Joseph Morton (Governor)

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Joseph Morton († September 1721 ) was an English colonist and governor of the Province of Carolina

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The sources on Joseph Morton are not very rich. Nothing is known about his birth, youth and schooling. In 1680 he led a group of religiously motivated emigrants to the Province of Carolina, which settled near Edisto Island in what would later become the US state of South Carolina . Although he did not belong to the dominant group of the so-called proprietors in the colony , he was appointed colonial governor there in October 1682 as the successor to Joseph West . He held this office between October 1682 and August 1684. Then he was replaced by Richard Kyrle after differences of opinion with the Propietors . Between October 1685 and November 1686 he then exercised this office again. His second recall in November 1686 was due to a planned military invasion of the then Spanish Florida . He wanted to fight the pirate being in the area. However, this approach was undesirable in England for political reasons. During his times as colonial governor, he promoted education, among other things. In 1697 Joseph Morton was taken over by King William III. Appointed Judge of the Admiralty. He died in September 1721. His place of death and the exact date of his death are not known.

His daughter, Deborah Morton, married Joseph Blake , who was also the colonial governor of South Carolina.

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