Morris of North Emsall
Source:Visitation of Yorkshire, Sir.William Dugdale, A.D. 1665 and 1666
John Morris, (1615–1649), soldier, was eldest son of Matthias Morris of Esthagh, in Elmsall, near Pontefract, Yorkshire. He was brought up in the house of Thomas Wentworth, earl of Strafford. When Strafford became Lord deputy of Ireland, he was at sixteen made ensign to Strafford's own company of foot, and soon afterwards lieutenant of his guard. After Strafford's death, Morris became captain in Sir Henry Tichborne's regiment. During the Irish rebellion he was appointed sergeant-major in the regiment commanded by Sir Francis Willoughby, and major by commission from the Earl of Ormonde. In Ireland after the storming of Ross Castle, when, although badly wounded, he rallied some English troops and obtained a victory . On returning to England he served for a while in Lord Byron's regiment, but after the surrender of Liverpool in 1644, he gave up his commission and joined the parliamentary army.
After the siege of Pontefract Castle, Morris was imprisoned in Lancaster Castle, tried at York and executed on 23 August 1649. At his request, Morris was buried at Wentworth, Yorkshire, near the grave of Lord Strafford.
Morris married Margery (1627–1665), eldest daughter of Dr. Robert Dawson, bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduag, by whom he had issue Robert (b 1645) of Esthagh, Castilian (1648–1702), and Mary. His widow remarried Jonas, fourth son of Abel Bulkley, of Bulkley, Lancashire.
His second son, Castilian, so named by reason of his having been born during the siege of Pontefract Castle, was appointed town clerk of Leeds in 1684 at the instance of Lord Chief-justice Jeffreys. Some extracts from his diary are printed in the ‘Yorkshire Archæological and Topographical Journal’ (x. 159).
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