Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/142

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

during Berkeley's absence in England, 1G61 and 1662. They were sons of Sir Richard Morrison, M. P., of Tooley Park, Leicester- shire, who had served long in the English army and was made lieutenant-general of ordnance. They were also brothers-in-law of L.ucius Gary, Lord Falkland. Our subject, Maj. Richard Morrison, was appointed com- mander of the fort at Point Comfort in 1638 and in Feb., 1641, was appointed member of the council in the place of Roger Wingate, de- ceased. Maj. ^Morrison's death occurred in or prior to 1656, as in that year Mrs. Winifred Morrison is mentioned as his widow.

Higginson, Humphrey, born in 1607, sail- ed from London for A'irginia in the ship "George," in 1635. On Feb. 6, 1637-38, as "Humphrey Higginson, Gentleman," he re- ceived a grant of 700 acres of land called "Tuttey's Neck," adjoining Harop, now Wil- liamsburg, and lying on a branch of Archer's Mope Creek, "that partieth this land from Kingsmell's neck," said land being granted to Elizabeth, "his now wife," by order of the court dated October 4, 1637. Tuttey's Neck is still a well known place near Williamsburg, Virginia, and lies back of the "Kingsmill" estate. On Oct. 18, 1642, "Captain Humphrey Higginson, Esq.," received another grant of 320 acres adjoining Tuttey's Neck. Higgin- son's first official position of which there is any record was that of tobacco inspector in the section of James City county lying between the east side of Archer's Hope and Waram's ponds. On Aug. 9, 1641, he was appointed by the King a member of the council, and was present at the meetings held March, 1642-43, Oct., 1644, and Feb., 1644-45. O" April 30, 1652, the burgesses elected him a member of the council, and he was present March 31,

1654-55, but he must have gone to England soon after, for in Dec, 1656, the house of burgesses made the following order : "Whereas Thos. Loving, high sheritt of James City County, by Petition Requested the Opinion of this house whether Coll. Higginson, having been so long absent out of the Country, should enjoy the Privilege of Counsellor by exempt- ing certain persons out of the Levies, it is Resolved that in Respect of his long absence, he being upon no public employment, shall not have any Persons Belonging to him exempted." Besides the grants of land given above. Col. Higginson had two others, a partnership with Abraham Moone for 2,000 acres on the south side of the Potomac, Sept. 20, 1654, and one ot "Colonel Humphrey Higginson, of the Council of State, and his son Thomas Hig- ginson," for 800 acres on the south side of Pianketank, in Gloucester county, Sept. 20, 1654. The son probably died within a few years, for he is not mentioned in his father's will. Col. Higginson died at Ratcliffe, in Stepney parish, London, in 1665-1660. He left a brother, Capt. Christopher Higginson, \'irginia, who has numerous descendants. See \\'illiam and Mary Quarterly \\ p. 186.

Pawlett or Paulett, Thomas, was born about 1585. In Aug., 161 8, he came in the ship "Neptune" to Virginia, where he settled in the present Charles City county, and was a member of the first house of burgesses, assem- bled July 30, 1619. In 1623 he was living at "\\'est Shirley Hundred." He was appointed a commissioner (justice) for Charles City and Henrico counties in Feb., 1631-32, and was a member of the house of burgesses for Westover and Flower de Hundred in Febru- ary of the }ear following, and again for Charles City in Jan., 1639. He was commis-