GENERATION 12

Biography

SAMUEL MOREHOUSE was born as early as 1637, and died in 1687. He married REBECCA ODELL, who came from Concord, Middlesex, MA, and Southampton, Long Island, NY, before removing to Fairfield, Fairfield, CT.

He was very often one of a committee appointed by the town to layout the lands and highways. He was lieutenant of the military company, and the first marshal or sherriff of Fairfield County for some twelve years being removed by order of Sir Edmund Andross. The records show several grants of land to SAMUEL from the town, besides one of the "long lots", which were surveyed back from the village in half-mile width for a distance of twelve miles, with a roadway between each lot, extending north to the Highway, now running east and west from Redding Center across Redding Ridge to "Goodrich Hill." These lots were surveyed by order of the town and at a time when it was feared that the "Crown" would claim all unoccupied land. SAMUEL undoubtedly assisted in the survey, and one of the roads was called the Morehouse Road.

The will of SAMUEL bears the date Dec. 9, 1687, and shows that at that time his sons John, DANIEL, and James, were under 20 years of age; and that his daughters Hannah, Mary, and Ann were under 18; also that Rebecca and ELIZABETH had been previously provided for and were, therefore, probably married. In his signature his name is "Sam ll Moorhous."

He is buried in the Old Burying Ground, his grave stone bears the oldest date of any yet found in the grounds. It was discovered in 1880, nearly buried in the earth, and reset. It is a simple stone with the initials "S. M." and the date "1687."