James Morrey of Nantwich [brickwall]

[jmorrey]

I'm trying to find the father of James Morrey, cordwainer/shoemaker in Nantwich, born between 1782-1786.  James is my third great-grandfather.  He married Mary Topham in Nantwich on 4 September 1812.  The parish marriage record is the earliest documentation of James I've been able to find.  It obviously doesn't state his parents, but there is a "Henry Morrey" listed as a witness.  My family has been researching this brickwall for over 50 years without any luck   Any ideas?

BTW: Here is James' ancestor page on FamilySearch: https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=LDLN-CG5

[heatherjulie]

There is a Henry Morrey
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NV2R-JP1

Heather

[rutht22000]

Hi

Have you discounted the one that was born in Wybunbury in 1778 (christened 19 April) ?  I know he's a bit older but ages can be quite off during that time.  Father given as Edward (no mother named)

Wybunbury is not far at all from Nantwich (about 4 miles) and on the 1851 census they are actually in the sub registration district of Wybunbury (Welch Row)

[jmorrey]

There is a Henry Morrey
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NV2R-JP1

Heather

That is interesting.  I've never noticed that before.  I went to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City today and looked up the original record that was extracted from.  It is from a Quaker congregation that met quarterly in Nantwich.  The Henry (and his parents John and Sarah) mentioned is from Middlewich.  His siblings Ann, Sarah, and Mary also appear in those records.  All of those are common forenames in the families of my known Morrey ancestors.  Also, the Morrey family had some history of non-conformism.  That's certainly a possibility!  I wonder if that Quaker congregation has additional records that aren't publicly available...

[jmorrey]

Hi

Have you discounted the one that was born in Wybunbury in 1778 (christened 19 April) ?  I know he's a bit older but ages can be quite off during that time.  Father given as Edward (no mother named)

Wybunbury is not far at all from Nantwich (about 4 miles) and on the 1851 census they are actually in the sub registration district of Wybunbury (Welch Row)

I have seen that record before.  My hunch is that's not him, but I haven't totally discounted it.  James was most likely born in 1785.  I have his' death certificate, reported by his daughter-in-law Eliza Morrey.  James was living in his son Thomas' home in Nantwich when he died in 1859.  Eliza put his age at 74 years, which appeared fairly precise.  At the very least, it seems unlikely she would be off by many years.  It's certainly possible though.

[Robert Burns]

Please consider the following (pardon the redundancy) records from FamilySearch.org which I believe pertain to a line of a cousin/brother of Humphrey Morrey 1st Mayor of Philadelphia:

   John Morrey
England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
christening:   3 January 1737   ACTON BY NANTWICH, CHESHIRE, ENGLAND
father:   Henry Morrey
mother:   Sarah

John Morrey
England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000
christening:   3 January 1736   , Acton (near Nantwich), Cheshire, England
residence:   3 January 1736   , Acton (near Nantwich), Cheshire, England
father:   Henry Morrey
mother:   Sarah

John Morrey
England, Cheshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1598-1900
christening:   3 January 1737   Acton (near Nantwich), Cheshire, England
residence:   3 January 1737   , Acton (near Nantwich), Cheshire, England
father:   Henry Morrey
mother:   Sarah

John Morrey
England, Cheshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1598-1900
christening:   3 January 1736   Acton (near Nantwich), Cheshire, England
residence:   3 January 1736   , Acton (near Nantwich), Cheshire, England
father:   Henry Morrey
mother:   Sarah

John Morrey
England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991
birth:   1737   
death:   28 February 1791   Newhoolgrave, Nantwich, Cheshire, England

John Morrey
England, Cheshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1598-1900
birth:   1737   
burial:   21 July 1737   Marbury (near Crewe), Cheshire, England
residence:   21 July 1737   , Marbury (near Crewe), Cheshire, England

[jmorrey]

I've since broken through this brickwall.  It turns out Henry Morrey who witnessed my ancestor's marriage was Henry Morrey (1785-1814) of Sandbach.  I've compared his signature on my ancestor's marriage record to that of his own marriage record to Esther Simcoe.  They are a definite match.

That said, I'm curious about the possible connection to Humphrey Morrey.  My Morrey ancestors were Quakers for generations in Cheshire County.  Humphrey Morrey was also a Quaker, so I wondered if there was a connection or it was just coincidence.  What leads you to connect Humphrey to those records in Cheshire?

[Robert Burns]

Henry Morrey was born about 1630 in Cheshire England.  http://histfam.familysearch.org/getperson.php?personID=I217192&tree=Welsh  He is probably related to your Morrey family.

In Barbados Records Baptisms 1637-1800, page 93 for 1730 is “May  .  .  .  21  Elizabeth & Humphrey twins chn of Mr. Henry & Mrs. Rachel Murrey b. same day, sd: Henry & John Murrey Godfathers”.  I suspect this to be, or be closely related to, the American Morrey family.

The Murray DNA Project needs this line Y-DNA tested (if possible) and autosomal-DNA tested.

These Morreys are “descended from Morreys in the Midlands.”  http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.mowrey/67.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx

“Todd Young, has researched Humphrey Morrey / Murrey who was Mayor of Phila. PA:  He says he was born 1640, perhaps in Brereton, Cheshire Co, Eng. Died 1716, in Philadelphia. He thinks he may have lived in London, then Oyster Bay, Long Island NY, before moving to Philadelphia in the late 1680s.”  http://genforum.genealogy.com/morey/messages/676.html

At http://boards.ancestry.com.au/surnames.morey/533.1/mb.ashx:
Thank you for your query. The Morey Forum uses a clanning system where KLN = clan. Your Hannah Morrey was born 22 Nov 1763 Wybunbury, CHS, ENG daughter of James Morrey born 20 Apr 1718 Wybunbury, CHS, ENG, and Margaret Wilkinson who he married 14 Jun 1760 Wybunbury, CHS, ENG. This does not change your possibility Elizabeth of Audlem might have married James Morrey. His father was James Morrey born 15 Feb 1681 Audlem, CHS, ENG who married 03 Aug 1707 at Audlem, CHS, ENG Margery Edwards.  We know your Morrey clan as KLN Margery Edwards. James Morrey born 15 Feb 1681 was son of William Morrey born Abt 1650

From Philadelphia Monthly Meeting http://myroots.faithweb.com/PhilMM.htm:
“MURRAY
1689, 2,26.  John 1tm Sarah Budd”

Humphrey Murray, first Mayor of Philadelphia, had sons Richard, Thomas, and John and a brother/cousin John.  http://genforum.genealogy.com/morey/messages/676.html  and http://www.archive.org/stream/pennsylvaniamaga18histuoft/pennsylvaniamaga18histuoft_djvu.txt  He also had a son Anthony per notes from Alexandrina Murray:
His son, Anthony, merchant, b. in London, England, in March, 1682 : d. in
Philadelphia, 23 Sept., 1763, was for nearly forty years one of the most influential members of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia, taking an active part in all the movements that were originated at their monthly meetings.

Matilda Morrey was a daughter of Richard Morrey brother of Humphrey Morrey, granddaughter of Humphrey Morrey first mayor of Philadelphia, and Matilda married Charles Hickst.  http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/KIMBALL/1999-10/0940217543 and http://books.google.com/books?id=-nEHRwRAwxAC&pg=PA550&lpg=PA550&dq=%22Thomas+Morrey%22+%2B+Philadelphia&source=bl&ots=dZDWixOctf&sig=FdsZdKN54UWz28382zGyNUL790U&hl=en&ei=3A74TfGuENPciALvhLT9DA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Thomas%20Morrey%22%20%2B%20Philadelphia&f=false

[Robert Burns]

.  .  .
Here are Humphrey Murrey and John Murrey apparently in 1753 as petitioners to the government of Philadelphia:
http://books.google.com/books?id=c8MbAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=%22humphrey+murrey%22+%22john+murrey%22&source=web&ots=d0kSHq-3cJ&sig=0MU96Lhk-GyPKVamokUWuU_xO-c#PPA66,M1  Thus, it does not appear that Thomas Murrey was the last of this line.

Humphrey Morrey, chosen Grand Master, June 24, 1733,
succeeding "William Allen, was a grandson of Humphrey
Morrey, the first Mayor of Philadelphia (1691), and a son of
John Morrey. His mother was a granddaughter of Thomas
Budd. The Morrey family were wealthy Quakers, who came
from New Tork in 1685. The younger Humphrey, however,
renounced Quakerism, and was baptized (when an adult) in
the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. He was a
merchant and distiller. He was elected a member of St.
John's Lodge in the faU. of 1732. He was elected Grand
Master at the Tun Tavern, Monday, June 25, 1733, succeeding
Grand Master Allen. A banquet and Table Lodge followed
the installation, at which Bro. Morrey was assisted by the
Governor, the Hon, Patrick Gordon, the Hon. Richard Penn,
Proprietor of the Province, Samuel Hazel, Esq., Mayor of the
City, and several other persons of distinction.

He died between the sixth and thirteenth days of August,
1735, unmarried and without issue. From his wiU, dated
November 7, 1732, it appears that Humphrey Morrey, "William
Allen, John Crapp, who served as Franklin's Deputy Grand Master, and the Shippens were cousins.^*
http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924021433291/cu31924021433291_djvu.txt

PASCHALL, WILLIAM.  Phila.  Silversmith.
December 16, 1695/6.  April 29, 1696.  A. 337.
Estate to wife Susanna nee Budd who is Executrix and son William. 
Legacies to parents Thomas and Joana Paschall.  Mary and Rose Budd; John Budd, Senr. and Mary his wife; John Morrey's two sons, Humphrey and Thomas. Witnesses:  Henry Flower, Jno. Budd, Jr., Francis Cooke.
http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/philadelphia/wills/willabstrbka.txt

More on this family is at http://genforum.genealogy.com/morey/messages/676.html and http://books.google.com/books?id=-nEHRwRAwxAC&pg=PA550&lpg=PA550&dq=%22Thomas+Morrey%22+%2B+Philadelphia&source=bl&ots=dZDWixOctf&sig=FdsZdKN54UWz28382zGyNUL790U&hl=en&ei=3A74TfGuENPciALvhLT9DA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Thomas%20Morrey%22%20%2B%20Philadelphia&f=false and http://www.archive.org/stream/pennsylvaniamaga18histuoft/pennsylvaniamaga18histuoft_djvu.txt  The latter source says that Humphrey Morrey, 1st mayor of Philadelphia had a brother Leonard, a son Richard, a son John, and a grandson Humphrey through son John.

http://www.pagrandlodge.org/gmaster/history/1733murray003.html

http://www.archive.org/stream/pennsylvaniamaga18histuoft/pennsylvaniamaga18histuoft_djvu.txt discusses this family at length.

Here is further mention of Humphrey Morrey and cousin John Morrey of the Meer.  http://genforum.genealogy.com/merry/messages/871.html

“Audlem is one parish where the Merry/Morrey surname was common. Another parish is Wybunbury. For example, Jane Morrey was born there in 1584; Ales (Alice) Morrey in 1594; William Morrey in 1598; John Morrey in 1600; and Thomas Morrey in 1603.”
http://genforum.genealogy.com/merry/messages/1089.html