Nathan Morey, of North Troy, earlier known as Batestown, a district lying between old Troy and the then village of Lansingburg, was a descendant of Roger Morey, a close follower of Roger Williams, after their arrival in America on the ship "Lion," February 5, 1631. They both took the freeman's oath in Boston on the same day, May 8, 1631. When Roger Williams was called to the Salem, Massachusetts, church as assistant to the pastor, Rev. Mr. Skelton, Roger Morey followed, and became a member of the church in 1636. In 1637 he entered into an agreement with the town "that he should begin the keeping of all the town's cattle the fifth of the second month, and so to continue eight months with the help of another efficient man." He prospered in Salem, and accumulated land until 1643, when the Massachusetts general court having banished Roger Williams "for having preached and divulged new and dangerous opinions against the authority of Magistrates," Roger Morey joined his old pastor and friend at Providence, Rhode Island. Here he was made freeman in 1655, and on May 25, 1655, he was "appointed by the court of commissioners to keep a house of entertainment; and a convenient sign was to be set out at a most conspicuous place of said house to give notice to strangers." He was commissioner in 1658; juryman 1661; died prior to May 6, 1669. He married Mary Johnson, and had nine children. The first Morey settlement in New York state was effected by Thomas Morey, a descendant of Roger Morey, who previous to 1778 was a resident of Albany county, and a member of the Thirteenth Albany County Regiment under Colonel Van Vechten. Later he purchased one hundred acres of land in the town of Milton, Saratoga county, and became a farmer. He had three wives and left issue. Jonathan Morey and his brother Daniel, grandsons of the settler, Thomas Morey, built the first woolen and cotton mill ever erected in Saratoga county. The family of Morey is now widely scattered over New York state.
(I) Nathan Morey, born in Connecticut, became a resident of North Troy, New York. In 1822 he was one of the signers to a petition to the Grand Lodge of New York, Free and Accepted Masons, asking for a dispensation to farm a new lodge in Lansingburg. This was granted, and Phoenix Lodge, No. 361, was chartered June 23, 1823. He carried on a tannery, and was succeeded by his sons: John and Charles. He married and had issue.
(II) Charles, son of Nathan Morey, was born in North Troy, New York, in 1807, died February, 1841. He was a tanner, and conducted a profitable business for many years. He married Nancy Winne, born 1804, died 1862, granddaughter of Richard Winne, born in Holland (see Winne III). Charles Morey was an active member of the Methoddist Episcopal church, and an adherent of the Whig party. Children:
- Mary Jane, born in Batestown in 1826, died there in 1900; she married Samuel Swartout, a commissioned officer in the United States navy during the civil war; children: Maria, Jessie, George, a resident of Brooklyn, New York; married, and has children: George and Mabel.
- Margaret, deceased; married Joseph Lockrow, of Brunswick, New York; children:
- Egbert, married Abbie Jennings; children: Bert and Hattie;
- Charles, deceased;
- Ensign, married Mary Jennings, sister of Abbie; children: Ralph and Grace;
- Nancy Jane.
- Caroline, born December 28, 1828, died March, 1908; married George Tefft, of Hoosick Falls, New York; children:
- John, married Addie Dillon;
- Emma, married John Green, of East Greenwich, New York; children: George and Jay;
- Lizzie, married Fred Betts, of Granville, New York; child: Marie;
- Ida, married Jonathan Carpenter, of Chatham, New York;
- Carrie, married Earl Burrows, of Chatham, New York; children: Earl and George.
- Elizabeth, see forward.
- Nathan, born 1837; married Sarah, daughter of George and Lydia (Fowler) Adams, of Brunswick, New York; children:
- Charles, a resident of Buffalo, New York;
- Frank, married Mary Driver; children: Margaret A. and Milton;
- Joseph, married Daisy Nash, of Buffalo; child, Donald;
- John.
(III) Elizabeth, fourth child of Charles and Nancy (Winne) Morey, married Edwin Carter Richardson, born in Poultney, Vermont, February 29, 1832, died in Troy, New York, March 23, 1885. He established himself in the grocery and hardware business in Poultney, where most of their married life was spent. He disposed of his business interests in Poultney, and removed to Troy, where he died. During the civil war Mr. Richardson enlisted in Company I, Seventh Regiment, Vermont Volunteers, and as a part of the Army of the Potomac passed through several of the hard-fought battles of the war. He received a severe wound in the arm during one of these battles. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a Republican in politics. Child: Lena Morey, married, June, 1889, Casper Hulitt, of Pawlet, Vermont; now a wholesale and retail tobacconist, of Troy. He is a son of Merritt and Sarah (Hulitt) Hulitt, of Pawlet, Vermont. Mr. Hulitt, Sr., was a prominent man of affairs, president of the Granville Bank, and interested in other enterprises. Mrs. Richardson survives her husband, and resides in Troy, New York.
(The Winne Line)
Nancy Winne, wife of Charles Morey, was a granddaughter of Richard Winne, born in Holland, came to the United States when a young man and settled in the town of Brunswick, Rensselaer county, New York, where he purchased and improved a good farm. He married Susanna ————; children: Peter, Abraham, Levinus, John and Richard (2).
(II) Levinus, third son of Richard and Susanna Winne, was born in 1771, died in Brunswick, Rensselaer county, New York, 1841. He served in the war of 1812, and was a farmer. He was a Whig in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Jane Miller; children: Robert, Levinus (2), Philip, Jane, Gertrude, Hannah, Nancy, Elizabeth, Susanna and Hester. These children all settled in or near Brunswick, except Susanna, who died in the west shortly after her marriage.
(III) Nancy, daughter of Levinus and Jane (Miller) Winne, married Charles Morey (see Morey II).