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John Hoyt
(1610-1687)
Frances Brundish
(Bef 1645-)
William Straw
(Abt 1660-Abt 1712)
Mehitable Hoyt
(1664-1690)
Dorothy Straw
(Abt 1684-1715)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. John Trull
2. Luke Wells

3. Stephen Merrill

Dorothy Straw

  • Born: Abt 1684, Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts
  • Marriage (1): John Trull on 30 Jul 1707 in Concord, Middlesex County, MA
  • Marriage (2): Luke Wells on 9 Dec 1710 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts
  • Partnership (3): Stephen Merrill
  • Died: 29 Sep 1715, Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts about age 31
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bullet  General Notes:

There is discrepancy among researchers re: a possible early marriage of Dorothy to Stephen Merrill. She was engaged to Stephen Merrill, Sr., (born 1688) in 1706. Intentions for marriage were published November 23, 1706. Two months before that date, her son, Stephen Merrill, Jr., was born.
[per http://us.share.geocities.com/marthajanehicks/b166.htm
Stephen Merrill , Jr. was born on Sep 2, 1706 in Amesbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Parents: Stephen Merrill and Dorothy Straw]
Records indicate there was a court proceeding later with Dorothy Straw, making Stephen Merrill, Sr., responsible for Stephen, Jr.'s financial support. They might not have actually married.
Additionally: Paternal Drama in Colonial America by Melissa Berry; 18April 2023
In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry provides more stories about out-of-wedlock births in some of the earliest colonial settlements in America. Melissa is a genealogist who has a blog, AnceStory Archives, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
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.
Instead of Stephen Merrill, Dorothy married Luke Wells, son of Thomas Wells and Mary Perkins, on 9 December 1710 in Amesbury.
Stephen Merrill (1688-1755) was the son of Daniel Merrill and Sarah Clough and grandson of John Clough.
On 20 July 1710 he married Mary Carr, daughter of William Carr and Elizabeth Pike and the granddaughter of Robert Pike.
The son Stephen Merrill, born out of wedlock to Stephen and Dorothy, married Kezia Hardy of Boxford on 27 May 1731 in Amesbury and had children, leaving many descendants.

There is documentation that she did marry a John Trull July 30, 1707 in Concord, MA. John was the s/o John Trull and Sarah Fench Trull and a widower with two children. There does not appear to have been any children from this union and he died and she then married Luke Wells. This information comes from Dick Wells of Arizona who is a direct line descendant of Luke and mailed it to me via e-mail Fall 1998.

Don Higgins's research indicates that in the Will of her father of 1709 she is refered to as "the widow of John Trell(sic)"

"Vital Records of Amesbury Massachusetts To the End of the Year 1849," pub. by Topsfield Historical Society, Topsfield, Mass., 1913. page 596. Deaths: "WELLS, Dorothy, w. Luke, Sept. 29, 1715."


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Dorothy married John Trull, son of John Trull and Sarah French, on 30 Jul 1707 in Concord, Middlesex County, MA. (John Trull was born on 13 Jul 1669 in Billerica, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA and died before May 1709.)


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Dorothy next married Luke Wells, son of Thomas Wells and Mary Perkins, on 9 Dec 1710 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts. (Luke Wells was born on 19 Mar 1673 in Amesbury, Essex County, Massachusetts and died after 1728.)


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Dorothy had a relationship with Stephen Merrill. (Stephen Merrill was born in 1688 and died in 1755.)




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