Joshua Morse Papers, 1790-1849
General International Standard for Archival Description
Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Margaret Jessup. 2008-06-05
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Joshua Morse Papers
Creation of Joshua Morse Papers
Time of Creation of Joshua Morse Papers
Morse, Joshua
Biographical History for: Joshua Morse Papers
Historical Note There is little information on Joshua Morse, residing in Newfane, Vermont, who is largely responsible for these papers. The historic record is complicated by the fact that the name Joshua Morse of Newfane, Vermont, was used by other individuals who were likely related to the Joshua Morse of these papers. Joshua Morse was born on November 20, 1777, in Princeton, Worcester, Massachusetts and died at Newfane, Vermont on September 12, 1859. He married Sarah (or Sally) Phillips at Easton, Massachusetts on August 12, 1798. To this union were born another Joshua Morse on September 3, 1801, David (June 18, 1807-1811), and Elijah (January 23, 1823-March 31, 1906). Joshua Morse was appointed the legal guardian of Samuel W. Phillips and Mary W. Phillips in May 1831 after the death of their father Samuel Phillips. Samuel Phillips was born about 1791 and married Mary Phillips about 1822. Mary Phillips was born about 1801 in Marlboro, Windham County, Vermont. Samuel Wright Phillips was born July 6, 1821; the date of his death is not established. Mary Wright Phillips was born about 1823 in Marlboro, Windham County, Vermont. She married Abel S. Ward in June 1844 and died Feb 16, 1851. Samuel W. Phillips and Mary W. Phillips are likely Joshua Morse's nephew and niece.
The Joshua Morse papers were a gift of Mrs. Emma Bailey, Brattleboro, Vermont in 1964 and came to the Mortimer Rare Book Room through Nancy Dingman Watson (Smith College Class of 1964) of Putney, Vermont. Mrs. Bailey indicated that Joshua Morse was an ancestor of the Bailey family of Vermont.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Joshua Morse Papers are arranged in 4 series. SERIES I. LAND DEEDS includes deeds for transfer of land titles in Newfane and Rockingham, Vermont between 1790 and 1841. SERIES II. BILLS AND RECEIPTS has bills, receipts, promissory notes and accounting records for transactions between 1817 and 1849. Joshua Morse was appointed guardian for Samuel W. Phillips and Mary Phillips (likely his niece and nephew) and the papers in SERIES III (1831-1843) relate to that arrangement. SERIES IV. MISCELLANEOUS includes a holograph poem of a religious nature, an appeal (printed) of William H. Smith from 1859 and some newspaper clippings.
The collection is open to research according to the regulations of the Mortimer Rare Book Room.
The Joshua Morse Papers are the physical property of the Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors of the works or their legal representatives.
Processed by Melvin Carlson, Jr., 2007
Land titles-Registration and transfer-Vermont-Windham County
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Morse, Joshua, 1777-1859
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Phillips, Samuel Wright, 1821-
Phillips, Mary Wright, d. 1851
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series
SERIES I. LAND DEEDS
Deed of Peter Penniman and Jacob White, transferring title of land in Newfane, Vermont to James Morse. 1790, 1795
Deed 1803 Jan. 19 of Jacob Morse to Joshua Morse, transferring title of land in Windham County, Vermont. 1803, 1806
Deed 1822 Dec. 16 of John Morse to Joshua Morse, transferring title of land in Newfane, Vermont. 1822, 1823
Deed 1830 Jan. 21 of Henry F. Green to Samuel Guild, transferring title of land in Rockingham, county of Windham, Vermont.1830
Deed 1831 Feb. 22of Henry F. Green to Samuel Guild, transferring title of land in Rockingham, county of Windham, Vermont.1831
Deed of 1841 Jun. 23 Rasom King, executor of the estate of William King Cate to Josuha Morse, transferring title of land in Newfane, Vermont. 1841
SERIES II. BILLS AND RECEIPTS
Nineteen (19) slips of paper containing financial records including bills, receipts, promissory notes and miscellaneous accounting records, 1817-1849.
SERIES III. GUARDIANSHIP OF SAMUEL W. PHILLIPS AND MARY PHILLIPS BY JOSHUA MORSE
Appointment of Joshua Morse as guardian for Samuel W. Phillips and Mary Phillips, heirs of Samuel Phillips, Malborough, Windham County, Vermont, 1831 May 4.
Request of Mary Phillips, 1842 Feb. 8.
Accounting record, 1842.
Complaint against Joshua Morse, Newfane, Vermont in regards to his neglect of his guardianship of Samuel W. Phillips and Mary Phillips in regards to the estate of Samuel Phillips, 1843 Apr. 28.
SERIES IV. MISCELLANEOUS
Manuscript of a religious poem and prose. The poem begins: When God shall call my soul to go. n.d.
Printed public appeal of Warren H. Smith, Rutland, Vt., 1858 Jul. 8
Two newspaper clippings on the abolitionist John Brown.
Newspaper clipping on David Wilmot (1814-1868).
Newspaper clipping on Confederate General James Elwell Brown Stuart (1833-1864), known as "Jeb" Stuart.