John Malone Morris
- Born: 18 Nov 1761, Somerset Co., MD
- Marriage (1): Priscilla (Prissy) Heath about 1795 in Somerset Co., MD
- Died: Bef 16 Apr 1816, Somerset Co., MD
From: L Paul Morris Jr <paulinho@comcast.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 8:49 PM
To: mikehitch@mikehitch.com
Subject: Somerset County Land mystery
Mike,
Hope all is well on your end. While I was doing my Somerset County, Maryland Inventories project to cull Slaves, starting at 1810 and I am up to 1816 now have over 1,560 slaves mentioned to date, some are appraised and later sold so some double counting, I came across a John Morris, of Joseph. He matched up with some of my previous research, so I stopped and went on a detour. John or John Mallone Morris, is my fourth great-granduncle, half-brother to Jacob Morris, father of James Morris. What is interesting is that I could confirm the relationship through land as John Mallone Morris was bequeathed the following on 17 Jun 1786 from his father, Joseph Morris:
From his father, Joseph Morris, his dwelling plantation whereon he now lives with all the Land being track of Land called Godard folley, 90 a.; and tract of Land Morres Resolution, 9 ½ a.; tract of Land Norths Resolution, 25 a.; and Little Beluce, 103 a.
Then John Mallone Morris' wife, Priscilla "Prissy" Heath, who previously married Esau Boston, died on 5 Sep 1810. Sometime that same day, the grieving widower penned his own will dated 5 Sep 1810. He did not die until April 1816.
My two sons Joseph Morris and John H. Morris all my real estate, part of a tract of land Goddard's Folly, 20 acres more or less, part of a tract Little Belane 56 Acres and a half acres more or less, one tract Morris's Resolution, 9 acres, one tract Called Morris's Frolick, 26 Acres, part of a tract of land North's Situation, 25 acres more or less, a tract of land Morris's Addition to Lowe's Enlarged, 132 Acres more or lefs - Containing 368 1/2 acres of land
What I am interested in finding out is what happened to Joseph Morris, his son and the Executor of his will. The final act of administration of the Estate was not until 24 May 1822.
The one son, John H. Morris, or John Holbrook Morris, is fairly well documented and died in 1830 leaving at least two children.
John Mallone Morris also had a daughter Mary Morris Dorman, wife of Solomon Dorman, and Eleanor S. Morris Gillis, wife of Levin Gillis.
I can't find anything on these tracts of land. Do you have anything? That might help me find what happened to Joseph Morris, son of John Mallone Morris.
Thanks,
Paul
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Somerset County, Maryland Wills, John [Mallone] Morris, Liber E.B. No. 23, folio 240, Written 5 Sep 1810, Probated 12 Apr 1816
In the Name of God Amen, I John Morris (of Joseph) of Somerset County in the state of Maryland being in perfect health of body and sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding Considering the Certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to Call me hence do therefore make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following; that is to say.
First and principally, I commit my soul in the hands of the almighty God, and my body, to the earth. To be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor herein after named, and after my debts and funeral charges are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows.
I give and bequeath unto My daughter Eleanor S. Gilliss of Somerset County, the sum of five pounds.
Item. I give and devise unto my two sons Joseph Morris and John H. Morris all my real estate known by the following names that is to say. Part of a tract of land Called Goddard's Folly Containing one hundred and twenty acres more or less, part of a tract Called Little Belane Containing fifty six Acres and one half acres more or less, one tract Called Morris's resolution Containing Nine acres, one tract Called Morris's Frolick Containing twenty six Acres, part of a tract
Tract of land Called North's situation Containing twenty five acres more or less, a tract of land Called Morris's Addition to Lowe's enlarged Containing One hundred and thirty two Acres more or lefs - Containing in the whole three hundred and sixty eight acres and one half acre of land. To them & the said Joseph Morris and John H. Morris and their heirs and Afsigns in fee simple. And in Case either of the said Joseph or the said John H. should Die without ifsue, then I give the whole of said lands to the Survivor & his heirs & afsigns forever.
Item. I give and bequeath to my son Joseph Morris one Negro man named Levin, one Ditto name Moses, one boy named George, one Girl named Leah to him the said Joseph Morris and his heirs forever and in Case said Joseph Morris Should die without ifsue, then I give the aforesaid Negroes to John H. Morris and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son John H. Morris one Negro man named Bob, one Negro boy Stephen, one Negro boy Harry, to him the said John H. Morris and his heirs forever and in Case the said John H. Morris should die without ifsue then I give the aforesaid Negroes to Joseph Morris and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my said son John H. Morris one Negro Girl Flora which said Negro Flora is intended to go as a payment towards Certain
Certain Monies received of his the said John H. Morris on account of his Brother William Boston deceased as will appear by reference to the register of Wills office of Somerset County, and in Case the said John H. Morris should die without ifsue then I give said Negro to my son Joseph Morris & to his heirs & afsigns forever.
Item. I give I give and bequeath unto my two sons Joseph Morris & John H. Morris and to my daughter Mary Dorman all my household and Kitchen furniture and all my stock of every kind whatsoever that is to say, horses, Cattle, Sheep, hogs etc. to them the said Joseph Morris, John H. Morris & Mary Dorman and their heirs and afsigns forever to be equally divided between each of them.
Item. I give and bequeath unto Thomas Gillifs (of Levin) one Negro boy Called Spencer to him the said Thomas Gillifs and his heirs & afsigns forever the said Negro Spencer to remain in pofsefsion of my son Joseph Morris after my decease until said Thomas Gillifs arrives to the age of twenty one years.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Dorman of Somerset County one Negro Woman named Rose and her Child Mary to her the said Mary Dorman and her heirs and afsigns forever, and in Case the said Mary Dorman should die without ifsue then I give the said Negro Woman Rose and Child Mary to my two Sons Joseph Morris and John H. Morris to them the said Joseph Morris & John H. Morris and their heirs and afsigns forever and in Case either of
Of the said Joseph or the said John should die then I give the said Negro Woman Rose & Child Mary to the Survivor and to his heirs and Afsigns forever.
And lastly, I do hereby Constitute and appoint my Son Joseph Morris to be the Sold Executor of this my last Will and testament.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this fifth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and ten.
Signed, Sealed, published
And declared by John
Morris the above named Testator, as and for John Morris
his last will and testament
in the presence of us, who
at his request, in his
presence of each other
have subscribed our names
as Witnefses thereto.
John H. Anderson
Evans Willing
Parker Selly
Somerset County, to wit, April 12th 1816 Then came Joseph Morris and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that the annexed instrument of writing is the true and whole last will and testament of John Morris Senr. late of Somerset County, deceased that hath come to his hands or pofsefsion, and that he doth not know of any other.
Before Geo. Handy, Regr. W.S.C.
Somerset County, to wit, April the 12th day of 1816, then came John H. Anderson & Evans Willing tow of the subscribing witnefses to the annexed last will & testament of John Morris Senr. late of Somerset County, deceased, and severally made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the testator therein named sign & seal this will and that they heard him publish, pronounce and declare the same to be his last will and testament, and that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of each of their apprehensions of sound and disposing mind, memory & understanding capable of executing a valid contract, & that they did respectively subscribe this will as witnefses thereto in the presence and at the request of the testator and in the presence of each other. They further deposed that they saw Parker Selby (now deceased) subscribed this will as a witnefs in the presence of the testator.
Before Geo. Handy Regr. W.S.C.
Written 5 Sep 1810 Probated 12 Apr 1816
My daughter Eleanor S. Gilliss of Somerset County, the sum of five pounds
My two sons Joseph Morris and John H. Morris all my real estate, part of a tract of land Goddard's Folly, 20 acres more or less, part of a tract Little Belane 56 Acres and a half acres more or less, one tract Morris's Resolution, 9 acres, one tract Called Morris's Frolick, 26 Acres, part of a tract of land North's Situation, 25 acres more or less, a tract of land Morris's Addition to Lowe's Enlarged, 132 Acres more or lefs - Containing 368 1/2 acres of land
My son Joseph Morris one Negro man named Levin, one Ditto name Moses, one boy named George, one Girl named Leah.
My son John H. Morris one Negro man named Bob, one Negro boy Stephen, one Negro boy Harry.
My son John H. Morris one Negro Girl Flora which said Negro Flora is intended to go as a payment towards certain received of John H. Morris on account of his Brother, William Boston deceased as will appear by reference to the Register of Wills office of Somerset County.
To Thomas Gillifs (of Levin) one Negro boy Called Spencer to him the said Thomas Gillifs and his heirs & afsigns forever the said Negro Spencer to remain in pofsefsion of my son Joseph Morris after my decease until said Thomas Gillifs arrives to the age of twenty-one years.
My daughter Mary Dorman of Somerset County one Negro Woman named Rose and her Child Mary.
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Somerset County, Maryland Administration, John Morris, J.P. No. 5, folio 39b
Dr. Joseph Morris Executor of John Morris deceased.
To amount of an Inventory of the personal Estate of the deceased
Exhibited the 14th day of May 1816.$3,914.96
To Excefs on the property Sold at the first Sale per account 190.14 ½
To amount of cash found on hand at the death of the testator 35.50
To amount of Sperate debts this day exhibited 102.81 1/3
$4,243.42
By lofs on the Second Sale as per account exhibited 41.11 ½
$4,202.30 ½
This accountant prays an allowance for the following
payments and disbursements to wit.
Of money paid on Judgt in favor of Edward Brown11.02
Various monies paid
Of so much being the net amount of Sales of the property of Levin Gillifs as by
an account of Sales exhibited by John Morris the administrator of the
Said Gillifs and for which this accountant charged himself as the
admr de bonis non of Levin Gillifs.514.32
Carried forward $590.53 ½
Payments and disbursement brought forward $590.53 ½
of money due this accountant on account proved and to be retained for17.25
of money paid for tax on a Silver watch per receipt 1.00
of money paid direct tax for 1815 per receipt16.27
of money paid direct tax for 1816 per receipt 6.89
of money paid Elisha Parker appraiser per receipt 4.00
of money paid William Williams appraiser per receipt 3.00
of money paid Elias Bailey for crying Sales 1st 3.00
of money paid County levy & officeses fees for 1815, 1816, & 181723.79 ½
of Registers fees29.36
of 10 per cent commifsion 421.23
Balance due the Estate 3,086.97 ½
Further time granted to pafs a final account $4,202.30 ½
Somerset County to wit. June the 19th day of 1818, then came Joseph Morris Executor of John Morris late of Somerset County deceased, and made oath on the Holy Evangels of almighty God that the foregoing account as it stands Stated is just and true, and that he hath bona fide paid or secured to be paid the particular sums for which he hath claimed an allowance.
Recorded in Liber J.P. No. 5, folio 39Before Geo. Handy, Reg. W.S.C.
Somerset County, Maryland Administration, John Morris, J.P. No. 5, folio 62a
Dr. Joseph Morris Executor of John Morris deceased.
To balance of your account passed the 19th day of Jun 1818$3,086.97 ½
To amount of Sales of Tobacco, Staves, wood & wheat Sold per account 126.89
To amount of additional Sperate debts this day exhibited 409.14 ½
$3,623.04
This accountant prays a further allowance for the following
Payments and disbursements, to wit.
Of money paid County Levy on the undivided negroes 2.25
Of money due Charles Gordon on account proved and pad as per
Account per receipt 5.00
Various other persons paid on account proved
folio 62b
of money due Solomon Dorman on account proved & paid as per account
per receipt22.00
Various other persons paid on account proved
of money paid for a coffin 5.00
for additional Register's fees 7.50
of 10 per cent commission on $536.03 ½53.60 1/3
Balance due the Estate 3,436.43
$3,623.01
Somerset County, to wit, April the 29 day of 1819.
Then came Joseph Morris Executor of John Morris late of Somerset County deceased, and made oath on the Holy Evangels of almighty God, that this foregoing account as it stands stated is just and true, and that he hath bona fide paid or secured to be paid the particular sums for which he hath claimed an allowance.
Recorded in Liber J.P. No. 5, folio 62Before Geo. Handy, Reg. W.S.C.
Somerset County, Maryland Administration, Distribution, John Morris, J.P. No. 5, folio 62b
Dr. Joseph Morris Executor of John Morris deceased.
1819, Apr 29 To Balance of your account passed this day $3,436.43
Distribution according to the deceased will, to wit.
To his daughter, Eleanor S. Gillis, the Sum o five pounds.13.33 1/3
To his Son Joseph Morris one negro man named Levin $300, one man
Named Moses $350, one boy named George $350, one girl named Leah 2201,220.00
To his Son John H. Morris one negro man named Bob $350, one negro Boy
Stephen, Sold in the testator's lifetime, one negro boy Henry $250, one negro 850.00
girl Flora $250.
To his Sons Joseph Morris and John H. Morris and his daughter Mary Dorman all
Household and Kitchen furniture, stock of horses, cattle Sheep & hogs. 767.06
To Thomas Gillis, Son of Levin, one negro boy called Spencer 200.00
To his daughter Mary Dorman, one negro woman named Rose $250
her child Mary, died before the testator. 250.00
The Residue is not mentioned in the will, therefore is to be equally divided between the deceased's children & other representatives, that is to say:
To Joseph Morris, John H. Morris, Mary Dorman and the children of his daughter Eleanor Gillis, being four parts of the thirty four dollars one cent and 4/5th each. 136.03 2/3
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