Col. Charles Moryson

Rebecca, widow of Col. Charles Moryson, married Col. John Lear of Nansemond. Charles Moryson in 1680, was presiding Magistrate of Elizabeth City County, and Lieutenant Colonel of the Militia. He died in 1688 of smallpox at Plymouth, England, when about to return to Virginia.

brief biography

From page 24-25 of Seldens of Virginia and Allied Families, Volume 1 By Mary Selden Kennedy

The William and Mary Quarterly gives the following information regarding the Morysons and Lears.

"Among the residence on Mill Creek, none were more interesting than Major Richard Moryson and his brothers, Lieut. Robert Moryson and Col. Francis Moryson, who, with Col. Charles Moryson, son of Major Richard Moryson, successively commanded the Fort at Point Comfort. They were sons of Sir Richard Moryson, a member of Parliament, and Lieutenant-general of Ordinance. Sir Richard married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Harrington. They had issue: Sir Henry, Major Richard, of Virginia, appointed Commander of the Fort at Point Comfort, March 20, 1638, and in February, 1641, was a member of the Council in the place of Roger Wingate, deceased. Hence the title of Esquire which he gave himself in his will. He died at his Plantation on Mill Creek (Point Comfort Creek), before December 27, 1648, when his will was proved. He left, it appears, two sons, Richard, mentioned in his will, made in 1626, and Charles. The former died without issue. There is a letter dated 1685 from Col. Francis Moryson, soliciting from Lord Clarendon the Captaincy of the Fort for his nephew, Col. Charles Moryson—a place which Lord Falkland had got from his father. There is an order of the General Court which shows that Col. Charles Moryson 'married the executrix of Col. Leonard Yeo' and a land grant dated 1691 shows that Rebecca, widow of Col. Charles Moryson, married Col. John Lear of Nansemond. Charles Moryson in 1680, was presiding Magistrate of Elizabeth City County, and Lieutenant Colonel of the Militia. He died in 1688 of smallpox at Plymouth, England, when about to return to Virginia.

will

!18 Jul 1689: Will of Charles Moryson dated 20 Mar 1688 and proved 18 Jul 1689. In the name of God Amen : I, Charles Morryson of the County of Elizth City in Virginia being very Ill & Indisposed in body, but, blessed be the
Almighty in Perfect Sense & Memory, Do make, Constitute & ordain this my last Will & Testament, in manner & form following: first, I give & bequeath my Soul into the hands & Protection of my blessed Lord & Savior Jesus Christ & my Body to be buried in a piece of Flannel, desiring Doctor Sellers to Preach my Funeral Sermon and to Pen the same down to be sent to my wife for which I request Mr. Brooke to answer satisfaction according to usance, and as for my worldly Estate after my just debts are paid I give & Bequeath in general both Personal & Real to my Dear & well beloved wife Rebecca Morryson her Heirs, Exors. adm'ors & assigns or whoever else she shall be pleased to bestow it on Notwithstanding a former Will made & left in the Country of Virginia, Nullafying & making void all those legacies and bequests therein bequeathed except it should so happen that they shall deserve what is therein Bequeathed, but in case that it should please God that my dear wife should be deceased before this my Will come to Virginia then that former Will to stand in full force & Power making my wife whole & Sole Executrix, desiring my good & Loving Friend, Colonel Phillip Ludwell to be an assistant to her. In Confirmation hereof I do hereunto set my Hand & Seal this 20th of Mar. in the Town of Plymouth 1688 & in the fourth year of his majesty's Reign. Chas Moryson (Seal.) John Brunskill Comandr, Drury Smith mercht, Edward Falwell mercht. Proved in Cur. of Eliza City County the 18th July 1689, by the oath of Capt. John Brunskill & several substantial Circumstances & writings. Test. Chas Jenings Cl. Cur. Copy Test Thos Everard(6) Cl. Cu. Old Kecoughtan, Elizabeth City County, VA - Old Records; Wm. & Mary Qtrly, Vol. 9, No. 2.

notes

!20 Apr 1697: John Brunskill Late Commandr of ye Ship Margarett aged ffifty yeares or thereabouts upon his Solemn Oath taken upon ye Evanlest of Almighty God deposes & declares yt when the depont was commandr of ye Ship Unicorne & designed to Virginia Coll. Charles Morryson Late of Elizabeth City County in Virginia designed to goe to Virginia as a passenger in ye Said ship Unicorne but ye said Ship being Unfortunately lost in a storm off of Plymuth the said Charles Morryson soon after fell sick of the Small Pox and in about five dayes after dyed thereof and in ye time of ye said Charles Morrysons Sickness the depont often urged him ye said Charles to make a will, & thereby to Settle his Estate to which ye said Charles alwayes replyed that at his Leaveinge of Virginia he had made a will and in that will had disposed of his Estate as he thought fitt and yt he would make noe other will and yt he had left ye will soe made in his wifes custody but withall desired ye depont to advise his wife not to deliver the Legacyes which he had bequeathed in ye said will to William Mallory, giveing this for a Reason that he thought the said Mallory had not deserved ye same from him, and to the Intent ye sd Mallory might not receive ye said Legacyes a Paper was drawne up and signed by ye said Morryson wherein he cutt off the said Mallory from ye said Legacy, and the only purport of ye said paper was to prevent the said Mallory from receiveing ye said Legacy and this depont further deposes that he knowes not of any other will made by ye said Charles Morryson but only that will menconed by the said Charles to have been left with his wife in Virginia & the said depont was by or neere the said Charles the whole time of his sickness and was at ye charge of and saw him buried in ye new Church yard in Plymuth. John Brunskill. Jur. 20th die Apr. 1697 Coram me Magr. Counsller Rob : Legard Recordd ye 22th of July 1699 P Cha : Jenings Cl. Cur. Old Kecoughtan, Elizabeth City County, VA - Old Records; Wm. & Mary Qtrly, Vol. 9, No. 2.

!22 Jul 1699: Edward Morryson gentleman maketh oath yt he this depont being a descendant and relacon of Sr Richard Morryson hath been informed & doth really believe that ye said Sr Richard Morryson had (amongst others) Issue a Sonn called Richard, wch last sd Richard had Issue a sonn called Charles who lately lived in Virginia in parts beyond ye Seas and dyed at Plymuth & this depont further sayth that he is very well acquainted with Lt Coll Henry Morryson in ye Second Regiment of ffort Guards who is eldest Sonn to ffrancis Morryson Esq deed whoe was another of ye sonns of ye said Richard Morryson, and is very well satisfied yt ye said Henry is heire at Law to the said Charles. Edward Morryson. Jurat 24 die Decr 1698 coram Miles Cook Recordd. ye 22th of July 1699. P Chas. Jenings Cl Cur. Old Kecoughtan, Elizabeth City County, VA - Old Records; Wm. & Mary Qtrly, Vol. 9, No. 2.

From page 310 of William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Volume 7

[Abstracted from a. copy of the will in Henrico county clerk’s oflice. Martha Lear, dau. of Col. John Lear, was widow of Col. Wm. Cole, secretary of State, and second wife of Major Lewis Burwell, of Gloucester Co. Madam Elizabeth Bridger appears to have been a Quaker, as she makes afiirmation to the will. The county records of Nansemond are lost, hence the special value of this will. Charles Goring was son of John Goring, of Surry, who made his will in 1679, and leaves his son Charles to the care of kinsman Col. Charles Moryson.]

Will of John Goring, of Surry county, dated 15 May, 1679 ; proved 9'" 4"‘, 1679: To son Charles Goring, my Whole estate; should he not live till 21 or marriage, then to William Holt, son of Mr. Randall Holt, late of this county, dec’ed, and to his brother Thomas; '/requests kinsman Col. Charles Moryson to take into his care and tuition my son Charles, and to nurture and bring him up to education as he shall think fitt,vand I appoint him and my loving friend Robert Caufield exor. Witnesses, John Moyce, Elizabeth Holt.

[John Goring was doubtless a near relative of Col. Goring, who served King Charles in the civil wars in England. Charles Moryson was a nephew of Col. Francis Moryson, who had served in the army of Charles I., and who was son of Sir Henry Moryson.]

From page 276 of Southside Virginia Families, Volume 2 By John Bennett Boddie

John Goring, a cavalier officer of Charles l, escaped to Virginia ... What relationship he was to the Holts does not appear.

• Virginia Gleanings in England: Abstracts of 17th and 18th-century English ...By Lothrop Withington 321 [SIC: Richard Moryson & Elizabeth Harington has 5s. 1da, not 4 sons]
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=thamm&id=...