4 The Story of The Bronx 



"that Morrisania being distant only twenty miles from the 

 State of Connecticut, and eight miles from the City of New 

 York, that it therefore can be amply protected by the hardy 

 sons of New England on the one side and the inhabitants of 

 the populous City of New York on the other ; that as the chief 

 defence of this country in future must be by its militia . . . 

 there are more fighting men within a sweep of thirty miles 

 around Morrisania than perhaps within the same distance 

 around any other place in America, as there are many popu- 

 lous places which contain large proportions of inhabitants 

 who are principled by religion against bearing arms, « and other 

 places which contain negro inhabitants who not only do not 

 fight themselves, but by keeping their masters at home, 

 prevent them from fighting also." 2 



As a real-estate broker, Morris was not a success, and the 

 capital went to the banks of the Potomac; while by act of 

 the Legislature of February 2, 1791 , Morrisania ceased to be a 

 separate township and became a part of the township of West- 

 chester, and later, of West Farms; it remained so until Decem- 

 ber 7, 1855, when it again became a separate township. 

 Previous to 1848, there were few settlers; but the revolutions 

 that occurred in Europe at that time sent a stream of immi- 

 grants to the land of liberty; and many of them settled in 

 Morrisania, converting its fields and farms into thriving, 

 active villages, and giving it that Teutonic appearance of 

 names and occupations which it maintained for forty years 

 afterwards, and which has not yet wholly disappeared under 

 the later Celtic, Italian, and Semitic invasions. 



The bounds of the township at both creations, 1788 and 



•Friends, or Quakers. 



2 This was probably the belief of the slaveholders themselves. That it 

 had but little basis in fact is shown during the Civil War by the loyalty 

 of the southern slaves during the absences of their masters from 1861 

 to 1865. 



