Morse in Massachusetts

Morse in early Boston, MA

Sources for the following:

• Early Records of Boston, MA (NEHGR 4:359-360; 5:97)
• Earliest Wills on Record, Suffolk Co., Ms (NEHGR 5:299)

0. Samuel Morse, d. abt 1654 (will written 2:10:1654) m. Elizabeth _____. Children named in will were (in this order) John, Daniel, Mary Bullin, and Joseph (deceased) and his wife Ann. Are they these, following?:

1. John Morse m. Annis [Chickering, per Morse Genealogy]. Children, born Boston:

1. Ruth, 3:4:1637

2. John, 8:4:1639

3. Joseph, 16:12:1640

4. Ezra, 5:12:1643

2. Daniel Morse m. Liddia _____. Children, born Boston:

1. Obadiah, 8:6:1639

2. Daniel, 31:11:1640

3. Jonathan, 8:1:1643

3. Joseph Morse m. Hannah [Phillips, per Morse Genealogy]. Children, born Boston:

1. Samuel, 10:11:1639

2. Hannah, 8:6:1641

3. Sarah, 16:7:1643

Morse in early Watertown, MA

The following is compiled from analysis of Watertown VR (as digitized on ancestry.com) and from the Morse Genealogy (also on ancestry.com).

The progenitor couple appears to be Joseph Morse and his wife Ester _____. (Morse Gen. affirms this and says that Ester was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (____) Pierce.) Their marriage is not found in the Watertown VR which might imply that they were married prior to arrival. (Ipswich?) The Watertown VR indicates they had four children after their arrival to Watertown. They may have had more, born before they settled in Watertown. Morse Genealogy claims that Joseph was the son of Joseph and Dorothy (_____) Morse of Ipswich who wrote a will 24 April 1646, referring to Joseph, as well as to a brother John and a sister Hannah.

1 Joseph Morse, b. 30 April 1637 (p. 5); m. Susan[nah] Shattack [Shattuck] on 12 April 1661 (p 23). Children born Watertown included:

1. Susan Morse, b. 11 Jan 1662 (p. 25)
2. Hester Morse, b. 11 Sep 1663 (p. 26)

2 John Morse, b. 28 Feb 1638 (p. 5); m. Abigall Stearns 27 Apr 1666 (p. 27); children born Watertown:

1. John Morse, b. 10 May 1667 (p. 29)
2. James Morse, b. 25 Nov 1668 (p. 32)
3. Joseph Morse, b. 25 Aug 1671 (p. 34); m. 25 Aug 1691 (p. 64) Elesibeth Sautle. NEHGR 126:7: Eliz. was dau of Zachariah Sawtle Sr and Elizabeth Harris, that she was born Dec 1671 in Malden; that Joseph was born Watertown 25 Aug 1671 (therefore son of John and Abigail (Stearns) Morse, above), and that Joseph died 24 Jun 1709 on a trip to Guilford, CT.
4. Abigall Morse, b. 23 Dec 1673 (p. 37); must have died before 1677:
5. Abigall Morse, b. 6 Aug 1677 (p. 43)
6. Isaac Morse, b. 5 Jan 1679 (p. 47)
7. Samuel Morse, b. 21 Jun 1682 (p. 51)

3 Jonathan Morse, b. 7 Nov 1643 (p. 11); m. 17 Oct 1678 (p. 45) Abigail Shattuck

1. Abigail Morse, b. 5 Dec 1679 (p. 45)
2. Hannah Morse, b. 3 Sep 1682 (p. 52)
3. Ruth Morse, b. 15 Apr 1684 (p. 56)
4. Jonathan Morse, b. 23 Jun 1687 (p. 59)

4 Hester Morse, b. 7 Mar 1644/5? (p. 12)

There are additional MORSES of Watertown that I cannot yet place:

5. Jeremiah Morse (spelled MOSS) m. 13 Jan 1682 Abigall Woodward (p. 51). Morse Genealogy claims he was the son of Joseph and Esther (Pierce) Morse and that he removed to Groton.

6. Joseph Morse m. 20 Jan 1691 (p. 63) Grace Warrin. Child in Watertown:

1. Joseph Morse, b. 27 Sep 1691 (p. 65)