Sussex County History Today: Morris: The Least Signer of the Declaration of Independence

Now Bill, are you saying that you have come out with yet another book?

Yes. I have come out with 5 books over, basically, this last year. This is the culmination of work I have researched and organized and written for the last 10 years. With this year being the 250^th celebration of the Declaration of Independence I felt it imperative to get it done and out there for this anniversary time.

Tell about these Revolutionary War period books.

I have worked with local historian Carrie Papa, from Franklin, on the Voices of ’76 which is a view of the time of the Bicentennial, 1976, which includes interviews with notable people from Sussex County during that year. As time goes on, there are not that many people alive today who remember what it was like back then, and what was on the minds of people 50 years ago — Vietnam and Watergate are two concerns then.

The other three are in fact a trilogy of three significant men during the Revolutionary War who were from our Sussex County. Ogden had been head of the New Jersey Legislature and was a prominent figure here. Seward was a leader of men, in charge of the 2^nd Sussex Militia. And now Morris was from one of the richest families in America who lived in Morrisania, which is part of today’s Bronx just north of Manhattan.

Tell us more about your newest book.

Well, Lewis Morris came from a long line of Brits who were leaders in New York and New Jersey for a hundred years, and also came up from Barbados where they had a sugar plantation. With Lewis Morris III representing the colony of New York at the important meeting in Philadelphia, he was concerned about the input from other members back in the colony before signing. He was informed that his home was being destroyed by the British and this is said to put him over the top. Having repeatedly saying, during roll call, “I courteously abstain,” this now changed to “damn the consequences, give me the pen.”

He was a major player with the sugar trade from the Caribbean and was involved—through his wife’s family—with ship building along the East River. His stepbrother was a general in the British Army, so there was a lot of consternation about which side on which to belong.

So, this is an important book about Morris.

Yes, as there exists no good treatise on Lewis Morris III and this book tries to tie together the loose ends about him. It also tries to make sense of his time and people up here in Sussex County, where he retreated to save his neck from the noose.

Where can we find the book?

Signed copies of the book are available at Branchville’s Broad Street Books and they are also available on Amazon.

Thanks for your work, Bill, and we look forward to reading your books about the Revolutionary War.