Ephraim Morton born about 1623, of Plymouth, Mass., and His Wife Ann Cooper

Ephraim Morton was born about 1623, possibly in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the son of George and Juliana (Carpenter) Morton. According to John K. Allen, Ephraim was said to have been born aboard the ship Anne in 1623 during the voyage to New England. I have not seen any proof of this, so I am unsure if Ephraim was born in England shortly before the voyage, on board the ship (either the Anne or Little James as his father was in the 1623 Plymouth land division), or at Plymouth after their arrival. His parents were Separatists who were with the Pilgrims at Leiden, Holland. Ephraim is my 10th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis’ side of the family. I also descend from Ephraim’s siblings Nathaniel, Patience, and Sarah. 

Ephraim was just a baby when his father George died in 1624. His mother married Manasseh Kempton and they were, along with her children Nathaniel, John, Ephraim, and Patience, in Gov. William Bradford’s company in the 1627 Cattle Division. Her daughter Sarah Morton is in Christian (Penn) Eaton’s company. It is likely that Governor Bradford raised Ephraim. Bradford was married to Alice Carpenter, Ephraim’s aunt. 

Ephraim married Ann Cooper on 18 November 1644 at Plymouth (PCR 2:79) whose parents I have not discovered. She was born about 1624, but not in Plymouth as she is not listed in the 1627 Cattle Division. 

Children with Ann, order uncertain (first seven from Ephraim’s will which is badly water damaged):

Patience

Mercy/Marcy

George

Josiah

Nathaniel

Thomas 

Eleazer

Joanna

Ephraim

Rebecca 

I descend from Joanna who married John Gray. The Mayflower Families book on James Chilton and Richard More states that John Gray married the daughter of Ephraim and Ann (Cooper) Morton. Although Joanna is not mentioned in Ephraim's will, the 1709 will of Ephraim’s son Nathaniel Morton names Ann Gray, the daughter of his sister Joanna Gray. Nathaniel’s will also mentions his brother Ephraim and sister Rebecca. 

Ann (Cooper) Morton died on 1 or 6 September 1691. Ephraim Morton married, second, Mary Shelley Harlow on 1 October 1692 (Plymouth Vital Records 1:86). Mary was first married to William Harlow. After Ephraim’s death, she married Hugh Cole in 1694. 

The marriage covenant between Ephraim Morton, of Plymouth, and Mrs. Mary Harlow, widow of Mr. William Harlow, deceased, of said Plymouth, dated 11 October and acknowledged 19 October 1692, provided: She is to have her right of dower in the estate of her late husband, and is to quitclaim her rights to the estate of said Ephraim Morton if she survived him. Witnessed by Thomas Faunce and Jon Faunce. Ephraim signed the agreement and Mary used her mark. 

Ephraim Morton is on the Plymouth 1643 list of men able to bear arms. He was made a Plymouth Colony freeman on 7 June 1648. A member of an important and influential family, Ephraim clearly lived up to the family expectations. He served his community and the colony in a variety of important positions and was clearly well respected. He was elected Constable in 1648, named to a Grand Inquest in 1654, was head of the Plymouth Board of Selectmen for close to 25 years, and was elected Representative to the Plymouth General Court in 1657 where he served for 28 years. Ephraim was Magistrate of the Colony in 1683 and became one of the first representatives to the General Court in 1691/92 when Plymouth Colony merged into Massachusetts Bay. At the time of his death was a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. 

On 1 August 1669, Ephraim was chosen as a Deacon for the Plymouth Church, serving for the rest of his life. Ephraim served in the Plymouth Militia and is often referred to as Lieutenant or Left. in records. He was first a sergeant and was elected Lieutenant in 1664. In 1671 he was appointed to the Council of War, something on which he served for years, including during the time of King Philip’s War. Mass Officers and Soldiers in 17th Century Conflicts includes Ephraim Morton of Plymouth for the year 1664 but the “conflict” column is blank. 

Ephraim and his brothers also conducted inventories for their neighbors’ estates. On 20 February 1652 Ephraim and Nathaniel Morton took the inventory for the estate of William Pontus of Plymouth. Ephraim and John Morton took the inventory of Thomas Southworth, presented 1 March 1669. 

Some land transactions involving Ephraim Morton: 

8 June 1644, Anthony Snow, Ensign Mark Eames, Joseph Warren, Richard Wright, William Harlow, Nathaniel Morton, Ephraim Morton, William Paybody, John Dunham Jr., and John Rogers were given liberty to look for land for accommodations. (Plymouth Land Records 4:20) 

1 October 1668, Ephraim Morton sold to Edward Gray of Plymouth for 8 pounds, land at Nemasket River that was granted to Ephraim 7 June 1665. (PLR vol 3, part 2, p 57) 

Nemasket River, Middleboro

16 May 1670 Ephraim Morton of New Plymouth, yeoman, sold to Edward Gray of same town, for 5 pounds sterling, land in a neck of land called Punckateesett Neck lying against Rhode Island, being one half of the 33rd lot, 11 acres more of less. (PLR vol. 3, part 2, p 68) 

8 November 1673 Lt. Ephraim Morton of New Plymouth sold for 10 pounds, already paid, to Mr. Barnabas Laythorpe of Barnstable, mariner, parcel of 50 acres of Plymouth land called Manomett Ponds, bounded on southeast side by brook that run into the same pond, bounded northerly corner by the brook, running westerly up the brook to a great rock on the easterly side of the cartway, running southerly to a small white oak and then to a heap of stones lying near the pond. His wife Ann agreed. Acknowledged 7 Jan 1673/4. (PLR vol 3, part 2, p. 174) 

Ephraim Morton’s will was written 27 September 1693 and recorded 9 November 1693, record no. 14264, Plymouth. It is damaged by water, so very difficult to decipher. It names his dear and loving wife [damaged but must have been his second wife Mary] as well as children: wife of John Nelson [this would be Patience], Marcy, George, Josiah, Nathaniel, Thomas, and Eleazer.  He left money to his daughters Mary and Patience, He bequested land to sons George, Nathaniel, Thomas, Josiah, and Eleazer. He left his wearing apparel to son George. Witnesses were Thomas Faunce and Joseph Faunce. 

Ephraim Morton's signature

Plymouth Vital records recorded by Elder Faunce, volume 1, p. 248: My aunt Ann Morton the wife of my uncle Ephraim Morton deceased on the 6th day of September 1691. 

Same volume, p 249: Left. [for Lieutenant] Ephraim Morton deceased 8 October 1693 

Inventory of his estate taken 1 November 1693, by Eleanor Churchill and Thomas Faunce, is also water damaged. Items include: 

Wearing apparel

Books

Cash and armor or arms

Housing and land valued at 6o pounds

Sheep, horse kind, and swine 23 pounds 5 shillings

Bed, bolster, pillow, rug, sheets, blankets, and pillobears

Bed, bolster, rug, coverlet

Table, linen, two table cloths, and six linen napkins 

Pewter, brass, iron 

Pots, kettles, frying pans 

Great table, joint stools 

Cupboards and two chests 

Bedstead curtains

7 chairs

2 bedsteads 

Wooden and earthen ware 

Tongs, fireman, hurks[?], pot hangers 

Old cart, wheels, and tackling 

Plows, chains, and horse goods 

English grain of all sorts

Indian corn

Sheeps wool, flax, and yarn 

Loom and goods 

Remnant of new cloth

Saddle and pillion, pillion cloth and bridle

Two spinning wheels and cards 

Tobacco and soap, axes, hoes, and old tools

Canoe and old lumber. 


Estate is owed 2 pounds 16 shillings in debt

Estate owed debts of 17 pounds 3 shillings 8 pence.

Sources not listed above: 

Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins 

John K. Allen, George Morton and Some of His Descendants, 1908 

Torrey’s New England Marriages 

Mayflower Families, James Chilton and Richard More, 15:37