Antill family index [OCR source: The Antill Family by R.V. Pockley]

The Antills ...page 14

During the rebellion, Morris's estates were confiscated by Charles I, but he subsequently received indemnification from Cromwell.

In 1633 Col. Morris had made a voyage to the West Indies, in the service of the New Providence Company. He was strongly impressed with what he saw, and after Cromwell triumphed he went to live on the island of Barbadoes, where he bought a magnificent estate. At that period, Barbadoes was in a highly flourishing condition, inhabited by wealthy gentlemen of the best families in England, who owned great sugar plantations and were engaged in the rich trade which centred in its ports. Col. Morris at once became one of the leading citizens, and was appointed a member of the Council. In 1654 he was an officer of the expedition against the Spanish colonies, being present at the fall of Jamaica, and in 1663 he was concerned in the purchase of Santa Lucia. A man of very positive mind and strong religious temperament, he became a convert to the doctrine of the Quakers, and was on terms of close friendship with George Fox, the founder of the sect, whom he entertained during Fox's visit to Barbadoes, and also with William Penn, the famous founder of Pennsylvania.

In his Will Col. Morris nade the following provision: "I give and bequeathe unto my honoured friend William Penn, my negro man Yaff, provided the said Penn shall come to dwell in America". Several years later Penn, then residing in Philadelphia, spoke of this bequest at a meeting of Friends, referred to his long and familiar acquaintance with Morris, and made the following comment, quite remarkable for those times: "As I am now fairly established in America, I may now readily obtain the servant by mentioning the affair to my young friend Lewis Morris, although a concern hath lain upon my mind for some time regarding the negroes, and I am almost determined to give my own blacks their freedom. For I feel the poor captured Africans, like other human beings, have their natural rights, which cannot be withheld from them without great injustice".

For Contumacity in refusing to pay Church Dues and minister's money, and to furnish men and horses for the Militia", Morris was on one occasion fined 16,193 pounds of sugar.

In 1670 Lewis Morris entered into partnership with his youngest brother Richard to buy Bronxland, in the Province of New York. After Richard's untimely death in 1672 Lewis disposed of his Barbadoes interests and took over the Bronxland estate in his own right. He also became guardian of Richard's young orphaned son, Lewis Morris II. Under Lewis the estate, originally 500 acres, was increased to nearly 2000 acres, and he also bought extensive lands in New Jersey. Although not active in public affairs, he was an honoured citizen of New York, and an intimate friend of many of the foremost men of his time .

Col. Morris was married twice: a dughter married John Walters, of Piercefield , two miles west of Chepstone, in Monmouthshire.