b. before 1578
m. CHRISTIAN _____
bur. 2 Mar. 1620/1 St. Peters, Marlborough, Wiltshire

Church of St. Peter and St. Paul- Marlborough

Anthony Morse of Marlborough, yeoman; will dated February 27, 1620-1 proved at London June 2, 1621. Gives for the reparation of St. Peter's church in Marlborough 10 shillings; to his present wife, Christian; son Anthony; to his four children now living each 30 pounds when 18 years of age; mentions his child yet unborn; to Mr Hearne 10 shillings to preach at his funeral; appoints his wife executrix.

The High Street- Marlborough- c.1900

Issue-

Ref:

Marlborough parish records

bpt. 9 May 1606 Marlborough, Wiltshire
m. 2 May 1629 St. Mary, Marlborough, ANN COX, d. of Ambrose and Alice (Heale) Cox, d. 8 Mar. 1679/80 Newbury d. 12 Oct. 1686 Newbury

He arrived, with his brother William, in Boston on June 3, 1635 on the Ship "James", of 300 tons, William Cooper, Master, which sailed from Southampton April 5, 1635.(1) He built a house about a 1/2 mile south of the old cemetery in what is now called Newbury old town. On a slight hill in a field ("Morse's Field") which was later owned by Michael Little traces of his house are visible a few yards from the road. He is listed, along with his brother on the ship's passenger roster as being a shoemaker. He was admitted as a Freeman May 25, 1636.

Map of the Upper Green in Newbury

December 25, 1665, the Selectmen ordered that "Anthory Morse Sr., is to keep the meetinghouse and ring the bell, see that the house be cleane, swept, and the glasse of the windows to be carefully look't unto, if any should happen to be loosened with the wind and be nailed close again". He was still acting in the office of sexton in 1680 as that year the records show that 10 shillings was added to his former annuity in this service.

Anthony's brother William and his wife Elizabeth, were accused of witchcraft and were the victims of the antics of their grandson. Anthony gave the following testimony concerning the odd goings on at William's house:

�I Anthony Mors ocationlly being att my brother Morse�s hous, my brother showed me a pece of a brick which had several tims come down the chimne. I sitting in the cornar towck the pece of brik in my hand. Within a littel spas of tiem the pece of brik was gon from me I know not by what meanes. Quickly aftar, the pece of brik came down the chimne. Also in the chimny corar I saw a hamar on the ground. Their being no person near the hamar it was soddenly gone; by what means I know not, but within a littel spas after, the hamar came down the chimny and within a littell spas of tiem aftar that, came a pece of woud, about a fute loung, and within a littell after that came down a fiar brand, the fiar being out.�

�A mate of of a ship coming often to me [ie: Caleb Powell] said he much grefed for me and said the boye [William's grandson] was the cause of all my truble and my wife was much Ronged, and was no wich, and if I would let him have the boye but one day, he would warrant me no more truble. I being persuaded to it, he Com the nex day at the brek of day, and the boy was with him untel night and I had not any truble since.� When Caleb was finally acquitted, the judges looked for some other person guilty �of being instigated by the devil� for accomplishing such pranks, and for some reason selected Elizabeth Morse , William�s wife, as the culprit.

Poor Elizabeth was indicted on 20 May 1680 as �having familiarity with the Divil contrary to the peace of our sovereign lord the King and the laws of God". She was found guilty and sentenced by the Governor on 27 May:

�Elizabeth MORSE, you are to goe from hence to the place from when you came and thence to the place of execution and there to be hanged by the neck, till you be dead, and the Lord have mercy on your soul.�

She was granted a reprieve on 1 June by Governor Bradstreet, however, the locals complained and wanted the case reopened. Seventeen residents of Newbury submitted testimony as to why Goody Morse must be a with and should be executed. Poor Elizabeth remained in prison for 12 years and died shortly after her release.

"I anthony Morse of Newbury in the name of god amen i being sensible of my own frality and mortality being parfit memory due make this as my last Will and testament comminding my sole to god that gave it and my body to the dust in hope of a joyful rasurixtion and as for my wourly goods 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 lands both upland and meddow alweais provided that if the toen of Newbury dou divide any part of the comon lands that then the on halfe of my freehould shall be the lawful inheritance of my son benjeman morse all so I geue to my son Joshua morse all my cattell an horsis and sheep and swuine and all my toules for the shoemaking trade as allso my carte wheles dung pot plow harrow youkes chains houes forkes shovel spad grin stone yt as allso on father bed which he lieth on with a boulster and pillo and a pair of blinkets and courlitt and ton pair of shetes a bed sted and mat a pot and a brass cetell the best of tou cettles and a belmetell scillet and tou platars and a paringer and a drinking pot and tou spoons and the water pails and barils and tobes all these about named I give to my son Joshua and his eaires of his own body begoten lawfully than then all above geven to my son Joshua shall Return to the Rest of my children upon the peayment on good peay to my sons widow besides what estate she att any time brought to her husband she the said widdo shall injoy the houl estate on half year before she shall surrender

also I geve to my son Robert Morse Eighteen pounds or his children
to my son Peter morse or children �12.
to my son Anthony morses children I give �12
to my son Joseph morses children I give �12
to my son Benjamin Morse or children I give �12
to my dafter Thorlo or children �12
to my dafter Stickney or children I give �12
to my dafter Newman children I geve �12.
to my dafter Smith or children I geve �12
to my grand son Richard thorlo I give a sheep
to my grandson Robard Homes I give fieve pounds
allso the Remander 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 equeally to be devided between them and my grand children hous (who's) parents are dead, namely anthonys children, Josephs children hanahs children, allso I dou by this my last will allow and give loberty to my son Joshua morse hou is my Eaire to make sail and dispose of that land by the pine swamp which I had of Benjeman lacon of that pece of land by John Atkisons hous if he see Resan so to do.

allso I du by this will apoynt my son Joshua morse to be my sole executer to peay all debtes and legacies by this will given and to receve al debtes allso I dou apoynt my loving and crisian frinds Cap. danil pears and Tristram Coffin and thomas noyes to be overers of this my last Will Allso I dou apoynt my Exicutor to peay my son Robard and son peter within on yeare after my death on the other to be peaid within three years the plas of peayment to be newbury my will is that my son benjeman shal have the on half of all comon lands when devided as above said

in witnes therof I anthony morse have hearunto set my hand and seall this 28 aprel 1680.
Anthony Morse (Seal)
Sind selid and onid in the presence of uss James Coffin Mary Brown

that whereas I anthony morse in this my will abov said geven on half of all comon lands if devided to my sonn benjeman mrs; my meaning iss that my sonn benjeman shall have the on half of my proportion of lands when devided, but my sonn Joshua to have all my rights in the lower comon this is my mind and will as witnes my seall this 20 aprel 1680
Anthony Morse (seal)
witness to this part of my will James Coffin Mary brown"

Proved Nov 23 1686

The inventory was returned by his son Joshua on 23 Nov. and amounted to �348: 6s: 7d. (2)

Issue-

Ref:

(1) Winthrop Journal- Vol. I, p. 156
(2) Essex County Court- docket No. 18903

Descendants of Samuel MOrse of Worthington, Massachusetts- Harriet Morse Weeks, Eagle Printing, Pittsfield, MA, 1907

b. 4 Mar. 1639/0 Newbury, MA
m. 27 Aug. 1667 Newbury, RUTH SAWYER (b. 16 Sept. 1648 Newbury, d. after 22 Nov. 1707 Newbury)
d. after 1707

�1697-8, Jan. 27,� Benjamin made over to his �son William Morse, his portion of about 7 or 8 acres of two free-hold Iots, bounded with a high-way, southerly; and Benjamin Morse's land (son of the testator) northerly; heirs of Sargt Coaker, westerly; and heart-choke river easterly; also meadow bought of Percival Lowle, in Burchen meadow 1.0 acres, bounded southerly with a great oak upon a hill, and from that oak running easterly. to a Great Rock, and westerly upon Anthony Somerby's heirs land, and easterly and northerly upon the Common.�

Deacon Benjamin Morse of Newbury, Mass., �in consid: of �25,� deeds �to son William Morse of the same town, rate-lot in Newbury, bounded with the land of Joseph Pike, westerly; Samuel Sawyer, easterly; highway, northerly and southerly, about 20 acres, and was formerly laid out to my honored father Anthony Morse, and my brother Joshua Morse, both deceased.�

1707, Nov., 22.� The daughters of .Deacon Benjamin Morse, as named in conveyance of November 22, 1707, of certain amount to be paid to them, within two years after the decease of the Grantor (Deacon Benjamin Morse), were as follows: �Ruth Moody,� �Sarah Pillsbury,� �Ester Kelley,� �Hannah Poor,?? �Mary M�rrill� �Anne Mrse,� (the other children having received their portion.)

Ref:

Essex County Registry of Deeds- Vol. XVII, pp. 134
Newbury Town Records