Anthony Morse of Newbury

June 1, 2015 — 4 Comments

Morse Monument This monument was erected to the memory of seven Puritans who emigrated from England to America in 1935-39. The front inscriptions are: John Mosse, Born 1604, settled at N. Haven, died 1707 at Wallingford Ct. Samuel Morse, born 1585, settled at Dedham 1636, died at Medfield 1654. Joseph Morse, settled at Ipswich where he died 1646. Anthony Morse, born at Marlborough Engl’d 1616, died at Newbury 1686. William Mors B. 1608, D. 1683 and Robert & Peter brothers, settled and d in N. J. Rear inscriptions: Elizth Morse wid. of Samuel D. June 26, 1654. Samuel Morse Col in Cromwell’s ARmy D. at the Eastward Sept. 24, 1688. John, D at Boston 1657. Daniel, D. at Sherborn JUne 5, 1688. Jeremiah, D in the Civil War in Eng. Joseph, D in Medfield 1653. Lt. Samuel who D. in Medf. Feb. 28, 1718, CPT. Joseph who D. in Sherboren Feb. 19, 1718 and Jeremiah who D. in Medf. February 19, 1716. Taken from The Morse Society Webmaster

Anthony Morse of Newbury, MA came from Marlborough, Wiltshire, England and settled in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1635. He and his brother, William Morse, registered as shoemakers.  Anthony arrived in Boston with his brother William, on the “James” June 3, 1635 which sailed from Southampton on April 5, 1635. Anthony built a house about 1/2 mile south of the cemetery in what is now called Newbury old town.  He was admitted as a Freeman May 25, 1636.

Anthony Morss (1606 – 1686)
is my 10th great grandfather
Robert Morse (1629 – 1677)
son of Anthony Morss
Joshua Morse (1669 – 1753)
son of Robert Morse
Joseph Morse (1692 – 1759)
son of Joshua Morse
Joseph Morse (1721 – 1776)
son of Joseph Morse
Joseph Morse III (1756 – 1835)
son of Joseph Morse
John Henry Morse (1775 – 1864)
son of Joseph Morse III
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of John Henry Morse
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

Last Will and Testament of Anthony Morse of Newbury, Mass I anthony Morss of Newbury in the name of god amen i being sensible of my own frality and mortality being of parfit memory due make this as my last will and testament commanding my sole to god that gave it and my body to the dust in hope of a joyful resurixition and as for my wourly good I dispose of as foloieth. I give and bequeth to my son Joshua Morse making him my lawful eaire all my housing and lands both upland and meddow with my freehould and privilidge in all comon land both upland and meddow alweais provided that it the town of Newbury dou divide any part of the comon lands that then the on half part of that land which belongeth to me which cometh by vartu of my freehould shall be the lawful inheritance of my son benieman (Benjamin)morse all so I geve to my son Joshua morse all my cattell an horsis and sheep, swuine and all my toules for the shumaking trade as allso my carte wheles dung pot plow harrow youkes chains houses forkes shovel spad grin stone yt as allso on father bed which he lieth on with a bouister and pillo and a pair of blinkets and covrlitt and tou pair of shetes scillet and to platars and a paringer and a drinking pot and tou spoons and the water pails and barils and tobes all these about named I geve to my son Joshua and his eaires of his own body begotten lawfully than then all aboue geven to my son Joshua shall Return to the Rest of my children upon the peayment on good peay to my sons widow besides waht estate she att any time brought to her husband she the said widdow shall enjoy the houl estate on half year before she shall surrenter – also I geve to my son Robard (Robert) Morse Eighteen pounds or his children to my son Peter Morse or children L3, to my son Anthony Morse children I geve L3 to my son Joseph Morses children I geve L12 to my son Benieman Morse or children I geve L12 to my dafter Thorlo or children L12 to my dafter Skickney or children I geve L12 to my dafter Newman children I geve L12 to my dafter Smith or children I geve L12 to my grandson Richard Thorlo I geve an sheep, to my grandson Robard Homes I giev fiev pounds allso I geve the Remainder of my housall which is not in partikelar geven to my son Joshua in the former part of this my will to all my children equally to be devided between them and my grand children hous parents are dead, namely anthonys children, Josephs children hanahs children, allso I dou by this my last will allow and geve loberty to mu son Joshua morse hou is my Eaire to make said and dispose of that land by the pine swamp which I had of Nenieman lacon of that pece of land by John Akisons hous if he see Resan so to do. also I du by this my will apoynt my son Joshua morse to be my sole esecutor to peay all debts and legacies by this will geven and to Rceve all debtes allso I dou apoynt my loving and crisian frinds Cap danil Pears and Tristram Coffin and thomas noyes to be oversers of this my last will also I dou apoynt my Exicutor to peay my son Robard and son peter within one yeare after my death on the the other to be peaid within three years the plas of peayment to be newbury my will is tyhat my son benieman shall have the on half of all comon lands when devided as above said in witness thereof I anthony morse have hereunto Set my hand and seall this 28th Aprell, 1680. Sinid selid and onid in the presense of us James Coffin Mary Brown that whereas I anthong Morse in this my will abou said have geven on half of all common lands if devided to my sonn benieman mors; my meaning iss that my sons benieman shall haev the on half of my proportion of lands when devided, but my sonn Joshua to haev all my Rights in the lower comon this is my mind and will as witnes my seall this 20 of aprell 1680. Anthony Morse (Seal) Witness to this part of my will James Coffin Mary Brown Joshua Morse is allowed Exer to this will. from – The Morse Genealogy, 1903-05 – Will is on file at Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. From History of Newbury – Newbury MA Web site: The settlers of Newbury were much like those of what is now northern Essex county. They were not religious enthusiasts or pilgrims who fled from religious persecution in England. The were substantial, law abiding, loyal English tradesmen of that staunch middle class that was the backbone of England. Those that settled Newbury came at different times and on different ships between the end of April 1634 and July 1635. In one of the first ships arriving in 1645, was Thomas Parker, a minister who came along with a small company of settlers. They were first at Agawan (Ipswich) and later along with their countrymen, who came from Wiltshire England to Newbury. The first settlers came by water from Ipswich through Plum Island Sound and up the Quascacunquen River, which was later renamed the Parker River. There had been a few fisherman occupying the banks of the Merrimac and Parker rivers before this, but they were not permanent settlers. These settlers came to New bury in May or June of 1635. Ships from England began to arrive almost immediately with cattle and more settlers. Governor Winthrop in his history of New England under the date of June 3, 1635, records the arrival of two ships with Dutch cattle along with the ship James from Southampton bringing more settlers. Newbury was therefore begun as a stock raising enterprise and the settlers came to engage in that business and to establish homes for themselves. In total 15 ships came in June and one each in August, November and December, bringing still more families to the settlement. There is no record of how many families arrived in the first year. Houses were erected on both sides of the Parker River. The principal settlement was around the meeting house on the lower green. The first church in Newbury could not have been formed before June as some of those recorded at its formation are not recorded as having arrived until June. In the division of land, the first settlers recognized the scripture rule “to him that hath shall be given” and the wealth of each grantee can be estimated by the number of acres given him. The reason for establishing Newbury, as stated above, was not from fleeing religious persecutions, but to utilize vacant lands and to establish a profitable business for the members of a stock-raising company. When they arrived in Massachusetts, the settlers found that the state had established the Congregational form of religion. Everyone was taxed to support the Congregational Society and was commanded to attend worship at the meeting house. The Reverend Thomas Parker was a member of the stock raising company and was also the minister of the settlers. The outlying settlers had a long journey to the meeting house. The congregations were in danger of attacks from Indians and wild beasts on their way to and from worship. There was a constant dread of attack during the time of services and all able bodied inhabitants were required to bring their weapons to church. Sentinels were posted at the doors. In spite of the hardship and danger, the population steadily increased in number and gradually improved its worldly condition. Being cramped for room, the settlers moved up to the upper or training green. This was in order to get tillable land and engage in commercial pursuits. This movement began in 1642. Each had been allotted half an acre for a building lot on the lower green. On the upper green each was to have four acres for a house lot. Also on the upper green a new pond was artificially formed for watering cattle. The new town gradually extended along the Merrimac River to the mouth of the Artichoke River. It appears that all desirable land in this region was apportioned among the freeholders by October 1646. The land beyond was ordered to lie perpetually common. This tract of common land was a part of Newbury and what is now West Newbury. The Indian threat had disappeared as most of the Indians in the region had been exterminated by an epidemic. The first record of an Indian living in Newbury is in January 1644, when a lot was granted to “John Indian”. In 1639 Edward Rawson began the manufacture of gun powder in what was probably America’s first powder mill. Newbury had a trial for witchcraft thirteen years before the trials in Salem. In 1679 Elizabeth Morse, sister-in-law to our ancestor, Anthony, was accused. She was condemned three times to die, but was reprieved and spent her last years in her home at what is now Market square in Newburyport. The first American born silversmith was Jeremiah Dummer of Newbury, who apprenticed to John Hull, an Englishman. He practiced his trade at what is now Newburyport. Jeremiah was the father of Governor William Dummer the founder of Gov. Dummer Academy. Jeremiah’s brother-in-law John Coney, engraved the plates for the first paper money made in America. In 1686, when the upper Commons (West Newbury) were divided among the freeholders of the town of Newbury, Pipestave Hill was covered with a dense forest of oak and birch. These trees were cut and used to make staves for wine casks and molasses hogsheads. For many years, this industry, the first of its kind in American, flourished and the place is still called Pipestave Hill. Limestone was discovered in Newbury in 1697. Previous to this all the lime used for building was obtained from oyster and clam shells. Mortar made from this lime was very durable and came in time, to be almost as hard as granite. This business prospered for many years until a superior quality of lime was discovered elsewhere. The first toll bridge and shipyard in America were also in Newbury. The latter giving rise to the ship building industry, which was to determine the prosperity of Newburyport in the coming centuries. In West Newbury, in 1759, Enoch Noyes began making horn buttons and coarse combs of various kinds. This was the beginning of the comb making business in Newbury and other places. This business continued and grew, moving to Newburyport inn its later years, closing in 1934. Lt Gov. William Dummer, in his will of 1761 directing that a school house be erected on the most convenient part of his farm. In 1762, the first schoolhouse was erected, a low one story building about twenty feet square commencing its sessions in 1783, this is the oldest boarding school in America. In 1764, that part of Newbury, which had become the commercial center was divided off and made Newburyport. This action relegated Newbury to a rural and fishing community. Today Newbury is a quiet New England town, rich in heritage, the birthplace of many things American, not the least of which is an abiding reverence for our past. The Landing at Parker River from Ould Newbury – Historical and Biographical Sketches by John L. Currier *196 – Damrell and Upham, Boston, Mass. debthomas660debthomas660 originally shared this to Thomas/Jones Family Tree22 Aug 2009