Bilbo's farewell party takes place 50-33=17 years earlier than the Council of Elrond (Frodo's 50 in the rest of LotR and 33 in the party). That means it's in 1418-17=1401 SR. Merry, Pippin & Sam were all young at that time, unmature children/adolescents for the Hobbit standards. And indeed no mention is made of them in the first Chapter. In a parallel, we see Hamfast discussing in an inn in A Long-Expected Party and then we see his son Samwise arguing in the same inn in The Shadow of the Past. 17 years have passed, Hamfast has aged and Sam is no longer a child.
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