Joseph Morse (c1610-1691)

Biography
JOSEPH MORSE [#308], b. abt. 1610, d. Watertown, MA 4 Mar 1690-1, m. abt. 1636 HESTER PEIRCE (dau. of John Peirce and Elizabeth).

According to the shipping lists, Joseph Morse came to America in 1634 in the ship Elizabeth of Ipswich, Suffolk.

Joseph agreed to take John Ball's daughter Ester for two years. Ester was Joseph's niece and the Ball's were apparently unable to care for their children due to the condition of the mother.[3/1:57] Joseph was to receive 18 pence per week - four punds from John Ball, the rest from the town.[3/1:64] Seems like no one took anyone in for free back then - not even family. Joseph was chosen in 1659 to "looke to the order concerning hogs & Fences".[3/1:64]

Joseph did not leave a will, and judging by the size of his estate at the time of his death, it must be assumed he had already distributed his possessions to his children. The inventory of his estate was taken by Theophilus Roads and John Mason and amounted to 6.2.6.[4/7:167]

Watertown Founders Monument
He is listed on Watertown Founders Monument, commemorating the first settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts. The town was first known as Saltonstall Plantation, one of the earliest of the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlements. Founded in early 1630 by a group of settlers led by Richard Saltonstall and George Phillips, it was officially incorporated that same year. The alternate spelling "Waterton" is seen in some early documents.

He settled in Watertown, where he was admitted freeman May 6, 1635 and was a proprietor of Watertown in 1636.[1]

In the first inventory of lands and grants in Watertown, taken in 1639, Joseph Morse had 1) a homestall of eighteen acres bounded east by John Coolidge, west by the common, north by John Witherell, and south by John Clough and William Paine; 2) one acre of meadow in Patch Meadow; 3) lot 4 of two acres of remote meadow; 4) lot 26 of 25 acres of upland being a great divident in the third division; and 5) a farm of 73 acres of upland in the sixth division.[5/1:35] In the second inventory of about 1644, the 18 acre homestall was not mentioned but was replaced by an eight acre homestall bounded north by the highway, south by Richard Woodward, west by John Wincoll, and east by John Sprague. The 73 acre farm was replaced by three lots: three acres of plowland; two acres of plowland in the further plain; and lot 6 of six acres of upland beyond the further plain.[5/1:91] The third inventory of about 1646 listed only the 18 acre homestall described in the first inventory.[5/1:123]