Holbrook line: Edward Morris, Immigrant

It's good to write these blog posts, because I always go back to look at the research I've already done.  Almost always, I find more information than when I first started this genealogy quest, and sometimes I find that my original findings were incorrect.  This is one of those times, and I'm going to have to delete some names from my tree.  But I'll get to add new ones, so the chase, and the fun, continue.  First, let me say that the great majority of this blog post comes from an article written by my hero (for a lot of reasons) Douglas Richardson, published in volume 146 of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register.  

The one exciting thing I found, which others have also found, was the actual registry in Boston that recorded Edward's marriage.  Seeing it handwritten on a page, with a lot of other names beginning with "M" was something special. 

Edward Morris was christened at Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, England on January 22, 1631/32, the son of Edward Morris/Morrison and Prudence Heath Morris/Morrison.  The family name was Morrison in England and Morris in New England.  Great Amwell is a small village about 20 miles north of London.  Richard Warren, a passenger on the Mayflower, was married there so one wonders whether this was a hub for Separatists, or whether it's coincidence that Edward Morris also came from the same village.  Edward apparently didn't arrive in New England until 1652, when he was about 21 years old.

Our next mention of Edward is his marriage record of November 20, 1655 in Boston . We know that Edward went to Roxbury to live but so far I've not found whether this was pre-marriage or post-marriage.  The Morrises stayed in Roxbury for a number of years, and several of the children stayed there even when Edward and Grace moved on to Woodstock, Connecticut.  All of their ten children were born in Roxbury.  While in Roxbury, Edward took an active role in civic affairs, being a selectman for twelve years (possibly missing one of those years) and as a juror of the Court of Assistants.  He was appointed one of three trustees for the High School at Jamaica Plain, and for nine years he was chosen deputy from Roxbury to the General Court. 

The family followed the "Apostle" John Eliot, who baptized all their children, and joined with several other families from Roxbury to go to "New Roxbury" later renamed Woodstock, in 1686. The move to Woodstock took place more or less en masse, with thirteen families traveling together to start building a new life together.  Edward was the oldest of them, but it seems that he was elected lieutenant of the training band (subject to government approval) shortly before his death.  There is a record of his estate in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, but so far I have not been able to locate it.  He died without a will on September14, 1689 and his widow Grace died June 16, 1705.

I'd like to research Edward Morris some more.  He seems to have been an educated man, to be appointed trustee for a "High School", and to have been elected to office so many times.  What was his occupation?  Where did he get his education?  What were his political beliefs?  Did he leave England for political, economic, religious, or family reasons?  Every time I write a blog post, I have more questions! 

The line of descent is:

Edward Morris-Grace Bett
Samuel Morris-Mehitable Mayo
Abigail Morris-John Perrin
Benjamin Perrin-Mary (who are you?)
Mary or Mercy Perrin-David Fay
Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants