History of Anthony Morris, III

Anthony Morris, son of Anthony Morris, "Mariner" and Elizabeth Senior, was born at "Old Gravel Lane". Stepney, London, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, on August 23, 1654, and was baptized August 25, 1654 at St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney. (Old Gravel Lane is said to now be in Wapping)

Anthony was the only child of his parents, who were married about 1653. His father was of Welsh extraction, and was referred to as the "Mariner". He was lost at sea, according to one account, while on a trip to the island of Barbados in 1655/1`656. He had extensive interests in the island, and one version says that he died there (rather than "at sea")

Elizabeth, the mother, went to Barbados to settle her husband;s affairs, and she died there about 1660. leaving the son an orphan at age six.

(It is said that Anthony for 300 years was a distinguishing Christian name used in the Morris family--the family is thought to have come from Leicestershire to London. The father of Anthony Morris the Mariner was "Anthony Morris of the island of Barbados", formerly of Reading in Great Britain, born circa 1600)

Anthony, our subject, became a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in England in 1675. He married first at the meeting at Savoy, in the Strand, London, January 30, 1676, to Mary Jones. They immigrated to America to join William Penn's colony, arriving in February, 1682 (then the 12th month), about two months after Penn arrived with his first group. Mary (Jones) Morris die March 8th 1688 in Philadelphia. Their son James, the 7th child, is our family line.

Anthony married secondly at Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, August 28th 1689 to Agnes Bom, widow of Cornelius Bom. She passed away May 26, 1692: they had no issue.

On January 18, 1693/4 Anthony married thirdly at Newport, Rhode Island, to Mary Coddington, widow of Thomas Coddington of Rhode Island, and daughter of John Howard of Yorkshire, England. She died July 25, 1699.

At Philadelphia Monthly Meeting August 30, 1700, Anthony married for the fourth time. His wife this time was Elizabeth Watson, Daughter of Like and Sarah Watson. She died February 2, 1767 in her 94th year.

Anthony Morris became very prominent in local and regional affairs, and accumulated considerable wealth. He became the second mayor of Philadelphia, and died in that city August 23, 1721.