Thomas Marrett and Susanna [Susan/Suzan] Cranniwell [?Cranwell]
Thomas came from Ipswich, England, Parish of St. Stephen; Susanna was born in England also and they were married c.1618 in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. Thomas died in Cambridge, MA 6/30/1664@ 75 years. Susanna died 2/23/1664 @ Cambridge, MA.
Children [B = Baptized ]
Abigail B 5/11/1623 Married Daniel Fisher of Dedham on 11/17/1841
Susan B 7/9/1626 Married George Barstow of Scituate D4/11/1654
John B4/6/1628
James B 11/9/1629 [died young] Buried 2/15/1634/5
THOMAS B 8/2/1633
Hannah D 1688
Personal Notes:
Thomas Marrett, who is supposed to have come to American in 1635, was a citizen of Cambridge, MA and was prominently involved in the church and civic affairs of that community. Though Thomas was a contemporary of Henry, John and Nicholas Merritt, nothing has been yet found to confirm a close family relationship with these other early Merritt emigrants from England. Some have said that Thomas was the ancestor of the Mrriott family, for whom the present day Marriott hotel chain has been named, but this has not been confirmed.
In 1638 Thomas purchased the estate at the northeast corner of Dunster and Mount Auburn streets. He had previously owned a lot on the northerly side of Harvard Street extending northerly to Gore Hall, which was long afterward known as the ‘Fellows Orchard’. He was by occupation a shoemaker [cordwainer], but a prominent citizen. He is supposed to have been the first elected deacon of Shepherd’s Church, organized in 1636, and was a selectman for 6 years, 1639-1647. His children were all probably born in England.
In his will, dated 10/15/1663, he names as then living: his wife, Susanna; children-John, Thomas, Abigail, Hannah; and grandchildren- Lydia, Amos, John and Jeremiah Fisher; Thomas, Amos, Susanna and John Marrett; and the children [George and Margaret] of George Barstow, deceased. His estate was listed at 276 pounds, 5s, 6d.
He was a freeman of Massachusetts Bay, 3/3/1635-36. His possible place of origin [Suffolk] is indicated by a power of attorney dated 4/16/1642 from Richard Cranniwell of Woodbridge, Co. Suffolk, [cordwinder], to his brother-in-law, Thomas Marrett of Cambridge in New England, [cordwinder], authorizing him to sell a house in Boston left to Richard by the will of his brother, John Cranniwell of Boston, deceased.
He, with four others, were appointed 2/18/1649-50 to superintend repairs on the meeting house. He was one of five members of the Cambridge Committee which settled the bounds with Boston on 10/2/1637. On 5/31/1652 he sold to Margery, widow of Jacob Elliot of Boston, a house and two acres in Boston and ten acres at Muddy River.
RECORDS of the Town of Cambridge [formerly New Towne], Massachusetts
Page 28, dated 4/19/1637. "It is agreed with Thomas Marriot and John Moor to keep 100 cattle on the other side of the river for the whole summer or for 7 months if the town shall think fit to begin the 24th of this instant and the said Thomas Mariott to have twenty pounds and John Moor ten pounds and one half of the said to be paid unto the said parities in money when the time shall be half expired, and the other half of the residue and remained of the money to be payable either in money or corn when the cattle shall be taken up. And it is further agreed that the town is to provide and allow a man to help each other Sabbath to look unto the cows. And there is to be allowed ten shillings by the said parties for every beast that shall be lost by their default-and that they shall not keep any cattle of any man’s without the townsmen’s consent upon forfeiture of 5 shillings per the head for every such default."
Thomas Marrett [Merritt] and his wife, Susanna Cranwell’s brother, John Cranwell, was in Boston, MA, as early as c1630. Also she had a brother, Richard, in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. Thomas and Susanna Merritt, and most of their children were baptized at St Stephen’s, Ipswich, Suffolk, England.