Jesse & Clarissa Morse; a Housewright's Family

Jesse Morse (1788-1861)

Clarissa Guild Morse (1792-1854)

Jesse Morse was born on August 14, 1788, one of ten children born to Seth Morse, Jr. (1753-1801) and Mary Dean Morse (1754-1842) (lot 175, 176). As a young man, Jesse’s father, Seth Morse, Jr. answered the militia call on April 19, 1775 on the day of the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

On August 12, 1815, Jesse Morse married Clarissa Guild who had been born on June 23, 1792. Clarissa was the daughter of Joel Guild (1762-1842) and Hannah Weatherbee Guild (1766-1842) (lot 200, 201).

Housewright's tools

Jesse Morse was a “housewright” and carpenter. A housewright built and repaired wooden houses, primarily an eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century occupation. Many housewrights were craftsmen who cut timber (like a lumberjack) in the quantity required for the construction of a house, then sawed it into planks, and finally jointed and assembled them (like a carpenter).

Jesse and Clarissa had seven children: Jesse, Lucinda, Clarissa, Almira, George, Harriet, and Reuben.

After 39 years of marriage, Clarissa Guild Morse died on March 3, 1854. Jesse Morse passed away seven years later on June 14, 1861 of dropsy. The gravestone of Clarissa and Jesse includes a moving inscription which Jesse Morse apparently requested.

MORSE.

 Clarissa G. Morse.

 Died May 3, 1854.

 aged 62 yrs.

Jesse Morse,

Died June 14, 1861,

 aged 73 yrs.

 --

                                                Tis sweet to die when gone before.

The Lov’d one of my heart.

                                                My Angel wife says, Father come,

                                                We never more shall part.

It is rather rare to have Clarissa’s name appear at the top of the stone and no mention of “wife of,” which was customary.