Morris Earle (abt. 1734 - 1780)

Born about 1734 in New York, New York

Ancestors

Husband of Anna (delaMontanye) Earle — married 8 Feb 1755 in DRC New Amsterdam New York

Descendants

Died 19 Aug 1780 at about age 46 in New York, New York, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Erleigh Name Study.

Morris Earle is the descendant of a New Netherland settler.

The birthdate and birthplace for Morris Earle are estimated based on his marriage record. He was the sone of Marmaduke Earle Sr (1696-bef.1765) and Rebecca (Morris) Earle (1696-1772).

He married Johanna (Anna) De La Montagne on 8 Feb 1755 at Collegiate Church in Manhattan, New York. ^[1]

Anna De La Montagne was the daughter of Thomas Montagne (1691-1761) and Rebecca (Bruen) Montagne (1691-1775). The Montagne family were a prominate family in New York City. To learn more about the Montagne family go to the Free Space pages starting with Thomas Montagne - Biographical Sketch

Biographical Sketch

Quoted From the book: The History and genealogy of the Earles of Secaucus: ^[2]

History and genealogy of the Earles of Secaucus - MORRIS EARLE (D 31) was perhaps the youngest child of Marmaduke and Rebecca Morris Earle. Two dates have been given for his birth, both probably conjectural. As no record of his birth has been found, it is likely that he was born in New York City, after the removal of his parents from Secaucus, which took place after 1730. The date given by Gen. F. P. Earle is 1734, which is not improbable.

Of Morris personally, we have very little knowledge, though one of the main streams of descent is from him. His son, Rev. Marmaduke, says that his name was presumably taken from the family name of his mother, Rebecca Morris. He also says that his father, being of English descent, was of the Episcopal Church, and presented his children at St. Paul’s for baptism. He was most likely a communicant of that church. We find the Earles of the three preceding generations following the example of their Dutch neighbors and relations, and making their church home with the Dutch Reformed denomination.

But when their residence was transferred to New York, where they had access to an Episcopal church, they seem, at least in this instance, to have gone back to the church of their fathers. We see here, too, the influence of Rebecca Morris, who was the daughter of a prominent vestryman of Trinity Church, New York.

Morris Earle, so we are informed in his father’s will, pursued the trade of felt-maker, or hatter. We find several of the Earles following the same occupation.

Morris seems to have made a success of his business and to have been comfortably fixed. Perhaps because he was the youngest and the last at home, his parents spent their declining days with him, and he became his father’s heir.

On Feb. 8, 1755, Morris married Anna de la Montanye, a lady of Huguenot extraction, of noble descent, and a member of one of the oldest and most prominent families in the early history of New York. The record of this marriage is on the register of the Old Dutch Church, New York, as follows: “Morris Earle and Johanna Mountany, Feb. 8th, 1755.”

Morris Earle and Anna de la Montayne were the parents of fifteen children, not all of whom, however, lived to man’s estate.

We do not know in what part of New York City Morris Earle and Anna, his wife, made their home prior to 1770, but on January 17th of that year, he purchased a property on the west side of Broadway, the second door from Dey Street.

This is where the great building of the Western Union Telegraph Company now stands. This property was bought of Wm. McAdam and Ann, his wife, who was daughter and devisee of Derick Dey, after whom Dey Street was named. The lot was twenty-five feet by one hundred and was known as Lot No. 34.

It was No. "197 Broadway", and we are not sure that it was not the corner lot. The purchase price was 380 Pounds (£380). This was a considerable sum for those days and shows that Morris Earle was enjoying a degree of material prosperity.

He was a felt-maker, which seems at that time to have been another name for hatter.

In the deed, he is designated as a shop-keeper.

The house which he purchased was frame, two stories high, the lower part a store. It is probable that he plied his trade in this store, on the first floor of his dwelling.

This property today is immensely valuable, and it is interesting to think of our ancestor as plying his humble calling in what is now the most congested district of New York.

What would he think if he could wake up and behold the scene today! Broadway was at this time unpaved and the neighborhood sparsely settled. To those who are familiar with this part of New York, it is almost inconceivable that less than a century ago it presented the aspect we have described.

Number 197 Broadway now became the home of this family for the next forty years. It is not at all improbable that they resided there before 1770, and now made it their permanent home by purchase. Here they resided during the Revolutionary War. It is barely possible that they left the city at the beginning of the Revolution. William claims to have been born in Worcester, Mass., in 1775. This is possible, though not probable.

Morris Earle died in New York in 1780, and we know that the family resided in the city during the Revolution, so that if they removed it was for only a short period. It is probable that Thomas, James, Peter, William, and Mary were born in the Broadway home. If they had been dwelling there previously very likely Marmaduke also was born there. So that this becomes a sacred spot to the descendants of Morris Earle.

Children

Quoted From the book: The History and genealogy of the Earles of Secaucus: ^[2]

Morris Earle and Anna de la Montayne were the parents of fifteen children, not all of whom, however, lived to man’s estate.

The first child to gladden this home was a son, Marmaduke, the first of eleven sons. He was the third to bear this honorable name. Born on the 16th of March, 1756, he must have died in infancy or childhood since thirteen years later; the name was bestowed on another son. It is a peculiar fact that in the records we have seen of Morris Earle’s family, no deaths are registered.

The second child, born Oct. 4, 1757, was also a son and was named Thomas, after his grandfather, Thomas Montanye. This son also passed away in infancy, as another bears his name in less than four years. Such was the mother’s fondness for her father’s name and her determination that it should be perpetuated that she bestowed it upon four of her sons.

On Oct. 12, 1758, the first daughter was born, named Rebeccah, after her two grandmothers, Rebeccah Morris Earle and Rebeccah Bruen Montanye. She was the first child of the family who lived to maturity.

The third son. Morris, and the fourth, Thomas, also died young.

The fifth son, Morris, ]r., bearing his father’s name, was born Jan. 11, 1763, and lived up to grow up.

Annah, the second daughter, her mother’s namesake, was born on March 5, 1764. She grew to womanhood and left descendants.

Mary, the third daughter, did not live to grow up, nor did Thomas, the third to bear that name.

The seventh son was Marmaduke, born March 21, 1769. He lived to a ripe old age and left many descendants.

The eighth son, and the fourth bearing the name Thomas, was born Oct. 30, 1770. He lived to the age of nearly forty, was twice married, and has left numerous descendants.

James, the ninth son, was born on May 19, 1772. He was married twice and had a family of sixteen children. Fifteen of these reached maturity and married, making the connection a very large one.

Peter, the tenth son, was not living in 1784. Neither was Mary, the fourth daughter, both probably dying young.

William, the youngest son, was born on April 23, 1775, and has many living representatives today.

Sources

1. ↑ U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989. The Archives of the Reformed Church in America; New Brunswick, New Jersey; Collegiate Church, Ecclesiastical Records, Baptisms, Members, Marriages, 1639-1774. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2579858:6961
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} History and Genealogy of the Earles of Secaucus, with an account of other English and American Branches, Marquette, Michigan: Guelff Printing Co., 1925..

• "Residence at 197 Broadway New York City" Location of the Home of Morris and Anna.