John Morton, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Signed Pennsylvania Land Survey

Lot Details & Additional Photographs

Single sheet, autograph document signed, survey, March 1762 and May 1763, Chester (now Delaware) County, Pennsylvania; with wonderful hand-coloring, such as on the creek and small trees; presented matted and framed. The document reads, in part: "Surveyed for Charles Lynn Two Certain pieces or parcels of Land situate in Marpole in the County of Chester - Purchased of Cadwalader Evans, The Courses and Distances Including both the said pieces are as follows to Witt Beginning at A Sycamore Stump on the East side of Crum Creek in an old road Thence running in the same the Seven next following Courses and Distances North 79 degs East five perches to a post south 79 degs East six perches to a Dead White Oak North 47 degs East twenty one perches to a post north fifty six degrees East... Traversing the Several Courses thereof two Hundred and Twenty Nine perches to the place of Beginning Containing on the Whole by Estimation 34 Acres and 3/4 of An Acre of Land Surveyed the 2d day of March 1762 and the 17th day of May 1763. / John Morton." Below this Morton includes calculations.

Sight size 16 1/8 x 12 5/8 in.; Frame dimensions 20 7/8 x 16 7/8 x 3/4 in.

John Morton (1725-1777) was born in Ridley Township, Chester (now Delaware) County, Pennsylvania. He had strong roots in the area, living there most of his life, and descending from early Finnish-Swedish settlers in the Swedish Empire’s colony known as New Sweden. Raised and educated by his stepfather, a land surveyor, Morton learned the necessary skills for this same profession and worked as a surveyor for nearly three decades.

Like many other Founding Fathers, John Morton wore numerous hats, working not only as a surveyor but in the field of law as well. He served numerous positions during his career, including Justice of the Peace, High Sheriff, Road Commissioner, and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He served as a longtime member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and was elected Speaker in 1775. Morton was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress, and he represented Pennsylvania at both the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress. He was an important member of the delegation, casting the deciding vote for independence. He went on to become one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and was working to help draft the Articles of the Confederation before his untimely death.

Linen backed and attached to board; with folds, as expected, with some associated offsetting; general age wear such as light foxing and toning; some areas of separation at the folds, a couple of stains, a few tiny chips and tears, and scattered small areas of repair; a few faint pencil lines and notations (later?); writing difficult to read along one horizontal fold; foxing to mat and board slightly loose within the frame; light wear to frame; not examined outside the frame.