Elizabeth Grant and James Morris of Rutherford Co, NC

I (Marty Grant) am a 5th Great Grandnephew of Elizabeth Grant (if she is indeed a daughter of William Grant).

Elizabeth Grant was born before 1755 (born on 10 Sep 1746 per Don Yelton) probably in VA. She married James Morris on or about 8 Jan 1783. The marriage bond was in Rutherford Co, NC and the bondsman was John Henson.

We don't know who this Elizabeth Grant was. She was clearly associated with my Grants in Rutherford County, so it is likely she is related or connected somehow.

Theory One: She is a daughter of William and Mary Grant. If so, she would be their oldest known child, since she was born before 1755. She was not named in William Grant's Will (1794) but other records show she was still living at that time. If he had already given her some form of inheritance, that would explain her omission from the Will. If that is true, then perhaps other married daughters were also left out. William Grant did deed land to her husband prior to 1794. In fact, William Grant did deed property to James Morris in 1791, which may actually be Elizabeth's inheritance (though it was not a deed of gift).

Theory Two: She is the widow of William Grant Jr (son of William and Mary Grant). William Grant (Jr) was killed in 1782 during an Indian attack, as was someone named Elizabeth Grant. Frank Block speculated that this Elizabeth (who was killed) was the wife of William Jr. That could be, but the records found don't prove it. It is also possible that the Elizabeth who was killed was a daughter of William and Mary (if so, the Elizabeth under study here couldn't be their daughter also). The one who was killed might have been their granddaughter instead. If Elizabeth (bef 1755) was married to William Grant (Jr) then that would explain a few things. First of all, she married in 1783 (a year after his death), and she was clearly associated with the Grant family, but wasn't named in the Will of William Grant (1794) since she wasn't his child, but a former daughter-in-law who had remarried, and had no Grant children.

Of the two theories above, I like Theory two better. However, I still currently show Elizabeth as a child of William and Mary, pending further information.

The next problem is in untangling the several men named James Morris in early Rutherford County records.

Records show that there were two distinct (but probably related) James Morris' in Rutherford County around this time. This particular James used "Sr" in some records to distinguish himself from the other James Morris, who was a little younger. Since there were two James Morris in the county, it isn't always easy to tell which is which. One James Morris (probably the one we are discussing) received a land grant in Burke Co, NC on 18 May 1789 for 120 acres on both sides of the Second Broad River. This land was entered on 30 Nov 1779. Using this date we can say James Morris was born before 1758, assuming he was 21 at least when he entered the land. Some records indicate that this James Morris was the only heir of one of the John Morris' in Rutherford County. A deed dated 1795 between Thomas Morris Sr to James Morris lists James as "the only heir of John Morris, deceased". The 1790 census shows two James Morris listed in Rutherford County. One on page 116 with 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, and 4 females. The other is on page 118 and has 1 male over 16, and 2 females. I think the one on page 116 is the James under discussion here.

On 14 Oct 1791 William and Mary Grant sold 100 acres on Grants Creek to James Morris. (Rutherford Co, NC Deed Book 6 page 306).

On 11 Oct 1797 James Morris sold 200 acres on Turkey Otter Creek to Richard Bradley. The land was originally granted to John Morris Sr 15 Sep 1772. He stated he assigns the land to Richard Bradley as the heir of John Morris, deceased. (Rutherford Co, NC Deed Book 8 page 183).

On 10 Jan 1798 James Morris Sr and wife Elizabeth sold 100 acres on Grants old Mill creek to James Morris. This is the same land sold to him by William and Mary Grant. Alexander Grant and Thomas Grant witnessed this deed. (Rutherford Co, NC Deed Book 9 page 381).

The 1800 census shows two James Morris in Rutherford, and one in Burke. Both of those in Rutherford were on page 127. One was clearly James Morris (Jr) born ca 1775, residing with 3 women in his same age group, probably his single sisters. The other was James Morris (Sr) and wife Elizabeth Grant. His household had 1 male age 26-44 (born 1755/1774), 1 male age 10-15 (1784/90), 1 male under 10 (1790/1800), 1 female 45 and up (before 1755), 1 female 16-25 (1774/84), 1 female 10-15 (1784/90) and 2 females under 10 (1790/1800).

There are lots of other records pertaining to James Morris, but at this point it becomes very difficult to distinguish which James is which. Several researchers say that the James in question here died in 1810. The 1810 census shows only one James Morris in Rutherford, and he isn't old enough to be this James, so he must have died before the census was taken. More in-depth study of Morris records in Tryon, Rutherford (and Burke) is needed to properly sort them out.

I have had more than one researcher send me information on this James (who married Elizabeth Grant) and had children listed for them, who in actuality belonged to the James Morris who married Elizabeth Garrett. I haven't seen any proof for any children of James Morris and Elizabeth Grant so far, nor do I know the source of the 1746 birth date for this Elizabeth. Don Yelton sent me that recently. I had seen it before in some old Morris notes that Frank Block sent me several years ago, though the source for the date wasn't given.

Children

I don't know who any of James and Elizabeth's children were. I've seen several researchers showing various children, but never with any proof.

Researcher List

Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list:

1. James¹ Morris , born 1755/58 in VA; died 1810 in Rutherford Co, NC, son of John Morris . He married on 8 Jan 1783 in Rutherford Co, NC Elizabeth Grant , born bef 1755 in VA; died in Rutherford Co, NC, daughter of William Grant Sgt and Mary Morris .