Description:

Morton John

John Morton, Declaration Signer, Surveys a Neighbor’s Property

John Morton, autograph document signed, survey, June 1770, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. 2 pp., 8" x 2.375" and 7.75" x 5.25". Expected folds; both sheets attached to a single paper frame, measuring 8.625" x 10.5".

Complete Transcript

"Resurveyed at the request of Isaac Hendrickson A Certain piece or parcel of meadow Ground and Flatts which he latly purchased of John Knowles and sold to Henry Trimble Beginning at A Stone A Corner of Henry Trimble’s Other meadow Thence in the line of the same south 31¼ degs East 121 perches to delaware river Thence up the said river twenty two perches to the line of John Morton’s meadow Thence in the lines of the same north 35 degs West 134 pers & 3/10 of a perch to A Stone by the Fast land north 7 degs east 7 ps & 1/10 of a perch to A Stone and north 40 degs West 3 pers and 2/10 of a perch to A Stone A Corner of said Trimble’s other Land Thence by the Same South 7 degs West 24 perches & 4/10 of a perch to the place of Beginning, Containing by Estimation Fourteen Acres & Three square perches of meadow ground & Flatts Resurveyed June ADomini 1770.

John Morton".


In the summer of 1770, Isaac Hendrickson asked Pennsylvania Assembly member John Morton to resurvey a piece of property that bordered a meadow owned by Morton on the banks of the Delaware River. Morton drew up this survey and description in June 1770. Six years later, Morton cast a pivotal vote for American independence when he broke the deadlock of the Pennsylvania delegation by supporting the Declaration of Independence.

In surveying, a perch was equivalent to a rod, which measured 5½ yards or 16½ feet. There are 160 square perches or rods in one acre.

John Morton (1725-1777) was born in Pennsylvania, and his father died the same year. His stepfather educated him in surveying, reading, math, and other subjects. As an adult he aided his neighbors by overseeing their books and surveying their property. Elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1756, he served there for ten years before resigning to serve as sheriff of Chester County from 1766 to 1769. He served as judge of the Court of General Quarters Session from 1770, Justice of the Orphan’s Court, and Associate Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court of Appeals (1774-1777). He was re-elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1769, and served until 1775, when he was elected to the Second Continental Congress to represent Pennsylvania. With two Pennsylvania delegates abstaining, Benjamin Franklin and James Wilson supporting independence, and Thomas Willing and Charles Humphreys opposing, it was left to Morton to decide Pennsylvania’s vote. Morton voted for independence on July 4, 1776, and signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2 with the other delegates. He was later heavily involved in drafting the Articles of Confederation but died of tuberculosis before they were ratified.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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