Walter MURCH (~1737-31 Oct 1822) +
Jerusha BROWN (29 May 1738-1 Aug 1815)

James (29 Aug 1760-5 Oct 1838) — m. Jenny Bailey on 5 Nov 1785

Sarah (4 Dec 1762-10 Dec 1847) — m. William Irish on 29 Sep 1781

Benjamin (10 Jan 1765-11 Jan 1849) — m. Abigail Arey

Susanna (12 Sep 1766-18xx) — m. Joshua Newcomb on 26 Mar 1789

Simeon (24 Feb 1769-8 Aug 1831) — m. ????; m. Rachel Paine on 27 Jan ?1791?

Zebulon (19 Mar 1771-~1832) — m. Molly Pennell on 23 Oct 1794; m. Lydia Smith on 23 Sep 1826

Affia (12 Apr 1773-????) — m. William Hunt on 2 Dec 1802

Joanna (27 Sep 1775-????)

Ephraim (1 Feb 1778-26 Nov 1848) — m. Rebecca Cobb on 19 May 1799

Edmund (27 Jan 1780-18xx)

Deborah (1782-????)

Walter was named for his grandfather Walter Murch (1681-1730), a fisherman who married Deborah Cornish on 3 Dec 1700 in Wembury, Devon County, England, and settled in what’s now York County, Maine about 1714. The younger Walter’s parents were probably William Murch and Tabitha Young, although records are unclear. In 1754, Walter and three of his brothers moved from Biddeford, York County, Maine, where they had grown up, to Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine. There Walter “lived on the Deacon Paine place, lot 63 on the Flaggy Meadows Road”. In 1757, Walter and his brother John bought property there.

Jerusha was born in Eastham, Barnstable County, Massachusetts to Joseph Brown (5 Feb 1705-1771) and Susanna Cole (15 Jul 1716-3 Apr 1769), who married on 20 Feb 1735 in Eastham. She had at least three siblings – Joseph, Simeon, and Susanna. Her family evidently moved to Gorham also, as that is where both her parents are reported to have died.

Walter and Jerusha married in Nov 1758 in Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine. The ceremony was performed by Solomon Lombard, justice of the peace. They settled in Gorham. Walter served as a town official.

Around age 20 – maybe in 1757, maybe in 1760 – Walter suffered an accident that required the amputation of one leg.

The family remained in Gorham through the end of the century. The 1790 census showed them there. In 1804, Walter and Jerusha sold the Gorham property and moved to Unity, Waldo County, Maine, where they lived with their son Simeon.

Jerusha died in 1815. Walter is variously said to have died by 1804, or in 1822. They were probably buried in Unity, but their exact burial locations are unknown.

Children

James Murch (1760-1838)

James married Jane “Jenny” Bailey (????-26 Feb 1838) on 5 Nov 1785 in Falmouth, Cumberland County. Reported children:

Rebecca (20 Oct 1786-23 Oct 1820) — m. Jacob B. Owen

Edmund (13 Feb 1788-30 Aug 1856) — m. Sally ???

William (13 Nov 1790-????)

John B. (9 Dec 1794-7 Mar 1892)

Zebulon (22 May 1797-30 Apr 1881) — m. Eunice G.

Reuben (1799-6 Aug 1856)

James (????)

Benjamin (????)

The family lived in Gorham, Cumberland County until at least 1790, and were in Buxton, York County by 1794. James reportedly died in Gorham in 1838. Another account has Jenny dying in Buxton in 1838.

Sarah Murch (1762-1847)

Sarah married William Irish (12 Mar 1759-30 Apr 1815), son of James Irish and Mary Phinney, in 1781. They had at least one child:

Phebe (1781-30 Aug 1817) — m. Samuel Ellery Almy

William died in 1815 in Chatham, Carroll County, New Hampshire. Sarah died in 1847, and is buried in Mills Cemetery, Springfield, Penobscot County, Maine.

Benjamin Murch (1765-1849)

Benjamin married Abigail Arey (????-????). They lived in Hampden, Penobscot County, Maine. Benjamin was a surveyor, among other professions. Their children:

Hannah (11 Jan 1789-????) — m. Isaac Smith on 6 May 1809

Stella (24 Mar 1791-????)

Walter (20 Sep 1793-26 Jun 1855) — m. Mehitabel Baker on 5 Sep 1818

Storrs (4 Mar 1796-????) — m. Rachel Baker on 18 Nov 1820; m. Ruth Foss on 21 May 1825

Timothy Merrit (16 Aug 1798-20 Jul 1866) — m. Amanda ???; m. Elizabeth Sinclair in Feb 1850

Benjamin, Jr. (2 Oct 1801-????)

Phebe (18 Mar 1804-????) — m. Abiather Foss on 30 Dec 1826

Benjamin died in 1849 and is buried with Abigail in Locust Grove Cemetery, Hampden.

Susanna Murch (1766-18xx)

Susanna married Joshua Newcomb (~1766-????) from Wellfleet, Massachusetts on 26 Mar 1789 in Gorham. In 1810 they were living in Portland, Maine. No further data.

Simeon Murch (1769-1831)

Simeon married Rachel Paine (20 Jan 1764-10 Jul 1849) from Orleans, Barnstable County, Massachusetts on 27 Jan 1791. They moved from Gorham to Unity, Waldo County, Maine about 1794, where they lived the rest of their lives. Known children:

Rebecca S. (11 Nov 1791-11 Oct 1862)

Josiah (11 Jul 1793-1 Jun 1885) — m. Olive Whitney

Esther (18 Sep 1795-11 Mar 1880) — m. Moses Boynton

Ephraim (4 Sep 1798-27 Jan 1881) — m. Lucinda Bates

Betsey (~1800-~1892) — m. George Sinclair

Richard P. (6 Dec 1802-23 Jan 1896) — m. Caroline Bates

Jepthah C. (1807-????) — m. Margaret ???

James Bowdoin (~1810-~1882) — Mary C. ???

One account claims that the mother of Rebecca and Josiah was an unnamed first wife, although that’s hard to square with the 1791 marriage. Simeon died in 1831, and is buried with Rachel in Pond Cemetery 1, Unity, Waldo County.

Zebulon Murch (1771-~1832)

Zebulon married Molly Pennell (18 Nov 1771-18xx) from Buxton, York County, Maine, daughter of Thomas Pennell and Lydia Sands, on 23 Oct 1794. They lived in Gorham, Cumberland County. They had three children of record:

Molly (2 Aug 1798-????)

Thomas (18 Mar 1800-????)

Benjamin (2 Feb 1802-????)

Polly died by 1826. I don’t know when Zebulon moved to Belfast, Waldo County, Maine, but he married Lydia Smith, widow of Caleb Smith, there on 19 Oct 1826. They had one child I know of:

Harlow Zebulon (10 Apr 1827-9 Dec 1910) — m. Abigail J.

After Zebulon’s death, Lydia married Judah Caval on 20 Oct 1833.