Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Wvhistory1 (talk | contribs) at 15:44, 29 December 2024 (Create page for George Morris (burgess)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

George Morris (23 October 1616 - c.1685) was a surveyor, planter, military officer and member of the House of Burgesses for New Kent County. George was also the progenitor of the Morris Family of Virginia. He is best recognized for transporting (sponsoring) new settlers to the Colony of Virginia from England to support growing tobacco demands. Of those that Morris sponsored, some were members of his extended family including Edward Morris, Anne Morris, Mary Morris, and William Morris.

Early Life and Family

Born in the City of London on 23 October 1616, and was baptized on 1 November 1616 at St Mildred, Poultry, City of London, England. George was the son of Richard Morris and Anne, and grandson of Richard Morris Esq, a London merchant who served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. The arms of Morris, "vert., a buck trippant, or" George's uncle, Ralph Morris of Helmingham, was observed bearing his father's coat at the "Visit. of Suffolk in 1612." The arms were granted in 1577.

George's aunt Mary Morris was the Countess Dover who first married Sir William Cockayne, Lord Mayor of London in 1619. Her second marriage was to Henry Carey, Fourth Lord Hunsdon and First Earl of Dover. According to historical records, seven generations from Mary Morris, Countless of Dover from 1565 - 1648 resulted in 7 Generations consisting of 67 People, 2 Duchesses, 2 Dukes, 7 Countesses, 5 Earls, 4 Viscounts, 2 Viscountesses, 2 Baronesses, 1 Baron, 1 Baronet.

George married Eleanor Morris, and had at least one son William and a daughter, Catherine (1638-1713). William's wife Eleanor Morris was accused of witchcraft in 1695 Virginia Witch Trial in King & Queen County by fellow settler Anne Ball wife of William Ball. Eleanor was found not-guilty, and in June 1695 filed a defamation suit in neighboring Essex County that Ball pay 5,000 pounds of tobacco in damages. The jury ruled in favor of Eleanor but reduced the sum to 500 pounds of tobacco.

Virginia Career and Land Grants

It is unclear what event prompted George to move to the James River, but it could have been 1649, sailing alongside fellow Cavaliers including Major Morrison. He is mentioned in a court filing on 4 April 1661 between Harquip of the Chickahomini tribe as having surveyed a 743 acre tract alongside Lt. Col. Abrahall and James Cole on property claimed by Philip Mallory. On 2 March 1661, George Morris was requested by Lt. Col. Nathaniel Bacon to survey land claimed by Capt. Martin Palmer and John Prosyer concerning one-thousand acres.

On 14 December 1660, George Morris alongside John Pigge received 1,000 acres in New Kent County as payment for transporting 20 persons.

In 1662, then acting governor of Virginia, Francis Morrison Esq., with the consent of the Council of State granted George Morris and William Lane 2,500 acres of land in Rappahannock County. As part of the agreement, Morris and Lang agreed to transport 40 settlers from England.

19 July 1663, George Morris received 1,350 acres New Kent Co. on the North side of the Mattaponi River part thereof on the branches of Chescaack Path, the land bordered that of Anthony Arnold, payment for the transport of 15 persons. Arnold was hung on 14 March 1667 for participation in the Bacon Rebellion.

A second transaction was recorded on 19 July 1663, George Morris received 933 acres also in New Kent Co., described as "South Side of Narrows of York River upon branches of Black Creek, beginning at a corner Tree by Westover Path belonging to land of Mr. Jones and Jonathan Higby, formerly William Pullams, along land of Mr. Brereton and Anthony Arnold."

1667: 1,600 Acres. A joint grant with John Long, located on branches of Major Andrew Gilson’s Creek, payment for transporting 32 settlers.

29 Apr 1668: George Morris, 860 acres, New Kent County, Stratton Major Parish, on north side of Mattapony River, by an Indian path to John Madison's house, adjoining Anthony Arnell.

8 May 1674, for 3,000 acres in (Old) Rappahannock County.

1679: 700 acres in Rappahannock County.

In 1680, George Morris founded the Jasmine Plantation located in Providence Forge. It was used as the Headquarters for the Revolutionary Army in 1779 by General George Washington.

1683: 5,000 Acres located within New Kent and Rappahannock County for transporting 40 settlers.

Bacon's Rebellion and House of Burgesses

From 1676 to 1677, Nathaniel Bacon attempted to overthrow the governor William Berkeley. Morris, a Royalist and friend of Berkeley, was commissioned as a Major either during or immediately after the revolt to assist and organize 1,000 English Army troops who did not have intimate knowledge of the terrain. On 19 March 1678/9 by "Order of the Privy Council, Whitehall" in a report for the Committee of Plantations, Robert Morris (George's cousin) was paid one hundred pounds by the Lord High Treasurer "as reward and compensation for their loyal service and losses in the late rebellion... Secrearty of the Admiralty is further ordered to enter the names of the Morris, Prinn, and Conset, as well as those of Grantaben and Thomas Gardner in the Admiralty Office so that they may be further employed in the King's Service."

Among the coconspirators were John Langston, who was a member of the House of Burgesses for New Kent. Langston was expelled and George Morris took his place beginning on 9 June 1680, serving on the Private Causes Committee. Morris served alongside Charles Turner. Morris served as a member from 1680 until 1684 and stepped down due to his health. He was replaced by John West. George died around 1685. West also served during the revolt as a Captain.

Of the 1,000 troops, George's cousin from London, William Morris commissioned on 4 March 1676, served as Adjutant Captain in Colonel Jeffery's Regiment commanding seventy soldiers. In 1678 the regiment returned to England but left five officers and 2015 soldiers as a contingent. Captain William Morris remained in military service until 1690 where he was listed as a Captain in the Virginia Militia. William Morris obtained permission from the Robert Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, Secretary of State to Lord Culpeper dated at Whitehall on 22 September 1690, "Conveying His Majesty's Pleasure that Mr. William Morris “of the Middle Plantation in Virginia” should be given leave to return to England on private matters." William never returned to Virginia. His wife Frances filed a petition on his behalf during his time in Virginia.

1. "Historical and Genealogical Notes and Queries". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 15 (3): 313–323. 1908. ISSN 0042-6636.
2. ^ G. E. C (George Edward Cokayne), 1825-1911 (1897). Some account of the Lord Mayorsand Sheriffs of the city of London : during the first quarter of the seventeenth century, 1601-1625. unknown library. London : Phillimore and Co. {{cite book}}: |first= has numeric name (help)
3. Corder, Joan (1965). Dictionary of Suffolk Arms. Ipswich, Suffolk: Suffolk Records Society. p. 26.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
4. "COCKAYNE, Charles (1602-1661), of Cockayne House, Broad Street, London and Rushton Hall, Northants. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
5. Gibson, C. A. (1970). "Massinger's London Merchant and the Date of "The City Madam"". The Modern Language Review. 65 (4): 737–749. doi:10.2307/3722548. ISSN 0026-7937.
6. "Maternal Family Trees England". www.allabouthistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-28.
7. 1694-1695 Essex County, Virginia. Virginia Order Book. Richmond, Virginia: Antient Press. p. 246.
8. Sams, Conway Whittle (1916). The conquest of Virginia, the forest primeval : an account, based on original documents, of the Indians in that portion of the continent in which was established the first English colony in America. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Library. New York ; London : G.P. Putnam's Sons.
9. Virginia. mn; Virginia (Colony) Laws, statutes; Hening, William Waller (1809). The statutes at large; being a collection of all the laws of Virginia, from the first session of the legislature, in the year 1619. Published pursuant to an act of the General assembly of Virginia, passed on the fifth day of February one thousand eight hundred and eight . University of Pittsburgh Library System. Richmond: Printed by and for Samuel Pleasants, junior, printer to the commonwealth.
10. 1662-1664 Old Rappahannock County, Virginia Deed Book 1, Part II. Antient Press (published 2016). 1989. pp. 303–304. ISBN 1680341251.
11. "A Guide to the Virginia Miscellany Papers, 1657-1931Virginia Miscellany Papers, 1657-1931 24715". ead.lib.virginia.edu. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
12. "Williamsburg Magazine September 2009 by The Virginia Gazette - Issuu". issuu.com. 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
13. "House of Delegates History (DOME)". history.house.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
14. "Historical and Genealogical Notes and Queries". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 15 (3): 313–323. 1908. ISSN 0042-6636.
15. "House of Delegates History (DOME)". history.house.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
16. "America and West Indies: October 1676 | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
17. "America and West Indies: April 1678 | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
18. "Virginia in 1678-1679 (Continued)". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 24 (3): 250–260. 1916. ISSN 0042-6636.
19. "America and West Indies: April 1678 | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-29.