Samuel Morse (Dedham)

Samuel Morse (1585-1654) was an original proprietor of Dedham, Massachusetts[1] who served on the board of selectmen for two years.[2] He was also a founder of Medfield, Massachusetts when it broke away from Dedham.[3][4] He was elected a selectman before joining the First Church and Parish in Dedham.[5] He was a signer of the Dedham Covenant.[6]

Morse was born in England in 1585[3] and came to Dedham from London.[7] With his wife, Elizabeth, he was the father of Joseph, Abigail, John, Daniel, Samuel, Jeremiah, and Mary.[7][3][4] He died in 1654.[3] It was said in 1907 that "no family has ranked higher in eastern Massachusetts for the past two hundred and fifty years than the descendants" of Morse.[8] He was the grandfather of Ezra Morse.[9]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Worthington 1827, p. 84.
2. ^ Worthington 1827, p. 79-81.
3. ^ a b c d Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts: Containing Historical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families ... Vol. III. J.H. Beers & Company. 1912. p. 1774. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
4. ^ a b Hanson 1976, p. 69-70.
5. ^ Lockridge, Kenneth (1985). A New England Town. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. p. 31-32. ISBN 978-0-393-95459-3.
6. ^ Worthington 1827, p. 54.
7. ^ a b Whittemore, Henry (1967). Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America: With a Brief History of Those of the First Generation and References to the Various Local Histories, and Other Sources of Information where Additional Data May be Found. Genealogical Publishing Com. p. 376\. ISBN 978-0-8063-0378-9. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
8. ^ Crane, Ellery Bicknell (1907). Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity. Lewis Publishing Company. p. 491. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
9. ^ Edwin Monroe Bacon (1896). Men of Progress: One Thousand Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Leaders in Business and Professional Life in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. New England magazine. p. 670. Retrieved April 18, 2021.

## Works cited[edit]

* Worthington, Erastus (1827). The history of Dedham: from the beginning of its settlement, in September 1635, to May 1827. Dutton and Wentworth. p. 29. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
* Hanson, Robert Brand (1976). Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635-1890. Dedham Historical Society.