Morris, Lewis, 1754-1824

Son of wealthy New York landowner and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Lewis Morris (1726-1798); Morris graduated from the College of New Jersey [now Princeton] in 1774; promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army in Sept. 1778, served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Nathanael Greene, and moved to South Carolina when Greene was given command of the Southern Continental Army in Dec. 1780; Morris remained in South Carolina after the conclusion of the war; in 1783, he married Ann Barnett Elliott of Charleston, the daughter of William Elliott (1696-1766), a union whose issue included Lewis Morris, Jr. (d. 1863).

Delegate from the Charleston Parishes of St. Phillip and St. Michael at the S.C. state convention for ratification of the federal constitution in 1788 and the state constitutional convention in 1790. Served five terms in the S.C. General Assembly between 1789 and 1801, and held the office of Lt. Governor from 1794-1796. Died at his family estate in New York, Morrisania, in 1824 and was buried in St. Michael's Churchyard in Charleston, S.C.

From the description of Lewis Morris papers, 1781 Jan. 12-1795 Aug. 23. (University of South Carolina). WorldCat record id: 74470391