Family:Moses Marcy and Prudence Morris (1)

Family History

Genealogical and memorial history of the state of New Jersey ...  edited by Francis Bazley Lee

(p. 916) (The Marcy Line). De Marcy, or simply Marcy, is a surname now quite common in France and in its colonies. It appears to have come into Normandy with Rollo, A.D., 912; thence it went into England with William the Conqueror, A. D., 1068, and became very common in Cheshire, where it is now quite generally written as Massey or Massie. As Massey the name is frequently found in the English and Irish peerage. As evidence that the name in its present form was known early in England it may be said that in "The Patents of King John," A.D. 1208, there is found the name of Radus de Marcy.
There are two families of the Marcy surname in this country. One of these families is descended from John Marcy, of whom the first notice appears in Elliot's church record in Roxbury, Massachusetts, as follows: "John Marcy took the Covenant March 7, 1685." Among his descendants are the late secretary of state and governor of New York, William Larned Marcy, of whom mention is made in a later part of this narrative; also General Randolph B. Marcy and Dr. Erastus E. Marcy so well known to our history and literature....

(I) John Marcy was son of the high sheriff of Limerick, Ireland. He was born about the year 1662, joined Elliot's church in Roxbury in 1685, and in April, 1686, with several others, took possession of Quatosell (Woodstock, Connecticut), granted in 1663 by the colony of Massachusetts to the town of Roxbury. He married Sarah Hadlock, daughter of James and Sarah (Draper) Hadlock, of Roxbury. She was born December 16, 1670, and died May 9, 1743. John Marcy died December 23, 1724, aged sixty-two years. Children: 1.Anna, born Roxbury, October n, 1687. 2. John, November 17, 1689. 3. James, February 26, 1691. 4. Edward, June 28, 1695. 5. Joseph, September 18. 1697. 6. Benjamin, March 11, 1699. 7. Moses, April 18, 1702, see forward. 8. Samuel, July 28, 1704. 9. Sarah. February 8, 1707. 10. Ebenezer, June 6, 1709, m. Elizabeth, November 8, 17n.

(II) Colonel Moses, son of John and Sarah (Hadlock) Marcy, was born April 18, 1702, died October 9, 1779, "leaving an honorable name, a large estate, and a numerous family." In 1732 he removed to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, where he became "the principal man in the colony." He was the first incumbent of the office of justice of the peace, the first representative from that town to the general court, and was moderator of seventy town meetings. During the French and Indian wars he fitted out soldiers for the army at his own expense, but afterward was remunerated by the town. In 1752, at a meeting of the church to compromise with the "separatists," Moses Marcy was moderator, and the historian speaks of the "excellent spirit displayed by the excellent and venerable moderator." In 1723 he married Prudence Morris, and according to the best information obtainable, although the records are quite imperfect, they are believed to have had eight children: 1. Mary, married Westbrook Remington. 2. Martha, married Gershom Plympton. 3. Miriam, married Timothy Newell. 4. Daniel, married Hannah Morris. 5. Mehitable, married Jonathan Newell. 6. Martha, married Jared Freeman. 7. Jedediah, see forward. 8. Elijah, married Stacy.

1. ↑ Barbour, Lucius Barnes, and Newton Case Brainard. Vital Records of Woodstock, 1686-1854. (Hartford, Connecticut: The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1914)
   p.29.

   "Mariage is Intended between moses marcy and Prudence morris both of the Parish of Woodstock. Entered Aug^st 3: 1723. they were married Aug^st 19^th 1723 by John Chandler Jus^t Pac."