Charles Morris (November 18, 1759 – December 17, 1831) was a surveyor and political figure in

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

. He represented Halifax County in the

Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia The Nova Scotia House of Assembly (; ), or Legislative Assembly, is the deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia, and together with the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia makes up the Nova Scotia Legislature. The assembly is ...

from 1788 to 1793 and from 1797 to 1806. He was born in

Hopkinton, Massachusetts Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, west of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day each April, and as the he ...

, grandson of Charles Morris (1711-81), the son of Charles Morris (1731-1802) and Elizabeth Bond Leggett, and probably first came to Halifax in 1760 with his parents. He was named a lieutenant in the Royal Nova Scotia Volunteer Regiment in 1778 and transferred to the 70th Foot the following year. In 1783, he retired on half pay. Some time later, he began assisting his father who was surveyor general for Nova Scotia. In 1786, he married Charlotte Pernette, daughter of

Joseph Pernette Joseph Pernette (1728–1807) was a German-born merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Lunenburg County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1761 to 1770. He was born in Strasbourg, served in the Breton Volunteers an ...

. Morris was elected to the assembly on Feb. 22,1788 in a by-election held after Sampson Salter Blowers was named to the Nova Scotia Council. He took his seat March 12, 1789. He did not run for reelection in 1793 but was elected again in a 1797 by-election held after the death of James Michael Freke Bulkeley. He succeeded his father as surveyor general in 1802. In 1808, Morris was named to the

Nova Scotia Council Formally known as "His Majesty's Council of Nova Scotia", the Nova Scotia Council (1720–1838) was the original British administrative, legislative and judicial body in Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Council was also known as the Annapolis Counci ...

and served until his death in 1831. He also served as a justice of the peace, as a captain then major in the Halifax militia, as registrar of wills and probate, as surrogate general of the court of probate and as registrar of the Vice-Admiralty Court. Morris died in Halifax at the age of 72 and is buried in the

Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia) The Old Burying Ground (also known as St. Paul's Church (Halifax), St. Paul's Church Cemetery) is a historic cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located at the intersection of Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road in Downtown Halif ...

. In 1831, his son John Spry Morris succeeded him as surveyor general.

References

* 1759 births 1831 deaths 18th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly 19th-century members of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly {{NovaScotia-MLA-stub