined to make a significant contribution to the development of Massachusetts.
In 1638, when he was eighteen, he and seven other families founded a settlement in the wilderness that became the City of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Marriage & Family
1st Marriage: Sarah Stebbins
He married Sarah Stebbins, daughter of Rowland and Sarah, September 14, 1639. At Springfield he married July 14, 1639, Sarah, daughter of Rowland Stebbins which was the third marriage in that town, of any English "GD FSNE Freeman 1665." After the death of his wife, date not stated, (but Before 1653) he married Elizabeth Tilley,
2nd Marriage: Elizabeth Tilley
After the death of his wife, date not stated, he married Elizabeth Tilley, October 21, 1653. He married (second wife) 1653, Elizabeth Tilley, daughter of William Tilley, from England in the ship "Abigail," in 1635, with his wife Alice.
- Elizabeth Merrick (1654-1659) - died young
- Merriam Merrick (1656-1684)
- John Merrick (1658-)
- Elizabeth Merrick (1655-1743) (born 1661) - md Thomas Day and removed to Colchester, Connecticut
- Thomas Merrick (1663-)
- Tilly Merrick (1667-)
- James Merrick (1670-)
- Abigail Merrick (1673-)
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Thomas Merrick (1641-1641) | |||
| Sarah Merrick (1643-) | |||
| Mary Merrick (1645-1646) | |||
| Mary Merrick (1647-) | |||
| Hannah Merrick (1649-) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Elizabeth Merrick (1654-1659) | |||
| Merriam Merrick (1656-1684) | |||
| John Merrick (1658-) | |||
| Elizabeth Merrick (1655-1743) | 4 July 1661 Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States | 28 December 1743 Colchester, New London County, Connecticut, United States | Thomas Day (1662-1729) |
| Thomas Merrick (1663-) | |||
| Tilly Merrick (1667-) | |||
| James Merrick (1670-) | |||
| Abigail Merrick (1673-) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| William Merrick (1603-1689) | 15 September 1603 St. David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales | 6 March 1689 Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts | Rebecca Tracy (1622-1686) |
| Sarah Merrick (1608-1687) | 1608 St. David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales | 1687 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | John Atkinson (1636-1715) |
| James Merrick (1612-1708) | 1612 St. David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales | 2 April 1708 Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts | Margaret Merrick (1616-1708) |
| John Merrick (1614-1679) | 1614 St. David, Pembrokeshire, Wales | 15 February 1679 Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts | Elizabeth Hopestill Wyborne (1619-1676) |
| Thomas Merrick (1620-1704) | 1620 St. Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales | 7 September 1704 Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts | Sarah Stebbins (1623-1649) Elizabeth Tilley (1630-1684) |