Individual Details

Lived at "Soldiers' Rest" near Berryville VA [Clark Co]. About 1785 he sold the estate to Gen. Daniel Morgan and moved to Kentucky.

COLONIAL AMERICA 1706-1789 CENSUS INDEX [CD-Rom FTM] William "Martin" was listed on a tax list in Fayette Co KY in 1787 and 1788.

1783-1792 Court Order Books for KY [Supreme Court of Dist of KY while still part of VA]:
p.362 Order Book F, 21 Mar 1792, p.253
John Cobbs v. William Morton in detinue for negro girl named Flora of value of 200£. Plaintiff failed to give security for costs, suit dismissed. Defendant to recover costs from plaintiff.
[Detinue - recovery of personal chattels unjustley detained. BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY]

One of the problems in finding the name William Morton in early Fayette Co is that I also found among the burnt deed fragments, dated Dec 1795, a deed which mentioned William Morton and wife Sally who sold to William Sheller/Shelton - no description of the parcel survived the fire. Since this William's only wife was Elizabeth, it would seem there could have been another William Morton present in Fayette or the transcript of the deed fragments was in error. Without doubt some of William & Elizabeth's children did live out their lives in Fayette Co. The names Thomas, John, and Richard Morton also appear in these early deed fragments and these are given names not used by this family. The names Thomas and Richard appear often in the family of Richard Morton whose records appear in Clark Co by 1805 and then Madison Co KY in 1810. Clark County was formed out of Fayette, but earlier than these deeds; it was formed from parts of both Fayette & Bourbon in 1792. However, I have not yet located a William in that Morton family. Searches online reveal some further information possibly about the William Morton whose wife was Sally. From The History of Pioneer Lexington, 1779-1806 by Charles R. Staples: "Early in the year of 1787 William Morton, called "Lord" Morton, opened a general trading stor on the southwest corner of Main and Upper streets .....Later he operated a tanyard ....His widow died July 25, 1830, aged 76 years." The 1830 census for Fayette, Town of Lexington, does show a William Morton, aged 70-80, with a lady of the same age in his household. There was a male age 30-40, another male age 50-60, and females ages 20-30, and 40-50. William Morton of Logan Co KY had been dead since 1807.

2 Jan 1795 Burnt Records, Vol.2, p.103-104 The Trustees for the town of Lexington sold a lot lying between 5th & 6th Streets on Mulberry to William Morton, assignee. The lot had been sold to Morton from Hugh McIlwain, assignee of Joseph Byers who was asgnee of Exor. Rees who was asgnee of James M. Kinley who was asgnee of John Black, asgnee of the first mentioned William Howard.
It is impossible to tell from the surviving deed fragments whether or not this was the parcel sold by William & Sally Morton in Dec of 1795 for 60 pounds.

Fayette Co DB 1 is a re-recording of many deeds - obviously those lost in the fire in 1803. Here is one a William Morton witnesses.
p.179 Jul 1794. Alexander Parker & Mary his wife and James Parker & Elizabeth his wife of Lexington to George Trotter. For 750£ 309a part of 800 acres.
Wit: James Trotter, Will. Morton, Wm Parker
27 Jul 1794 ladies examined. Wit: Will. Morton, James Trotter
Rec Aug Cout 1794
4 Feb 1804 - recorded again - former destroyed by fire
p.289 copy in back

The 1800 Kentucky tax lists indicate that there were two men named William Morton living in Fayette Co - one of them is designated as living in Lexington.

Other deeds from Fayette Co show that without doubt two sons of William Morton of Logan Co remained in Fayette - these were John H. and William R. Morton. It seems a bit odd that there would be two unrelated William Mortons in Fayette Co, but there were definitely two unrelated Morton families living in Logan Co, although the "other" Mortons came to Logan Co a few years after the death of this man. There were Williams in both, but they are clearly delineated, as were their children, in the estate and deed papers following their respective deaths.


Fayette Co KY Records Vol. 2
Michael L. Cook & Bettie A. Cummings Cook
Vol. 11 of KY Records Series
Cook Publications, Evansville, IN
1985
p.341
Fayette Circuit Court DB A, p.293
11 Jan 1804 Thomas Respass & Ann his wife of Fayette to William Morton of Logan Co KY for 300#, tract on Gaspers R, Logan Co. one undivided half of 1200 acres patented 29 Jan 1802 to Thomas Carneal & Thomas Hopkins, begin SE corner to Reuben Long's survey, thence SW. John H. Morton, wit. Ann rel dower. Rec. 18 Feb 1804


Logan Co February Court 1805. William Morton entered 400 acres on the head fork of Gasper River beginning at James Haden Corner.
Logan Co Court; 19 Aug 1805. Commissioners appointed to divide a 1200 acre tract of land on Gasper River between William Morton and Thomas Hopkins which land was patented in the name of Thos. Carneal & Thos. Hopkins.

WB 1
p.173 Sales of estate of Wm Morton dec'd 1 Jan 1808
Buyers: John Cross, Isaac James, James Haden, Thomas Morton, Joseph Bigger, Saml Caldwell – 5 negroes, James Morton – bay colt, James H. Davidson, Wm R. Payne, Charles Randell, Whorton Randell, Amos Edwards, Wm Bailey, James Maxwell, Charles S. Morton, Eliz H. Morton [Widow], Geo W. Hopkins, Wm Duncan, Wm Hunly, Obadiah Chism, Robt McCabe, Walter Jones, John Adams, Saml Caldwell, Richd Bibb, Fanny Morton, Ben Proctor, Thos Roberts, Wm Baily, Michl Henderson, Geo McNeely, Saml Perry, Obadiah Chism, James Maxwell, Chas Randell, Whorton Randell
Sales on 8 Nov 1801
James Hayden, Thos Proctor, Charles S. Morton, Elizabeht H. Morton, Zachiariah Alves
Nov Term 1810 Returned to court.

Logan Co Court Order Book 10, p.136 A list of sales or inventories that did not get recorded in the will or settlement books includes: William Morton, 1808.

Logan Deed in 1819 mentions that John H. and William R. received parcels 11 and 13 in the settlement of their father's estate.
Logan Co KY Deed Book M, p.2-17, has the actual Deeds from the division of the land of William Morton. Samuel Wilson & Benjamin Temple were appointed Commissioners at the Nov Term of Court in 1822 to make out the conveyances. All deeds were recorded 14 May 1823.
Parcel #1 - Keterah [sic] Morton - 300 acres in Union County on Tradewater; next to Elijah Morton.
Parcel #2 - Elijah Morton - 200 acres in Union Co on Tradewater.
Parcel #3 - Abraham B. Morton - 78 1/2 acres adj Saml McCutcheon & Wm Marshall
Parcel #4 - Charles S. Morton - 130 1/2 acres; adj A. B. Morton
Parcel #5 - Elizabeth H. Morton - 119 1/2 acres adj Saml McCutcheon
Parcel #6 - Rebeckah Haden formerly Rebeckah Morton - 140 1/2 acres adj Saml McCutcheon & Wm Marshall
Parcel #7 - Sally Morton - 200 acres; adj Saml McCutcheon, James Elder
Parcel #8 - Polly Morton - 200 acres; adj Robert Bell & Wm Marshall, Wm Moody's line; survey made in name of Christopher Elms.
Parcel #9 - George W. Morton - 111 acres. Harveys military survey; division line of Morton & Hopkins (See above Court Order in 1805).
Parcel #10 - Gabriel J. Morton - 111 acres. Harveys military survey; division line of Morton & Hopkins.
Parcel #11 - John H. Morton - 111 acres. Harveys military survey; division line of Morton & Hopkins.
Parcel #12 - Andrew & Fanny Caldwell - 111 acres. Harveys military survey.
Parcel #13 - William R. Morton - 153 acres. Harveys military survey.

Death	Abt 1807	Logan County, Kentucky
Marriage		Elizabeth Hite Smith

Spouse	Elizabeth Hite Smith ( - 1811)
Child	Elijah Morton ( - 1834)
Child	Elizabeth Hite Morton ( - 1862)
Child	Charles Smith Morton ( - )
Child	Rebecca S. Morton (1781 - 1842)
Child	George Washington Morton ( - )
Child	Abraham Bowman Morton ( - )
Child	Frances Terrill "Fannie" Morton (1788 - 1862)
Child	John Hite Morton (1784 - 1830)
Child	Gabriel J. Morton ( - )
Child	Joseph Morton ( - )
Child	Kitturah "Kitty" Morton ( - )
Child	Sarah "Sallie" Morton ( - )
Child	William R. Morton (1783 - 1841)
Child	Mary Morton (1800 - 1878)

Father	Elijah Morton ( - )
Mother	Elizabeth Hawkins ( - )
Sibling	George Morton (1747 - 1802)
Sibling	Agnes Morton ( - )
Sibling	Joseph Morton ( - )
Sibling	John Morton ( - )
Sibling	Frances Morton ( - )
Sibling	Elizabeth Morton ( - )
Sibling	Sally Morton ( - )
Sibling	Jane Morton ( - )