Obadiah Morse & Elizabeth Rawlins Plaque

Purpose:

Location: (Street, Park, GPS)

Market Street

N 43D04.656' W070D45.446'

Date Installed:

2004

Date or Era Referenced:

1670-1724, colonial era

Description:

Granite post about three feet hight sticking out of the middle of the side walk with a plaque attached (black w/gold lettering).

Wording:

Obadiah Morse & Elizabeth Rawlins Site of their home 1670-1724 Faithful members of North Church. Morse Society, 2004

Affiliations:

Morse Society

Summary:

• “Turns out a long-time member had this particular plaque installed, and for privacy reasons he asked to use the Morse Society name instead of his own.   The Society has conducted considerable research on early generations of Morse progenitors, and Obadiah is from a line’s first generation born in the New World.  Obadiah’s father was William Morse, who emigrated from England and helped found Newbury, MA in 1635. Obadiah was born in Newbury (abt. 1645), and in 1670 he married Elizabeth Rawlins and acquired property in Portsmouth, NH. He was a blacksmith, so he served an important role in Portsmouth’s early days.” Email response from Marcia Morse Mullens, Morse Society historian http://www.morsesociety.org/