History and lore
Five tested men in the Marlatt-Merlet DNA Project descend from Abraham, through his sons Thomas, George, Dirck and John. Their Y-DNA closely matches the descendant of his brother Josias, suggesting the two had the same father, most likely Gedeon. Surprisingly, it does not closely match the descendants of his brother Jean Pierre.
Read the full report: The Marlatt-Merlet DNA Project: Summary Report
Abraham was 6 when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents and brothers aboard Der Permerlander Kerck, sailing from Amsterdam on 12 October 1662 and reaching New Amsterdam in February 1663. He grew up on the family’s land near Fresh Kill on Staten Island, married Christance Billeau there in 1678, and died at Piscataway, New Jersey, in 1714.
Read the full article: Across the Atlantic in 1662: The Merle Family Comes to New Netherland