hi ebn...edward to my knowledge,and mary nicolls must have married about 1783....children as follows....edward 1884..john 1787..mary 1788..eleanor 1790..simon 1792..elizabeth 1794..james 1796..thomas 1798.............the youngest,thomas married ann(unknown)..this is my line until marianne merrick born 1852, married my g.g.g..grandfather daniel oakes 1849 (little neston,cheshire)..they moved to garston,liverpool.....all the merricks originate from norton canon,herefordshire.........until edward merrick 1828 moved to ocle pychard,herefordshire and married ann taylor......pretty certain mary nicolls was mother to edwards 8 children,but always open to any skeletons in the cupboard....regards...allan