HISTORY

OF

JOHN MORISON, OF LONDONDERRY, N. H.,

AND

HIS DESCENDANTS,

INCLUDING NINE GENERATIONS, AND FROM 1628 (?) TO 1880, OR TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-TWO YEARS.

CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY OF JOHN MORISON, OF LONDONDERRY, N. H., AND HIS DESCENDANTS. FIRST GENERATION IN AMERICA.-DEED OF LAND.— LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. -LIST OF THE EIGHT CHILDREN.

[In giving the record of John Morison's descendants, a chapter will be devoted to the history and genealogical record of each of his eight children, traced to 1880, in the male and female lines. In the running-titles, the heading of the left page indicates the family described; the small figures attached to a name indicate the generation; and the two numbers enclosed in brackets in the centre of the pages are the first and the last numbers denoting individuals found on the two pages. For general arrangement, see Introduction.]

JOHN MORISON, according to tradition, was born in Scotland, in the County of Aberdeen, in 1628 (?); emigrated to America from 1720-23; and died in Londonderry, N. H., Feb. 16, 1736, at the reputed age of 108 years.

FIRST GENERATION IN AMERICA.

1. John Morison, who died in 1736, was the ancestor of many of the Morisons of the old historic township of Londonderry, N. H.; of the Morisons of Windham and Peterborough, N. H.; and of Colchester County, Nova Scotia. He was probably born in Scotland, in the County of Aberdeen, although there is no accurate data by which to decide this question. By comparing the dates at which emigrations from Scotland to Ireland took place, with the great age that tradition has assigned to him at the time of his death, 1736,* we can scarcely doubt that he was born in Scotland, and emigrated to Ireland some time preceding the siege of Londonderry. He certainly lived in Ireland, and had a family in

* Tradition assigns to him the great age of 108 years. From Hon. Thomas F. Morrison, Londonderry, N. S. He was an old man at the time of his last marriage, and there is at least forty-five years difference in the ages of his eldest son James, born as early as 1675, and his youngest son Joseph, born about 1720. The fact of his death being recorded in the Londonderry Records (vol. ii, p. 5) is strong presumptive evidence that there was something remarkable in connection with him.

† In 1727, Nottingham, N. H., was settled by some families of Morisons from Ireland. They were born in Scotland, emigrated to Ireland at the time of the siege of Londonderry, 1688, in order to aid their relatives and friends, endured the sufferings of the besieged, and in 1724 embarked for

1688, and dwelt in or near the city of Londonderry during the war of James the Second for the throne of England. He and his family were at Londonderry during its celebrated siege and defence. June 30, 1689, the commander of the besieging forces, the French General Conrad de Rosen, for the purpose of inducing the city to surrender, issued an inhuman order, by which some four thousand Protestants were driven beneath the walls of the city, where they were exposed to starvation and the missiles of both armies. It proved ineffectual, and on July 4, 1689, they were permitted to return to their wretched and pillaged homes. John Morison and family were among the number who were driven beneath the walls, and subsequently admitted within the city, remaining there till the city was relieved.* He did not come to America in the first emigration of 1718, but continued to live in Ireland till about 1720, when he removed to America, with a young family by his last wife, Jane Steele. On Dec. 25, 1723, his sons James, ancestor of the Windham Morisons, and John, ancestor of the Peterborough Morisons, who had preceded him to the New World, deeded him the following tract of land:-t

"One second division situate, lying & being in s town of Londonderry, lying to ye southeast of Gov. Wentworth's farm yt Rob' Kenedy lives upon, butt & bounded as followeth beginning at ye Northwest angle at a stake, thence running South by mark trees two hundred & seventy two rods to a stake, thence running East & be Nor forty rods to a stake, thence running North two hundred & seventy two rods by mark trees to a stake, thence running West & be south to ye bounds first mentioned. as also one half acre of meadow situate & lying in ye meadow y' goes by the name of Leverets meadow, butt & bound as followeth, beginning at a stake by ye uplands and so running across ye meadow by stakes to ye upland & bounding on Jn° Archibald's meadow thence running by ye upland to a stake wch bounds Wm Gilmores meadow, thence running by stakes across ye meadow bounding on Wm Gilmores meadow to ye upland to ye bounds first mentioned." ‡

"To all People to whom these presents shall come Greeting. know ye y' we, James Morison & John Morison both of London

America. They were relatives of the Morisons of Londonderry, N. H., and were drawn to America by the favorable reports of their relatives in Londonderry. The Rev. William Morison, D. D., of Londonderry, N. H., was born in Scotland, and was a relative of the Morisons in Nottingham, N. H. This statement is made on the authority of Hon. Robert Morrison, of Northwood, N. H., formerly mayor of Portsmouth, N. H. Similar traditions have been handed down in the different branches of the family, and similar family names prevail among them, which is one of the strongest evidences of consanguinity.

* E. L. Parker's History of Londonderry, N. H., p. 289; Dr. Albert Smith's History of Peterborough, N. H., p. 174; and from other sources. Rockingham County, N. H., Records, Book xviii, p. 42. Abstracts of Deeds, Rockingham County, N. H., Records.