THE MORTON FAMILY IN GRANDMOTHER'S ANCESTRY
Until I started this book, I was unaware that the Morton name occurs in Grand-
mother's family. I was surprised to find that both families of Mortons had the same
common ancestor. The family of Joseph Morton has been particularly hard for me to
trace, as there seemed to be some doubt whether we were descended from Joseph, son
of John, or Joseph, son of John. Jr. I was finally able to locate the little book
that Mr. Bradshaw recommended as an authority on this family. Mrs. Morton in Farm-
ville lent me a precious copy of Buffaloe, by Egbert Hudson Womack, and I have put
together the story of this family from this book and from Mr. Bradshaw's. The title
Buffaloe comes from the name of the home of one of Joseph Morton's descendants.
I. JOHN MORTON, m. Joanne Hughes, a widow, in 1682. Mr. Womack stated that it
seems that he was factor for, or in some way connected with the Randolphs.
I have given the three sons in grandfather's line.
II. JOHN MORTON, Jr., m. Elizabeth ---, d. after 1720 Issue: John III, Joseph,
Sam, and Stephen.
III. JOSEPH MORTON, b. in Henrico Co. Dec. 27, 1709. Come sources say that he
was born in Lunenberg County but Bradshaw says that he did not move to
Roanoke Bridge, Lunenberg County, until 1755. Joseph married Mary Goode
about 1732. After her death, he married Agnes Woodson about 1735. Joseph
had one daughter, Mary, by his first wife. She married William Price. The
children of Agnes and Joseph will be discussed later in this narrative.
According to Bradshaw, "Joseph Morton came very early to the upper part of
Amelia Co. as a marksman for the Randolphs. As Marksman, he sought out
desirable lands and recommended them for patenting." He also selected lands
for himself, and acquired patents for 5553 acres in the wilderness for his
employers. He requested that a road be cleared from Bush River to Buffalo
in 1738, and was made surveyor of this job when the request was granted. On
March 26, 1739, Joseph acquired a patent on 1200 acres on Briery River, a
few miles from the present location of Hampden-Sydney College. This land
was then in Amelia County, but is now in Prince Edward County. Agnes and
Joseph lived at this plantation for about sixteen years. In 1754, when
Prince Edward County was formed, Joseph was one of the first Justices. He
and his family lived at Slate Hill then. Joseph was defeated for the House
of Burgesses in Prince Edward County. He was a vestryman at Nottoway Parish.
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Womack quotes from an interesting account of this family in The Life of Dr.
Archibald Alexander (1854):
"The particulars which he gives of the Morton family affords glimpses of a
state of society now existing only on the frontiers. The founder of this
family, called Little Joe, to distinguish him from another of the same name,
was a bold and enterprising pioneer, a staunch hunter, and employed by the
Randolphs and others in exploring the country not yet inhabited, in order
that they might lay their warrants on the good lands and have them surveyed.
'I believe that all the fine lands on the Staunton River were first discov-
ered by him.' He was skillful in catching wild horses, which abounded in
the unsettled part of the country. * * * Mrs. Morton, when an aged widow,
informed Dr. Alexander that * * * during the greater part of the time her
husband was absent, and she and her young children were alone in the forest.
Such was Mr. Morton's knowledge of woodcraft, that he could pursue a horse
for any distance by means of his tracks, and this even if the road was
crossed by thousands of other tracks. On one occasion he was sent to pursue
a horse thief, which he did for more than a hundred miles, and with success
* * * Joseph Morton left his sons possessed of good estates."
Joseph then moved his family to a new home at Little Roanoke Bridge, Lunen-
berg County, which was frontier country, with no near white neighbors. I
read somewhere that their nearest neighbor was thirty miles away. Mr. Womack
gives this inscription from a highway marker which has been erected on U.S.
Route 15, two miles north of Keysville, Va.
COLONIAL HOME
Seven miles west is Roanoke Bridge,
colonial homestead of Joseph Morton.
The land was patented in 1746 and
settled in 1755. Joseph Morton, one
of the leading pioneers of this section,
was a Justice, a surveyor, and a
founder of Briery Presbyterian Church.
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When Charlotte County was organized in 1765, the Morton home fell within
that county. Joseph was a farmer, surveyor, and one of the first Justices
of this county, also.
Their former house, Slate Hill, was next occupied by their daughter and son-
in-law, Nathaniel Venable. They lived there when the Presbytery met in the
office which stood in the yard at Slate Hill, and made plans which resulted
in the building of Hampden- Sydney College. Joseph was active in the
founding of this college and in helping to raise funds for it. The original
house at Slate Hill stands, although the office has been moved to the Hamp-
den-Sydney campus.
The religious life of Joseph and Agnes has been related in many of the
church chronicles. Rev. Samuel Davies came to Virginia in 1747 as a "New
Side" Presbyterian evangelist. He conducted worship services chiefly in
Hanover and Henrico County, but sometimes travelled into the neighboring
counties to preach. Arrangements were usually made by a convert who found
a place for Rev. Davies to stay and to hold services. John Morton frequently
performed this service for Rev. Davies, and once arranged for him to stay at
the home of Joseph and Agnes and to preach there. They were profoundly
impressed by the Rev. Davies and went with him to Cumberland thirty miles
away where he was to administer the Lord's Supper. Mrs. Morton asked her
husband if she could take part in the communion, and was told "to do as she
thought proper." Joseph later desired to participate and was admitted to the
Lord's Table. Husband and wife together partook of their first communion
under Presbyterian auspices and publicly identified themselves with this
church. Their conversion laid the foundation for Briery Church which was
built soon afterwards by Joseph and others. Their first minister, Rev.
Robert Henry, arrived June 4, 1755, but prior to his coming, Joseph, who was
a ruling elder, would read sermons to the congregation on Sunday mornings
and would question the children from the Shorter Catechism on Sunday after-
noons. He was a strong factor in establishing and maintaining this church.
(Story from the Life of Dr. Alexander, quoted by Bradshaw.) The following
marker appears on U. S. Route 15:
OLD BRIERY CHURCH
Just to the north is Briery Church,
organized about 1755.
The first elders were Joseph Morton,
George Walton and Sherwood Walton.
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Joseph served twenty-two years as a ruling Elder of this church which is
still active today.
Joseph was a Justice of the Peace in Charlotte County in 1769 and was a
member of the Committee of Safety for the County. He and his wife furnished
supplies to the Army during the Revolution. It is noted in W. S. Morton's
notes that "every Morton old enough to carry a gun" took up arms in the
Revolution. All of Joseph's sons were officers in the Revolution. He died
June 28, 1782.
Joseph and Agnes had eight children. I know only six of their names:
1. Josiah, b. Mar. 25, 1738
2. William
3. Jacob
4. Joseph
5. Agnes, m. Joel Watkins
6. Judith, m. James Venable in 1757
(These numbers do not denote the order of their births.)
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