As to the third asserted author above, "a young lady to whom young Merrick," a history on the descendants of John Dwight (The history of the descendants of John Dwight, of Dedham, Mass. by Benjamin W. Dwight, pp. 450-452), notes that this wife was one Sarah Lamb, who eventually wedded Capt. Justus White (1739-1824) of Belchertown, Mass. in 1763. Sarah was born 1736 and passed 1832. The relevant portion reads:

It was concerning the first lover (Mr. Merrick of Wilbraham, Mass.), of his wife, Sarah Lamb, that the doggerel was written, "A pizin sarpint bit his heel." It had originally a dozen or more verses in it, and was sung very much all over the land. "Yankee Hill" used to sing it often, and always "through his nose," and with appropriate twirls and twangs of voice, beginning thus "I'll sing you a song of the olden time:

" 'On Springfield mountains there did dwell,' " etc.

It is sung also nowadays, at times, at "Old Folks' Concerts." It ran thus:

"On Wilbraham Mountings there did dwell,
A lovely youth who's known full well,
Lieutenant’s Merrick’s only son,
A lovely youth not twenty-one.

On Mondy morning he did go
Out in the meadows for to mow;
He moughed about till he did feel
A pizin sarpint bite his heel.

When he received his mortal wound,
He cast his scythe upon the ground;
And homeward then was his intent
Crying aloud long as he went.

His costly robes were laid aside,
Which did promote his youthful pride;
A coffin and a winding sheet
Did dress his body most complete.

’Twas Sixteenth of August, Sixty-one,
When this sad accident was done;
May this a warning be to all,
To be prepared when God doth call."

It is said that this effusion was sometimes sung at religious meetings in some parts of the land. If so, it must have been only where both religion and education were at a low ebb.