Lewis Morris (governor)
| Lewis Morris | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 8º Colonial Governor of New Jersey | |
|
In office 1738–1746 |
|
| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by |
John Hamilton as Acting Governor |
| Succeeded by |
John Hamilton as Acting Governor |
| Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court | |
|
In office 1715–1733 |
|
| Preceded by | Roger Mompesson |
| Succeeded by | James De Lancey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 October 1671 Morrisania, New York |
| Died | 21 May 1746 (aged 74) Kingsbury (near Trenton), New Jersey |
| Spouse(s) | Isabella Graham |
| Children | Euphemia, Mary, Sarah, Lewis, Robert, Anne, Arabella, Isabella, Margaret, Elizabeth, John, Nancy |
| Parents | Richard Morris and Sarah Pole Morris |
Lewis Morris (15 October 1671 – 21 May 1746), chief justice of New York and British governor of New Jersey, was the first lord of the manor of Morrisania in New York (in what is now the Bronx).
Born on the estate of his parents, Richard Morris (originally from Monmouthshire, Wales) and Sarah (Pole) Morris in 1671, this Lewis Morris was the first in a lengthy string of men with the same name to inherit the prominent estate of Morrisania in the southwest section of today's Bronx. Richard and Sarah moved their estate from Barbados to the Bronx after buying the estate from Samuel Edsall in 1670 when it was still known as Broncksland. As the name suggests, Broncksland was the original settlement of Jonas Bronck and his wife, for whom the borough is named. In the fall of 1672, both Richard and Sarah died, leaving only the infant Lewis, barely a year old, as the lord of the manor.
Although the manor was left in the trust of five prominent Westchester citizens until Lewis could rightfully inherit the estate, Matthias Nicoll, secretary of the colony, sent word to Colonel Lewis Morris, the infant's uncle in Barbados. Col. Lewis immediately made plans to move to Morrisania to care for his young nephew and his nephew's estate, which had been somewhat embezzled. Col. Lewis made great pains to secure his nephew's lost property, including a few slaves that had been captured and resold. He was even successful in petitioning for an additional land grant with the help of family friend, Walter Webley. When the childless Col. Lewis and his wife, Mary, died, the now fully-grown Lewis inherited the estate in 1691.
Lewis Morris showed a passion for politics from an early age, and first appears on the political scene in 1692, serving in the East New Jersey Provincial Council during the administration of Governor Andrew Hamilton. After the late 1690s the government of East and West Jersey became increasingly dysfunctional. This ultimately resulted in the surrender by the Proprietors of East Jersey and those of West Jersey of the right of government to Queen Anne. Anne's government united the two colonies as the Province of New Jersey, a royal colony, establishing a new system of government.
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