TABLE OF CONTENTS
Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Scope and Content Note
Access Points
Related Material
Administrative Information
Container List
Correspondence and other Personal Documents
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 Guide to Lewis Morris, Royal Governor of New Jersey, Collection
1704-1750MG 16
The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
Phone: (973) 596-8500 x249
Email: library@jerseyhistory.org
URL: https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2004 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Processed by Michael Colman, July 1999 as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Finding aid encoded by Julia Telonidis. December 2004. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.Finding aid written in English.
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Descriptive Summary
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Creator: |
Morris, Lewis, 1671-1746 |
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Title: |
Lewis Morris, Royal Governor of New Jersey, Collection |
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Dates |
1704-1750 |
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Abstract: |
Accounts of money received and paid for the West New Jersey Society, 1704-1730; correspondence with the Board of Trade and
Plantations, 1739-1745; correspondence with John Clark, George Clinton, Arthur Forrest, William Gooch, James Hooper, Richard
Partridge, William Shirley, Benjamin Smith, Richard Smith, Alexander Spotswood, George Thomas, and Charles Wager. See Papers
of Lewis Morris, Collections of The New Jersey Historical Society, Vol. 4 (New York, 1852). |
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Quantity: |
0.05 linear feet |
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Collection Number: |
MG 16 |
Biographical Note
Lewis Morris was born on October 15, 1671 in New York City. At the age of twenty, Morris inherited wealthy estates that placed him among the elites of New Jersey and New York. His fortune was based on these estates which had a labor force of about sixty-six slaves, perhaps making him the greatest slaveholder in the Middle Colonies. On November 3, 1691 Lewis Morris married Isabella Graham, daughter of James Graham, attorney-general of the province of New York. With his new wife, Morris established his home at what was then called Tintern, now called Tinton Falls.
As a result of his wealth and elitist status, Morris believed he had the right to be involved in politics. Morris first served as a member of Governor Cornbury’s Council for the province of New Jersey. Due to conflict with Cornbury, Morris was removed and, later, elected to the New Jersey Assembly. Under the administration of Robert Hunter, Morris became chief spokesman for the New York Assembly in 1710 and was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the province of New York in 1715. While serving as chief justice, Morris continued to serve on the Governor’s Council under Burnet and Montgomerie. As a result of a dispute with Governor William Cosby, Morris lost his Chief Justice position and was, once again, elected to the Assembly. Upon the political split of New Jersey and New York, Morris became Governor of the province of New Jersey in 1738. Although Morris challenged previous governors, he was staunch against any question of his authority and often quarreled with the Assembly.
Morris was active in the church, serving as a vestryman of Trinity Church from 1697-1700 and becoming the first American member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. Lewis Morris died May 21, 1746 near Trenton.
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Scope and Content Note
The Lewis Morris papers, 1704-1750, contain letters of correspondence either kept by Morris or copied for the purpose of records. A majority of the papers in the collection are from his service as governor, 1740-1746, and were organized with an index by Charles S. Boggs and Robert Davidson. There are also personal papers that record meetings, speeches, and Morris’ accounts.
Within this collection there is correspondence between Morris and Governors Clinton and Shirley as well as other important persons of the time. The subjects of many letters between the governors of the colonial provinces pertain to policies and strategies of the French and Indian War or the Seven Years War. The joint colonial expedition on the fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island was the subject most written about in this collection. There are also letters depicting the measures of war against Spain, called the Jenkin’s Ear War, 1739-1743. Naval strategies against Spain are detailed in Governor Morris’ correspondence with King George II and the Duke of Newcastle. Morris communicated often with royal officials in England. Many letters from officials are instructions and inquires made to the events in the provincial New Jersey government. Morris’ role in exercising royal authority is evident in these letters. Evidence of Morris’ conflict with the Assembly is shown by his letters asking the Lords of Trade for assistance. Other officials who corresponded with Morris and had an influence were the Lords Justices and the Admiralty.
This collection consists of eighteen folders in one box with documents dating from 1704 to 1750. The documents are arranged by type and left in their original arrangement cited in the inventory of papers by Boggs and Davidson.
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Access Points
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The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection. |
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Subject Names: |
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George II, King of Great Britain, 1683-1760. |
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Morris, Lewis, 1671-1746. |
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Shirley, William, 1694-1771. |
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Subject Organizations: |
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Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (Great Britain) |
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Subject Topics: |
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Anglo-Spanish War, 1739-1748. |
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Colonial administrators–New Jersey. |
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Governors–New Jersey. |
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Subject Places: |
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Cape Breton Island (N.S.) |
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United States–History–French and Indian War, 1755-1763. |
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Document Types: |
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Letters (Correspondence) |
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Related Material
Manuscript Group 674, Anthony Walton White (1750-1803) Papers
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 16, Lewis Morris, Royal Governor of New Jersey, Collection, The New Jersey
Historical Society.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Charles S. Boggs and Robert Davidson, 1845, 1849.
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Container List
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Correspondence and other Personal Documents
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| Box |
Folder |
Title |
Date |
| 1 |
1 |
Inventory of papers |
n.d. |
| 1 |
2 |
Letter from the Duke of New Castle to Gov. Morris concerning the loss of vessels in the West Indies at Spanish hands |
1730 Sept. 5 |
| 1 |
3 |
Instructions from Queen Caroline, regarding the introduction of royal family names to the Liturgy (missing); Order to Gov.
Casby requiring him to give the reason for removing Lewis Morris from his position as Chief Justice (copy); Instructions from
Queen Caroline, regarding an appointment of Joseph Warrill as the Attorney General of N. J.; Letter from the Lords of Trade
to Gov. Morris inquiring over members in the Council (copy); Letter from the Lords of Trade concerning addresses from Parliament
requiring returns respecting the value of gold and silver and the amount of Bills of Credit in the plantations (copy); Letter
from the Lords of Trade about his differences with the assembly; Letter from the Lords of Trade requiring information concerning
Bills of Credit. |
1730-1740 |
| 1 |
4 |
Letter from the Lords of Trade requiring copies of all laws; Letter from the Admiralty authorizing the granting of Letter
of Marque or Commission ; Copies of Northy, Ryder, and Strange in their opinions in respect to the operation of the American
Act; Letter from the Lords of Trade with the names of Commissioners for setting the boundary between Massachusetts and Rhode
Island; Instructions from the Lords Justices concerning the value of coin and Bills of Credit in the plantations; Draft and
instructions by Gov. Morris for the Court of Admiralty to issue a Letter of Marque or Commission; Draft by Gov. Morris of
a Commission to deal with the handling of Spanish vessels; Letter to King George II inquiring over the terms of war with Spain
on the seas; Instructions to an unknown commander by Gov. Morris on type of naval strategy to pursue with Spanish vessels;
Letter from the Lords of Trade transmitting two acts of Parliament ; Appointment of Archibald Home to be one of the Council;
Letters from Commanders of the royal navy stating the difficulties met in procuring seamen. |
1740-1743 |
| 1 |
5 |
Letter from the Lords of Trade in disagreement with the Assembly’s policy of meeting in only one place; Copy of a Letter of
Marque or Commission to Stoop Hemming-Bird; Letter from the Lords of Trade concerning the transmission of laws, paper currency,
and opposition of the Quakers to the Militia; Letter from the King to the Governor in relation to Dutch complaints over harassment
of their vessels; Copy of letters from the Admiralty in relation to the power possessed by Commanders in the colonies; Letter
from the Lords of Trade approving the Gov.’s actions concerning some bills and advising the purchase of lands from the Indians;
Letter from the Lords Justices enclosing items; Letter from the Admiralty concerning the French captives; From the Duke
of Newcastle about the distribution of money taken from the Spaniards; Letter from the Lords of the Admiralty informing to
respect Dutch vessels; Letter from Gov. Clinton of New York enclosing a piece from the London Gazette announcing the declaration
of war by France. |
1741-1744 |
| 1 |
6 |
Letter from the Royal Prize Commissioners appointed to distribute the Spanish money; Letter from Gov. Clinton transmitting
copies of the declaration of war between England and France; Letter from the Duke of New Castle accompanying item; Letter
from Gov. Clinton in relation to defense measures; Copy of suggestions by the Mass. Commissioners upon defense measures at
their meeting in Albany; Letter from Gov. Clinton citing current events; Copy of an order in Council encouraging settlement
on the island of Rattan; Letter from Gov. Clinton relating to assembly measures and comments on the N.J. Assembly; Letter
from the Lords of Trade in agreement with Gov. Morris’ happiness with a new Assembly; Letter from the Lords of Trade encouraging
settlement of Rattan; Enclosed examinations of Seamen assessing French power coming to America; Letter from Gov. Clinton with
an update and a counterfeit New Jersey Bill of Credit for one shilling. |
1744 |
| 1 |
7 |
Letter from Gov. Clinton wishing Gov. Morris well; Copy of an order from the Duke of Newcastle to the governors requiring
them to give assistance to Commodore Warren; Orders from the King in Council forbidding the ransoming of prices; Proceedings
of Council and Assembly of Massachusetts authorizing an expedition against Louisbourg-Cape Breton ; Plan of proposed expedition
to Louisbourg ; Letter from Gov. Shirley of Mass. enclosing previous 2 items; Letter from Gov. Shirley relating to the proposed
invasion of Cape Breton; Letter from Gov. Clinton transmitting previous item from Gov. Shirley (missing as of April 1936);
Letter from Gov. Thomas of Penn. In relation to the proposed expedition to Louisbourg; Letter from Gov. Clinton transmitting
information of the arrival of a French force in the West Indies. |
1744-1745 |
| 1 |
8 |
Letter from Commodore Warren at Louisbourg giving information of the progress of the blockade and siege; Letter from Gen.
Pepperrell to Gov. Shirley on Louisbourg; An enclosed letter from Gov. Shirley with an update and call for men and provisions;
Letter from Gov. Shirley giving information from Louisbourg; Letter from John Casherwood, Gov. Clinton’s secretary, recommending
an embargo to supply the expedition to Cape Breton; Letter from Gov. Clinton transmitting dispatches from Gov. Shirley; Letter
from Commodore Warren announcing the capture of Louisbourg; Letter from the Lords of Trade commenting on the course of Council
and Assembly and requests of commercial returns, copies of laws and transmitting, and an act for the suppression of piracy;
Letter from Gov. Shirley with information on the fall of Louisbourg; Letter from Gov. Clinton citing current events; Letter
from John Casherwood, Gov. Clinton’s secretary with dispatches; Letter from Commodore Warren relating to the capture of
an East- India ship and the sale of her cargo; Proceedings at a meeting of the Commissioners on Indian affairs at a conference
in Albany; Extract of a letter from the Duke of Newcastle concerning the expenses of the Louisbourg expedition. |
1745 |
| 1 |
9 |
Copy of a letter from the Commissioners on Indian affairs; Letter from Lieut. Gov. Phips of Mass. with an update from Louisbourg;
Letter from the Lords of Trade making inquiries concerning fees; Letter from Gov. Clinton respecting the detection of two
“coiners” and the escape of one of them into New Jersey; Letter from Gov. Clinton on Indian affairs, transmitting items ;
Letter from Gov. Shirley to Lieut. Gov. Phips with an update from Louisbourg (copy); Letter from Capt. Arthur Forrest on
board the Wager at Sandy Hook requesting supplies for Louisbourg; Letter from Lieut. Gov. Phips in a pledge of loyalty; Letter
from Lieut. Gov. Phips enclosing previous item; Draft of a dispatch to the Duke of Newcastle from Gov. Morris on public affairs;
Letter from Commodore Warren to Gov. Morris in relation to the state of affairs at Louisbourg; Extract of a letter from Minisink
detailing a rumored attack by the French and Indians. |
1745 |
| 1 |
10 |
Letter from Gov. Clinton with an update on recent events; Letter from Gov. Shirley advising precautionary measures for the
defense of Anapolis Royal; Directions of the Indian Commissioners at Albany to the Interpreters ; Letter from Commodore Warren
and Gen. Pepperrell at Louisburgh in relation to affairs there; Letter from Gov. Clinton suggesting a convention of Commissioners
from the different colonies to devise measures of defense; Minutes of a meeting of the Indian Commissioners at Albany; Gov.
Morris’ speech to the Assembly; Gov. Clinton to Gov. Morris enclosing previous item and informing him of the appointment of
Commissioners; Letter from the Duke of Newcastle informing Gov. Morris of the departure of troops for the reduction of Canada
and desiring his cooperation; Letter from the Lords of Trade on disapproval of the Assembly’s behavior and comments on the
expedition to Cape-Breton. |
1745-1746 |
| 1 |
11 |
Letterbook of correspondence to Gov. Shirley Feb. 20, 1745 |
1745 Feb. 20 |
| 1 |
12 |
Letterbook of correspondence to the Duke of Newcastle |
1745 Jan. 28 |
| 1 |
13 |
Extract or a Compendium of the instructions given to Gov. Montgomerie by King George; Copy of Gov. Morris’ letter to James
Alexander |
n.d.; 1750 |
| 1 |
14 |
Assembly’s address to Gov. Morris Lewis |
1745 Apr. |
| 1 |
15 |
Dispatches from the Lords of Trade |
1741, 1744-1745 |
| 1 |
16 |
Commission Feb. 2, 1704 |
1704 Feb. 2 |
| 1 |
17 |
Account book |
1704-1730 |
| 1 |
18 |
Memorial to the King in Council |
ca. 1734 |
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