PUBLIC "-//Colonial Williamsburg Foundation::John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library//TEXT (US::ViWC::viwc00304:: Henry Morse Will, 1775 August 28)//EN" "viwc00304.xml" A Guide to the Henry Morse Will, 1775 August 28 Will, Henry Morse MS 1982.5 3X John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation © 2008 By The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

Conditions of Use

Machine-readable finding aid derived from MARC record, created by Rebecca Barnhart, 04/07/2008 Description is in English 2013-11-21 Converted to schema conforming EAD by dtd2schema.vh.xsl. A Guide to the Henry Morse will, 1775 August 28 A Collection in the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation`sJohn D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library MS 1982.5 3X

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 2008 Special Collections Staff John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Descriptive Summary John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Henry Morse will 1775 August 28 MS 1982.5 3X On site. 1 item. English Morse, Henry d. 1775 Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Henry Morse Will, MS 1982.5 3X, Manuscript #MS 1982.5 3X, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 1982

Biographical/Historical Information

Henry Morse was an Englishman who lived in Williamsburg for several years (ca. 1767-1775). Morse owned a forge and gristmill and 2000 acres of land at Rocky Ridge, which he acquired as a prize in Col. William Byrd's lottery in 1767. He advertised the property for sale in the Virginia Gazette in 1770 and 1771. In June 1770 Morse signed a non-importation agreement. In June 1775 he published notice of his intent to leave the colony and offered a mulatto slave, some furniture, and two mares for sale prior to his departure. Morse died between 28 August 1775 (date of will) and 29 December 1775 (date of probate).

Scope and Content

Will is on vellum and contains neither the signature of Henry Morse nor that of any witnesses. The paper seal of the Archbishop of Canterbury is attached to the will, as is a certificate granting administration of the estate to Thomas Woodall. Mose appointed Benjamin Waller, Robert Prentis, and Thomas Woodall as executors and left them legacies of one mourning ring apiece. Among other bequests are diamond rings to Martha Waller and Thomas Woodall's wife. Morse's mother and brother in England are the main beneficiaries.

Arrangement

1 item.

Index Terms Persons: Morse, Henry, d. 1775 Waller, Benjamin, 1716-1786 Waller, Martha Hall, 1728-1779 Prentis, Robert, d. ca. 1803 Woodall, Thomas, fl. 1775 Geographical Names: Williamsburg (Va.) Legal documents