Descendants of Benjamin Merrill and Jemima Smith

Generation No. 1

BENJAMIN MERRILL was born About 1730 in Hopewell, New Jersey, and died 19 Jun 1771 in Hillsborough, Orange, NC.  He married JEMIMA SMITH Before 1748 in Hopewell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, daughter of ANDREW SMITH and ANNA MERSHON.  She was born About 1728 in Hopewell, Hunterdon County, New Jersey and died 1803 in Rowan, North Carolina.

Will of Jemima BUTNER

Dated 7 May 1801

In the name of God Amen! I Jemima Butner of the County of Rowan & State of N. Carolina being in perfect mind & memory, but weakly in body & calling to mind my mortality think proper to make & ordain this as my last will & test: knowing that it is appointed unto men once to die, do this proper to confirm my intention by these presents, & in the first place I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, & my body to be decently buried, at the discretion of my executors, & as touches such worldly estate, as it had pleased God to bless me with, I dispose, devise & give in manner & form following, that is,  

I give & bequeath to my eldest son Samuel Meril 14 pounds which I paid for the improvement whereon Meril now lives also 27 pounds, which I paid in taking up a judgment that was against him, also my sorrel horse, also an equal part of all my moveable property with the rest of my sons; my negroes except

I give & bequeath to my daughter Nancy my negro woman Slager, which is to be valued, & John, William & Charles Meril is to have an equal part of the value of said Negroe in money; also I give one half of my wearing cloaths to my daughter Nancy;

I give & bequeath to my daughter Ellien on negro girl named Rose, which is also to be valued & the above John, Wm & Chas Meril is to have an equal part of her value in money, I also give to my daughter Ellien the other half of my wearing cloaths.

I give & bequeath to my son Andrew Meril my Negroe boy named James, which is also to be valued & the above John Meril, Wm & Chas Meril to have an equal part of the value in money, also I give to my son Andrew an equal part of my moveable property, that I do not mention in my will.

I give to my son Jonathan Meril my Negro boy named David & he is to pay to my son Chas Meril 10 pounds current money 2 yrs after my decease I give also to my son Jonathan Meril an equal part with the rest of my sons of my moveable property, which is not here mentioned or given.

I give to my son Elijah Meril an equal part of my moveable property which is not mentioned or given in this will -

Lastly I also appoint constitute & ordain, my son Andrew Ameril & Jonathan Meril whole & sole executors of this my last will & test: & I do hereby revoke all other wills test: at any time by me made, in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 7th day of May, 1801. Jemima Butner (her mark and seal)

Signed, & sealed & declared in the presence of

Thomas Durham

Azariah Merrell."

Children of BENJAMIN MERRILL and JEMIMA SMITH are:

Child Number	Child Name	Birth Date	Birth Place	Death Date	Death Place
i.	SAMUEL MERRILL	About 1748	Hopewell New Jersey	1803	Rowan County. North Carolina
ii.	JOHN MERRILL	11 Dec 1750	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	26 Oct 1838	Monroe Mississippi
iii.	WILLIAM MERRILL	About 1753	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	28 Jul 1803	Alabama.
iv.	ANNA MERRILL	1754	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	Before 07 Mar 1828	Howard County Missouri
v.	PENELOPE MERRILL	Between 1755 - 1765	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	1830	Buncombe North Carolina.
vi.	ANDREW MERRILL	08 May 1757	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	29 May 1835	Rowan Co. North Carolina or Alabama.
vii.	CHARLES MERRILL	Nov 1761	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	14 Oct 1822	Pendleton County South Carolina
viii.	ELIJAH MERRILL	1763	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	1790
ix.	JONATHAN MERRILL	1767	Jersey Settlement Rowan NC	Before 03 Mar 1849	Lincoln County Tennessee