Lewis Richard Morris (November 2, 1760 – December 29, 1825) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a
United States representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
.
Early life
Morris was born in
Scarsdale in the
Province of New York
The Province of New York (1664–1776) was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony on the northeast coast of North America. As one of the Middle Colonies, New York achieved independence and worked with the others to found the Uni ...
to Sarah Ludlow (1730–1791) and
Richard Morris (1730–1810), Chief Justice of the
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
from 1779 to 1790. Morris attended the common schools. While in his teens, Morris served as an aide to General
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler (; November 18, 1804) was an American general in the Revolutionary War and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.
Born in Alba ...
and then to General
George Clinton (vice president)
George Clinton (July 26, 1739April 20, 1812) was an American soldier and statesman, considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A prominent Democratic-Republican, Clinton served as the fourth vice president of the United States f ...
during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. Morris was a nephew of
Gouverneur Morris
Gouverneur Morris ( ; January 31, 1752 – November 6, 1816) was an American statesman, a Founding Father of the United States, and a signatory to the Articles of Confederation and the United States Constitution. He wrote the Preamble to the U ...
and
Lewis Morris
Lewis Morris (April 8, 1726 – January 22, 1798) was an American Founding Father, landowner, and developer from Morrisania, New York, presently part of Bronx County. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Continen ...
.
Career
In 1786, Morris moved to
Springfield
Springfield may refer to:
* Springfield (toponym), the place name in general
Places and locations Australia
* Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast)
* Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council)
* Springfield, Queenslan ...
in the
Vermont Republic
The Vermont Republic ( French: ''République du Vermont''), officially known at the time as the State of Vermont ( French: ''État du Vermont''), was an independent state in New England that existed from January 15, 1777, to March 4, 1791. The ...
and established himself as a businessman, landowner and politician. He served as
Secretary of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
from 1781 to 1783. He was a member of the Springfield meeting-house committee in 1785 and was
tax collector
A tax collector (also called a taxman) is a person who collects unpaid taxes from other people or corporations. The term could also be applied to those who audit tax returns. Tax collectors are often portrayed as being evil, and in the modern wo ...
in 1786 and 1787. He served as a
selectman on the town council in 1788, and as town treasurer from 1790 to 1794. Morris was
Windsor County court clerk
A court clerk (British English: clerk to the court or clerk of the court ; American English: clerk of the court or clerk of court ) is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining records of a court, administer oaths to witn ...
from 1789 to 1796. He served as judge of the Windsor County court until 1801.
Morris was clerk of the
Vermont House of Representatives
The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives ar ...
in 1790 and 1791, and was a member of the convention to ratify the
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...
. He was secretary of the constitutional convention in Windsor in 1793. Morris attended the Vermont ratifying convention in
Bennington, Vermont
Bennington is a New England town, town in Bennington County, Vermont, Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester (town), Vermont, Manchester. As of the 2020 ...
, where he voted in support of the Constitution. On March 4, 1791, President
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
appointed him the first
U.S. Marshal
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforce ...
of the District of Vermont. He served as Marshal until 1794 and was succeeded by his deputy,
Jabez G. Fitch
Jabez G. Fitch (March 20, 1764 - July 31, 1824) was a businessman and political figure from Vermont. Among the offices in which he served was United States District Court for the District of Vermont#U.S. Marshals and dates of appointment, United ...
.
Morris was a
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in the State militia in 1793 and
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of the First Division from 1795 to 1817. He was a member of the
Vermont House of Representatives
The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives ar ...
from 1795 to 1797 and 1803 to 1808, and served as
speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
. He was elected as a
Federalist
The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''.
History Europe federation
In Europe, proponents of de ...
to the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Congresses, holding office from May 22, 1797, to March 3, 1803.
Personal life
Morris married Mary Dwight, daughter of Timothy and Mary Edwards Dwight, Hulda Theodosia Olcott, who died soon after their marriage and Ellen Hunt, daughter of
Jonathan Huntbr>
Morris died on December 29, 1825, in
Springfield, Vermont
Springfield is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,062.
History
The land currently recognized as Springfield is the traditional land of the Pennacook and Abenaki people.
One of the ...
, and is interred at Forest Hill Cemetery in
Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,806 at the 2020 census, down from 5,114 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Hubbard State Forest and the headquarters of the Student Conservation As ...
.
References
External links
The Political GraveyardUS Marshals Museumgovtrack.us
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Lewis
1760 births
1825 deaths
Morris family (Morrisania and New Jersey)
People from Scarsdale, New York
Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives
Vermont state court judges
Tax collectors
Hunt family of Vermont
People of pre-statehood Vermont
Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont
People from Springfield, Vermont