Marsh Family Genealogy
Marsh
   The name Marsh is English: a topographic name for someone who lived by or in a marsh or fen, from the Middle English term mershe (or Old English mersc), or a habitational name from any of various minor places named with this word, for example in Shropshire and Sussex. Spelling variations include: Marsh, Marsch, Marshe and others. The family was first found in Kent, where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
   The Coat of Arms is a shield divided quarterly red and silver with a silver horse's head in the first quarter. The crest is a horse's head emerging from a crown. The family motto, "Nolo servile capistrum," translates as: "I am unwilling (to bear) the slavish halter."
   Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Alexander Marsh, who settled in Virginia in 1698; Arthur Marsh, who settled in Virginia in 1663; Hugh Marsha, who settled in Virginia in 1650; John Marsh, who settled in Virginia with Joseph in 1635.
   In Colonial America there were two lines of Marsh families in the New England area, both English in origin and both starting with men named JOHN MARSH:

  • SALEM FAMILY: The first JOHN MARSH was born about 1611, and sailed to the Colonies on the ship Mary and John in 1634 (as "John Marshe"). He settled in Salem, Massachusetts, where he worked as a cordwainer. On 12 May 1639 he was admitted to the Salem church; In 3 May 1667 he was allowed to build his own seat in the meetinghouse. In 1635 he married SUSANNAH SKELTON (1620-1695) and they had the following children: Zachariah (b. 1637), John (1639-1668), Ruth (b. b. 1641), Elizabeth (1646-1704), Ezekiel (b. 1648), Bethia (b. 1650), Samuel (b. 1652), Susanna (b. 1654), Mary (b. 1656), Jacob (b. 1658), and Benjamin Marsh (b. 1660). He was appointed Salem's "sealer of leather" in 1665 and its constable in 1657. This John died between 28 Mar 1674 (date of will) and 23 Nov 1674 (date of inventory) in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts.
  • HARTFORD FAMILY: The second JOHN MARSH was born about 1618 in Braintree, Essex, England. He sailed to the American colonies about 1635, and removed to Hartford by 1639/40. He married (1) ANNE WEBSTER abt. 1642 in Hartford, CT, daughter of Governor JOHN WEBSTER and AGNES SMITH. She was born abt. 1621 in England, and died 09 Jun 1662 in Hadley, MA. They had the following children: Grace (1642-1727), John (1643-1727), Joseph (b. 1647), Jonathan (1649-1730), Samuel (1652-1728), Daniel (1653-1725) and Hannah Marsh (1656-1736). John married (2) HEPZIBAH FORD 07 Oct 1664 in Northampton, Massachusetts, daughter of THOMAS FORD and ELIZABETH CHARD. She was baptized 15 May 1625 in Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England, and died 11 Apr 1683 in Northampton, MA. They had one child, Lydia Marsh (1667-1752). This John died on 28 Sep 1688 in Windsor, Connecticut, and is buried there in the Palisado Cemetery. His descendents include poet Emily Dickinson (5th great-granddaughter), gun maker Samuel Colt (5th great-grandson), singers Amy Grant (8th great-granddaughter) and Janis Joplin (9th great-granddaughter), and actress Julie Bowen (10th great-granddaughter).

Munyon
   We are related to one of these family lines through MARY MARSH, who was born a few generations later, in about 1750 in Killingly, Windham, Connecticut (which would favor the Hartford line as ancestors), and died after 1820 in Ravenna, Portage, Ohio. The book "Women in the Western Reserve before 1850" lists Mary, wife of Joseph Munyon, in Ravenna, Ohio, coming to Ohio from Connecticut. She married JOSEPH MUNYAN (1747-1831) on 23 Nov 1769, in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Their 'intention to marry,' is posted in Douglas Vital Records (p. 127): "Mary Marsh and Joseph "Monyon" of Thomson, int. 9 Oct 1769." (Massachusetts, which favors the first line! Grrr...)
   A deed in Thompson, Windham CT, reads: "I, Joseph Munyan Jr. of Thompson, Windham CT for $17.50 received of Wm Bates of Thompson, for three certain tracts of land lying in Thompson....the first is by the land owned by Henry Pollock, Benj. Burrill, Saml. Kimball, Wm Smith, and Israel Munyan's line and contains about 60 acres....the second contains about 27 acres and the third about 8 acres." The deed is signed by Joseph Munyan Jr. and his father, Joseph Munyan. Their children:

CHILDREN OF JOSEPH MUNYAN, JR., AND MARY MARSH

  • EZRA MUNYAN b: 3 Jul 1770 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married SARAH KNAPP Abt. 1802 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Death: 1 May 1856 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Burial: Old East Cemetery, Thompson, Windham, Connecticut.
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  • JONATHAN MUNYAN b: 1771 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married OLIVE STOCKWELL on 11 May 1797 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts. Death: 27 Dec 1846 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts.
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  • HANNAH MUNYAN b: ABT 1773/1774 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married LEMUEL KNAPP in ABT 1792 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Death: 6 May 1818 in Charlestown, Portage, Ohio.
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  • POLLY MUNYAN b: 16 Dec 1776 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married WILLARD HENRY HOWLAND on ABT 1798 in Of Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Death: 16 Apr 1817 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Burial: Old East Cemetery, Thompson, Windham, Connecticut.
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  • OLIVE MUNYAN b: ABT 1778/1779 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married JACOB CUTLER in Abt. 1802 in prob. Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Death: Sep 1834 in Berlin, Rensselaer, New York.
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  • EBENEZER MUNYAN b: 1780 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married MATILDA MUZZY on 11 Oct 1804 in Auburn, Worcester, Massachusetts. Death: Sep 1813 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut.
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  • REBECCA MUNYAN b: 1783/1784 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married ZADOCK SHERMAN in ABT 1800 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Death: 16 Apr 1850 in Burrillville, Providence, Rhode Island. Burial: Thompson, Windham, Connecticut.
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  • JOSEPH MUNYAN Jr. b: ABT 1786 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married ELIZABETH BARTLETT on 5 Nov 1811 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts. Death: 16 Oct 1861 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts.
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  • EUNICE MUNYAN b: 16 Feb 1789 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married OLIVER BARTLETT on Nov 1812 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts. Death: 5 Apr 1854 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts.
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  • ORIN MUNYAN b: 1795 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married (1) ELECTA BARTLETT on 1 Jun 1815 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; (2) SUSANNAH BARDWELL on 22 Aug 1825 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts. Death: 9 Aug 1842 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts.
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  • AMASA J. MUNYAN b: 1800 in Thompson, Windham, Connecticut. Married SUSANNAH HENNING on 6 Jan 1821 in Portage, Ohio.
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    Sources for this Page:

  • "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Volumes 1-3," Compiled by Robert Charles Anderson, New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011 (Ancestry.com), p. 26.
  • "John Marsh, Hartford Founder," Compiled by Timothy Lester Jacobs, SDFH Genealogist.
  • "Marsh Genealogy: Giving Several Thousand Descendants of John Marsh of Hartford, Conn., 1636 - 1895," Compiled by Dwight W. March, 1895.
  • "Vital records of Douglas, Massachusetts : to the end of the year 1849," Published by Franklyn P. Rice, Trustee of the Fund, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1906. P. 127: "Mary and Joseph Monyon Jr. of Thomson, int. Oct. 9 1769."

    • GENEALOGY

    MARY MARSH (b: ABT 1750) married JOSEPH MUNYAN, JR. and begat...

    AMASA J. MUNYAN (b. 1800), who married SUSANNA HENNING (b: ABT 1802) and begat...

    MARY ANN MUNYON (1823 - 1899) married WILLIAM POTTER (1819 - 1894) and begat...

    LOUISA EDITH POTTER (1856 - 1891) who married ABRAHAM CANE WINTERS (1829 - 1893) and begat...

    NELLE WINTERS (1885 - 1974) who married WILLIAM PRITCHARD (1880 - 1958) and begat...

    DOROTHY PRITCHARD (b. 1918) who married ERWIN WENK (1910 - 1982) and begat...

    MARTHA WENK (b. 1940) who married CARLETON MARCHANT HAUSE, JR. (b. 1939) and begat...

    JEFF (who married LORI ANN DOTSON), KATHY (who married HAL LARSEN), ERIC (who married MARY MOONSAMMY), and MICHELE HAUSE (who married JOHN SCOTT HOUSTON).