Sarah Merriken was born on April 1, 1710, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland. Sarah married Samuel Wright on March 2, 1730. Sarah Merriken Wright died on March 10, 1734, in Anne Arundel, British Colonial Maryland.
Sarah Merriken was born on April 1, 1710, in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland, the 9th and youngest child of Joshua Merriken and Grace Bayly.
Sarah grew up on her father's 400 acre plantation “Scotland”, located in the Broadneck near the Chesapeake Bay and Scotcher's Creek, today's Meredith Creek. When Sarah was 3 years old, her father died. Sarah's father devised her a mulatto slave, a girl named “Sue”, to be delivered to her at the age of 18.
Shortly after the death of her father, Sarah's mother died. Sarah and her siblings remained with their brother John who was of the age of majority. John was also the executor of their father's estate.
On March 2, 1730, 19 year old Sarah married Samuel Wright in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland.
Sarah and Samuel had the following known children:
- Charles Wright
- Elizabeth Wright
Likely Sarah and her husband Samuel lived on the plantation “Scotland”, the plantation where she grew up and which descended to her brother John, since Samuel does not appear to have owned any land.
On July 15, 1732, Sarah's brother John delivered the slave devised to her by her father to her husband Samuel: “Samuel Wright has received of John Merriken, executor of last will and testament of Joshua Merriken, late of Anne Arundel County, deceased, the full balance of the deceased estate as was due to my wife Sarah who was one of the daughters of the aforenamed Joshua Merriken a legacy of a mulatto girl”.
On March 10, 1734, Sarah Merriken Wright died at the age of 23 in Anne Arundel County, British Colonial Maryland.
Following Sarah's death, in 1735 Samuel purchased a tract of land called “Rattle Snack Point”, 52 acres in the Broadneck of Anne Arundel next to “Scotland” and “Burle's Banks”.
Sarah's husband Samuel became the constable for Broadneck following her death and in 1738 he married Sarah Conaway.
In July of 1743, Samuel wrote his will and by August he was deceased. To son Charles he devised 20 pounds and directed that Charles be free at age 18. To daughter Elizabeth, he devised “Rattle Snake Point”.
In 1744 Sarah and Samuel's children Charles and Elizabeth, both under the age of 13, were placed in the guardianship of their Uncle John Merriken.
Genealogical Research and Life Sketch Completed: May 2021
Sources:
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Sarah Merriken, 1710.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 14 Folio 35.
"Maryland Marriages, 1666-1970", database, FamilySearch, Sarah Meriken in entry for Samuel Wright, 1730.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Sarah Wright in entry for Charles Wright, 1731.
"Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995", database, FamilySearch, Sarah Wright in entry for Elizabeth Wright, 1733.
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel. Liber RD 2 Folio 109.
McIntire, Robert Harry. Annapolis, Maryland, Families. United States, Gateway Press, 1979.
Maryland State Archives. Maryland Land Records. Anne Arundel. Liber RD 2 Folio 327.
Maryland State Archives. Anne Arundel County Court Records.
Maryland State Archives. Probate Records. Wills. Liber 23 Folio 264.
