The Mathias Morton Families 1750-1828 New Castle Co Delaware

Last year my project was sorting out the family of John Van Buskirk and finding his child that no one presently knew about. This was Elizabeth Van Buskirk Bannon Davis, and she had been lost to history for around 200 years. It was a fun and time consuming project and I was happy to finally solve the mystery of this lady.

I am not sure how I get started on a project like that one, but it has happened again! In my quest to prove my ancestry to Mathias Morton, I have become engrossed in finding the story of his "families". I am sure I am descended from his oldest child, Ebenezer Morton. Being sure doesn't quite cut it though, and I needed to document that assumption.

Mathias' will held many clues to his families, but nothing definite about Ebenezer. In the meantime I decided to sort out his families.

1.Mathias' will was written 18 May 1785 and probated 6 June 1785 and witnessed by Ephraim Stoop and Patience Morton. [Patience Morton is the 2nd wife of my Ebenezer Morton.]
2.The first settlement was made 20 Feb 1796 to various people that Mathias' estate owed money to. This was for funeral expenses, and such. Also paid on that day was Elizabeth Garretson, daughter of the testator and David Morton for his legacy.
3. This date it was also recorded that Ebenezer Morton owed the estate for two bonds, one made 18 Feb 1777 for 80 pounds and one not dated for 26 pounds.
4. 4 Feb 1808 50 pounds was paid to Robert Maxwell to pay rent due by George Wirt, deceased and insolvent.
5. 20 March 1808 the following was paid: Adam Morton 133 pounds; Ebenezer Morton 3 shillings; Andrew Morton 3 shillings; Rebecca Wirt 3 shillings; John Morton 3 shillings; Henry Morton 133 pounds; George Morton 1/5 share of 294 pounds; Dennis McGuire (for his wife) 1/5 share 363 pounds; Isaac McCalley for his wife Sarah 1/5 share 294 pounds; Mathias Morton 1/5 share 294 pounds; Christiana Morton 1/5 share 294 pounds and Abigail Morton (widow) 1/3 share 688 pounds. The children that got 1/5 share were listed as minors in Mathias's will of 1785.
6. The estate was finalized 20 May 1808 by Executor Andrew Morton (Mathias' son).

In his will Mathias Morton states that Adam Morton is his youngest son. That Mathias, Ann, Christiana, Sarah and George are under lawful age (21). By census analysis I have tried to sort these families out. Mathias was married three time. He married Rebecca Evars (Evans) July 1746; Margrete Brown 7 Sep 1760; and Abigail Treahorn unknown date. I have attempted to determine which wife was the mother of which children and have made broad assumptions about it. Perhaps someone that knows more will enlighten me, but it is a first try at sorting out these convoluted families. It is complicated by the fact that Mathias had two Sarahs and two Henrys. I assumed that the earlier children died young and later children were named the same names.

Because the men were entitled to their wife's inheritance, I have found who three daughters married. These marriages were found on a Delaware Marriages site.

One big mystery is David Morton. Mathias had a son David (born September 1752) and his son Andrew had a son David (born about 1778). One of these men married Rebecca Welsh Ozier and moved to Butler Co Ohio. Many of the Morton's migrated there including my Hannah Morton and Thomas Sankey who were there by 1799 before Ohio became a State!

This brings me back to the beginning, as it is Hannah's parents I am trying to prove. I am positive she is the daughter of Ebenezer Morton. But that leads to another mystery, who was her mother?