Person:Joseph Merriam (4)

Origins

Supposedly emigrated in 1638 on the ship "Castle" to Concord, Middlesex, MA (with wife Sarah Goldstone and son, Joseph [Jr]).^{Citation needed}

Savage (Genealogical Dictionary...) says this about him: Meriam, JOSEPH, Concord, br. of George, freem. 14 Mar. 1639, had Joseph, b. prob. in Eng. and John, 9 July 1641, bef. ment. and had d. 1 Jan. bef. He had other ch. as by his will of 29 Dec. 1640, speaking of sons and ds. and leav. care of all to w. Sarah, appears in Geneal. Reg. II. 184.

Life in New England

• 14 March 1638/9: Made freeman. (NEHGR 3:96)

Legacy

Oldest Grave in Concord Cemetery (Concord Library Records)

Last Will & Testament

From "Abstracts of Earliest Wills," NEHGR: 2:184-185 (transcribed as written)

Joseph Miriam - The 29th the 10th month in the yeare of or Lord 1640

The last will & Testament of Joseph Miriam of Concord

I, Joseph Miriam of Concord being weake in bodie, but blessed be God of good memory and sense inwardly to comit my soule to God in Jesus Christ & my body to the earth from whence it came.

Item. To wife Sarah all my whole estate towards & for the bring up of al my children. Power to her to sell my house I now live in, it beinge larger and bigger than she shall stand in need of. The overplus of providing a lesse house shal be disposed in some way for the good and benefit of my wife & children. Wife to bring up all the children till they are one & twenty the sonnes: & the daughters either at that time or at the day of marriage. When my oldest child shall be one & twenty, the estate to be prised & wife Sarah to have one third. If she marries to have one third.

Wife whole exectuor & with her my welbeloved brethren Mr. Thomas Fflint Simon Willard Robert Miriam put in trust.

Testified upon oath to be the last will of Joseph Miriam 26:8:1642, by George ffowle. Capt cop nobis die et anno superadicto, Rich: Bellingham, Increase Nowell.

[Footnote: In the History of Concord by Lemuel Shattuck, Esq., will be found an account of the family of Meriam, also in Farmer's Register. Descendants are scattered over many towns. See ward's Shrewsbury and Barry's Framingham.]

[Footnote#2: Date of Inventory 18 Jan 1640. Apprizers, Thomas Fflint, Lyman Willard, Robert Miriam, Tho. Brooke (or Brocke).]

That this will of Joseph Miriams is his owne will & freely consented to he being reasonable apprehensive of the same we whose names are underwritten do testifie this. - Simon Willard, George Ffowle.

This note was taken uppon oath the 26 of the 7th month 1642. - Thomas Fflint.

This was deposed by Lieftenant Willard 29:7:1642 before me. - Increase Nowell.

1. ↑ Early Records of Boston, in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society)
   4:272.

   Joseph Mirriam dyed 1 (11) 1640.