Notes |
- Source: Topographical Dictionary of 1885 English Emigrants to New England, 1620-1650, by Charles Edward Banks, pub. 1937, page 46:
"Morse, Samuel, from parish of Foxearth, County Essex, England, on The Increase, to Dedham, MA., NEGR 19/265."
Source: Passengers to America, edited by Michael Tepper, pub. 1988, pages 24:
"xv Aprilis 1635. Theis p'ties hereafter expressed are to be transported to New England in ye Increase Robert Lea Master, having taken the oathes of Allegaeance and Supremacie; As also being comformable to the Government and discipline of the Church of England whereof they brought testimony p'r Cert. from ye Justices and ministers where there abodes have latlie been:
Samvell Morse, Husbm: 50
Elizabeth Morse, uxor 48
Joseph Morse 20
Source: Morse Genealogy, comprising the descendants of Samuel, Anthon, William, and Joseph Morse and John Moss, pub. by Reb. Abner Morse in 1850, compiled by J. Howard Morse and Miss Emily W. Leavitt, under the auspices of the Morse Society, pub. 1903, NY.
" (See Tepper reference above)... This is the first statement in regard to Samuel Morse and his little family who came to Watertown at this date and there became members of that First Church.
On August 15, 1636, there was a covantnt adopted which had been drawn up for a company of twelve men towhom the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had granted a tract of land lying south of the Charles river for a new settlement and among these twelve was Samuel Morse, whose name stood third on the paper, with those of Daniel Morse, who signed as the 28th, Joseph Morse as the 29th, and John Morse as the 34th, with 122 others. At first they named this new place "Contentment," but, on September 10, 1636, the General Court decreed that it should be changed to that of Dedham.
While forming this new colony "they took care to look after the rights of the natives, for every part of that territory was purchased of the Indians before it was assigned to the settlers." At a meeting of the new proprietors in Watertown, September 1636, Samuel Morse was appointed Collector of the money to be paid out as occasion should arise. By an early law of the Massachusetts colony, every settler was obliged to build his house within half a mile of the site chosen for the meetin house; each man received a home lot of eight or twelve acres of land conveyed to him according to his being single or a married man, together with a share in a large inclosure, called the Commons, which was to be cultivated by all the people "in common."
November 8, 1638, a church covenant was prepared and on the 30, 5, 1641, Samuel Morse with others, members of the First Church in Watertown, were received into the newly organized church of Dedham. In the first Board of Townsmen (afterwards called the selectmen) or "the Seven Men," Samuel Morse was the third man chosen for the important office.
As their numbers increased, they, following the law that each family should be within a certain distance from the "meeting house," set about forming a new township, and Samuel Morse there received a home lot and built a house in the place which received the name of Medfield. On February 21, 1675, in the general rise of the Indians against the settlers,his house was fired; a new house arose on the ground and this never passed from the possesion of his descendants.
His will was dated at Medfield, Anno Domini, 10th month, 2d, 1654, ...."
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