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? A variant of Murray or Morey.
[It would appear that Dr. Seary missed the significance of this surname - which at times was recorded incorrectly as Morey, a spelling generally used for families of Irish origin. However, research indicates that in Newfoundland, the Morry family's origin was unique, with its 1784 roots exclusively associated with Dartmouth, Devon, England.]
| At Ferryland: |
| Surrogate Court Records: 1784 - Matthew Morry - petitioned for land at the head of Caplin Bay. |
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| Supreme Court Records: September 23, 1786 - Matthew Morry - Partner of Thomas Gibbs. |
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| Supreme Court Records: September 23, 1786 - John Brazzel - Was contracted by (Matthew) Morry to build a shoreman's house on a piece of ground in Capelin Bay. |
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| Morry Papers: 1790 - Matthew Morry granted use of land at the head of Caplin Bay by Surrogate Jacob Waller. |
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| Supreme Court Records: October 12, 1792 - ??? Merton - Sued over a dispute over a piece of ground at north side of pond in Caplin Bay: Matthew Morry and Co. |
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| District Court Actions: May 20, 1795 - James Connelly - Sued this winter agent for Matthew Morry of Capeland Bay for taking back his salt: Thomas Head. |
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| Surrogate Court Records: December 13, 1813 - Matthew Morry - Owed money by Richard Grant, Senior, John, Richard Junior, and William. Witnesses: William Sweetland, Richard Dunning. |
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| Surrogate Court Records: January 9, 1816 - Matthew Morry, Junior, husband of Robert Carter's granddaughter: Ann Sanders, settled the division of fishing rooms with Robert Sanders. Witnesses: Francis Tree and Benjamin Sweetland. |
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| Surrogate Court Records: August 20, 1816 - Matthew Morry, Caplin Bay resident owed money to John Morry. |
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| Surrogate Court Records: December 11, 1816 - Matthew Morry - Sold fishing rooms in Brigus to John Morry. Witnesses: William Sweetland & Benjamin Sweetland. |
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| Surrogate Court Records: December 11, 1816 - John Badcock - Occupied fishing rooms sold to John Morry in Brigus. |
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| Surrogate Court Records: May 17, 1817 - Matthew Morry and Co. of Dartmouth and Caplin Bay sold a property at the head of Caplin Bay to John Morry. Witnesses: Noah Clift, William Sweetland. |
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| The Colony of Avalon Website: Morry, George (died August 18, 1846) native of Dartmouth, England and long-time resident of Ferryland. |
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| Voter's List for Ferryland: 1849, 1852 - John Morry; 1855 - John & Henry Morry; 1859 - John, Henry, and Arthur Morry. |
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| Lovell's 1871 Directory: Morry, Henry, - fisherman; Morry, John - farmer. |
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| Ferryland Anglican Cemetery: Morry - John Morry died 15 April 1897 aged 79 years. |
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| At Caplin Bay: |
| Supreme Court Records: February 23, 1835 - Matthew Morry, ( Jr.) - Appointed surveyor of highways in Capelin Bay. |
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| Ferryland Church of England Burials: June 29, 1836 - Matthew Morry - Dartmouth/Caplin Bay - Merchant - age 87. |
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| Royal Gazette: February 20, 1838 - Mathew Morry, (Sr.) Member of Board of Commission for Roads and Bridges from Bay Bulls to Cape Broyle. |
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| Royal Gazette: February 21, 1843 - Mary Morry - Eldest daughter of Mathew Morry of Caplin Bay married Peter LeMessurier of St. John's at Ferryland on February 7th. Rev. Bowman performed the service. |
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| Ferryland Church of England Burials: July 30, 1854 - Matthew Morry - Caplin Bay - Planter - age 41. |
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| Royal Gazette: July 8, 1856 - Mathew Morry, Esq. JP - Died at Caplin Bay at the age of 64 on June 26th. |
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| Ferryland Church of England Burials: June 29, 1856 - Matthew Morry - Ferryland - Magistrate - age 66. |
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| Royal Gazette: February 6, 1858 - Priscilla Ann Morry, Daughter of Mathew Morry, Esq., JP of Caplin Bay married W.W. LeMessurier. Service performed by Rev. Bayley on Wednesday last. |
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| Voter's List for Caplin Bay: 1840, 1842 - Matthew Morry, Esq.; 1844 - Matthew Morry Sr. & Matthew Morry; 1845, 1846 - Matthew Morry Sr. & Matthew Morry Jr.; 1847 - Matthew Morry Sr. J.P. & Matthew Morry Jr.; 1849 - Matthew Morry Sr., Esq. & Matthew Morry Jr.; 1852 - Matthew Morry Sr. Esq. , Matthew Morry Jr., Benjamin Morry, and William Morry; Matthew Morry Esq. Sr., Arthur Morry, & Benjamin Morry; 1855 - Arthur, Benjamin, Matthew Morry Esq. Sr.; 1859 - Benjamin Morry & Robert Morry. |
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| Lovell's 1871 Directory: Benjamin Morry, trader; Robert Morry; trader. |
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| McAlpine's 1894 Directory: Robert Morry, fisherman; Peter Morry, fisherman. |
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| McAlpine's 1898 Directory: Peter Morry, agent, Alan Goodridge & Sons, general merchants. |
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| Southern Shore Death Records: At Ferryland - Sept. 27, 1930 - Elizabeth Morey- Senility - Aged 85. |
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| Family History: |
| The family history of the Morry family at Caplin Bay began with Matthew Morry, born in Dartmouth, Devon, England, in March 1750. While there is some evidence that he brought his family to Newfoundland in the late 1770s, his recorded presence at Caplin Bay began about 1784. After that, for at least the latter three decades of the 1700s, Matthew was a transatlantic 'seasonal commutator,' taking part in the annual West Country, England, cod fishery. In 1784, he petitioned Governor Campbell for possession of some property at the head of the Bay, on the south side of the Gut Pond. His intent was in keeping with the gradual move away from the seasonal 'fishing admiral' land possession scheme prevalent in Newfoundland since the seventeenth century. Matthew's land grant was not a precedent since, a decade earlier, in 1773, a Naval Governor and one of his Surrogates handed out two land grants at Caplin Bay. In the autumn of that year, they gave "possession but not outright ownership" to Irish-born Thomas Nash, who already occupied a substantial property there year-round. A smaller piece of abutting property went to Francis Tree, who lived in Boston, Massachusetts, but used Caplin Bay as his fishing season Newfoundland 'port'. This era marked a change in England's policy toward land possession and settlement in Newfoundland. These grants usually stipulated that the properties were to be possessed solely to prosecute the fishery. After Matthew Morry submitted his petition, he found further support for his request from the influential Robert Carter, a Ferryland merchant. Later that year, his petition received a positive response from the Governor. Records show that in 1786, Matthew Morry hired a carpenter, John Brazell, to build a "shoreman's house" on his recently acquired property. |
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| With his established fishery enterprise prospering, in 1790, Matthew Morry issued a request to use some unoccupied property located on the northeast side of the Gut Pond at Caplin Bay. Again, he was successful in gaining access to the location that he had sought. The decision handed down by the Naval Surrogate, Jacob Waller, allowed Matthew to "possess the same, so long as you shall employ the said space for the advantage of the fishery." This compromise decision sought to please and appease both Matthew and the British authorities but, per the prevailing system, stopped just short of outright ownership. While there may have been a challenge to Matthew's right to this property in 1792, the Surrogate upheld his initial decision. |
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| Matthew Morry I was first married in 1773 and he and his wife, Mary Graham, had a large family who was all born and raised in Dartmouth. Although Mary died there in 1796, Matthew continued to cross the Atlantic to look after his fishing enterprise at Caplin Bay. We learn from the 1800 Ferryland Census that Matthew Morry I was still returning to Dartmouth during the winter and in his absence, his agent, Thomas Head, was looking after his interests at Caplin Bay. |
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| Sometime after 1800, probably about 1813, Matthew Morry married for the second time. His second wife, Anne, had been twice widowed and was living at Ferryland. Anne was the daughter of Robert Carter and Ann Wyley of Devon and Ferryland. She had two daughters from her first marriage to Samuel Hill. Surviving records verify from her second marriage to Henry Sweetland of Devon and Ferryland, she had three sons. We can speculate that, with this marriage and his advancing age, Matthew may have decided to finally settle in Newfoundland and forego the yearly voyages back and forth across the Atlantic. There is speculation as to where Matthew Morry lived after he married for the second time. Records indicate his wife, Anne, had considerable property on the Downs at Ferryland, gifted to her by her father or willed to her by her second husband, Henry Sweetland. While Matthew Morry (I) owned a couple of properties on the south side of Caplin Bay, later Voter's Lists show that his son, Matthew Morry (II), lived at Rocky Park, a yet-to-be-identified location. |
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| It appears that only one of Matthew Morry's sons migrated to Newfoundland. On November 6, 1813, Matthew Morry (I) (1750 - 1836) gave this son, Matthew Morry (II) (1791-1856), the Power of Attorney in all matters affecting the Morry business in Newfoundland. In this document, Matthew Morry (I) stated that he resided in Dartmouth and Matthew Morry (II) was also from Dartmouth, but "lately resides in Caplin Bay." Thus Matthew Morry (II) became "heir apparent" to guide the Caplin Bay fishing enterprise of Matthew Morry &Co. Matthew Morry (II) married Anne Saunders about 1811 and, between 1812 and 1837, they had 14 children. Records concerning the Morry enterprise at Caplin Bay also indicate the presence of John Morry. He was the orphaned son of John Morry, Matthew Morry's (I) eldest son. John Morry Jr. died at Caplin Bay in 1837 at the age of 37 years. Although he never appeared on any Voter's List, George Morry, "native of Dartmouth, England and long-time resident of Ferryland," died there on August 18, 1846. |
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| By the early 1840s, when Matthew Morry's (II) sons started to come of age, several decided to establish their independent business ventures elsewhere. About 1844, Matthew Morry (III) (1813- 1854) moved to the North Side of Caplin Bay and set up his operations in the area known as Athlone. Likewise, his brother, John Henry Morry, started his fishing enterprise on the old Holsworth Plantation at Ferryland. Another son of Matthew Morry (II), Arthur Kemp Morry, travelled farther afield and started a fishery enterprise in the Bay de Verde District of Conception Bay. However, within a few decades, the Morry businesses at Caplin Bay suffered setbacks; with the deaths of Matthew Morry (III) in 1854, at the young age of 41. and his father, Matthew Morry (II), two years later in 1856, at the age of 66. Although there were still members of the Morry family at Caplin Bay, their business presence seemed to decline there, and their numbers slowly waned through the last four decades of the nineteenth century. The decline of the Morry family presence at Caplin Bay was due to several factors such as relocation to Ferryland and St. John's and immigration to British Columbia, along with deaths due to diphtheria or other illnesses. By 1900, there was only one Morry member left at Caplin Bay. The Morry family surname name finally disappeared from Calvert with the death of Miss Elizabeth Morry in 1930. She was the eldest daughter of Matthew Morry (III). |
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| As previously mentioned, in 1844, John Henry Morry, the son of Matthew Morry (II), in partnership with his brother-in-law, Peter Paint LeMessurier, bought the old Holdsworth plantation on the north side of Ferryland. Although the Morry family previously had many business dealings in Ferryland, it appears that John Henry Morry was the first of his family to establish a large-scale business there. He was joined at Ferryland in the mid-1850s by at least two of his brothers from Caplin Bay and later by other brothers after the family business went into decline there. The fishing enterprise at Ferryland operated under three more generations of Morry men, all of whom had served in the military. Thomas Graham Morry, son of John Henry Morry, was next to inherit the reins of the family business at Ferryland. Thomas had served with the North West Provisional Battalion of Infantry of the Active Militia of Canada. In 1873/1874, his battalion went to Fort Gary, Winnipeg, Manitoba, from Montreal (County of Hochelaga) to quell the Riel Rebellion. Howard Morry, Thomas' son, who enlisted in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment early in WW I, was asurvivor of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel in France. Although he married in Scotland in 1915, he returned to Ferryland to take over the family business after the war. Howard's son, William (Bill), a WW II veteran, was the last to inherit and carry on the family business at Ferryland until the cod moratorium shut down the commercial fishery in 1992.
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| Local Place Names: |
| Morry's Cove. This is the small cove on the North Side of Calvert near where Matthew Morry (III) lived and established his fishing premises in the 1840s. His home, known as Athlone Cottage, was situated on the cliff overlooking this cove. |
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