45S HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



The following was communicated by William Penn to Samuel Car- 

 r and three other friends assembled at the old slate-roofed house in 

 Philadelphia, February, 1700: — 



"Let me interrupt thee a moment, Samuel," said Penn. " Thou wilt remem- 

 ber that Lewis Morris, the elder, served L under my father 1 lie Admiral in the 

 West Indies ; he wassomewhat blamed in the Hispaniola affair, but his conduct 

 at the taking of Jamaica in 1055, was much applauded, His association with 

 my father led to an intimacy with myself, although he was many years older, 

 and had its influence in inducing him to become a Friend. "We corresponded at 

 intervals till the day of his death, when it appeared he had bequeathed to me, by 

 will, a negro man named Yaff, provided I should come to dwell in America. As 

 1 am now fairly established here, I may readily obtain the servant by mentioning 

 the affair to my young friend, Lewis Morris ; although a concern hath laid upon 

 1113' mind for some time regarding the negroes, and I almost determined to give 

 my own blacks their freedom. For I feel that the poor captured Africans, like 

 other human beings, have natural rights, which cannot be withheld from them 

 without great injustice, &c." a 



Richard Morris, the youngest of the three brothers, held a captain's 

 commission in his brother Lewis's regiment. Upon the Restoration he 

 retired to the Island of Barbadoes, where he married a lady of fortune, 

 named Sarah Pole. 



In the Parish Registers of Barbadoes, among a list of owners of land, 

 hired servants, and apprentices, together with bought servants and 

 negroes, occurs the name of " Richard Morris, the owner of thirty-five 

 acres of land, one hired servant, one bought servant and twelve negroes.'' 6 



In a list of the Masters' and Mistresses' names, with what land, and 

 servants and negroes they have, and also what christenings and burials, 

 we find Mr. Richard Morris, owning a hundred and fifty acres of land, 

 one man-ser r ant, thirty-five negroes, and one man buried. c 



Richard Morris was the first proprietor of Morrisania, in 1670; and 

 both he and his wife Sarah, died in the Fall of 1672.^ Their remains 

 were at first interred under the old Fort James on the Battery, but were 

 subsequently removed to Trinity church-yard, by Richard Morris, father 

 of the late Robert Morris, of Fordham. The following letter, addressed 



a IAppineotts Mugazint, January, 1S6S, p. 34. 



i) list of emigrants to America 1700 to 1800, by Boynton of New York, page 407. In the 

 same work occurs the following entries : "Twenty Maij. li>::.>, transported to Virginia, lui- 

 harqued In the Speedwell, of London, Jo; Chappeli, Mr., being examined by tbe minister of 

 Oravesend, of Infirmatle, to the orders and discipline of theChurcb of England, and have 

 taken the oath of Allegiance. RICHARD M0KKI8, l», kc." 



Paga 82. " A list of the mimes of the dead in Virginia near Aprill, last February, 1623. at 

 ye plant aeon aucr against James CitUe. KIC11AKD MORRIS, dead," page 192. 



c Ditto, pag 



d I. .wis Morris tells us in the preamble to his will, that his mother died when he was about 

 sL\ mouths old, and his father not long after. 



