Background
Morris, Robert, 1745---1815, , New Jersey 1745 1815 Male Judge federal judge and chief justice of the supreme court of New Jersey, was the natural son of Chief Justice Robert Hunter Morris [q. v. ] and the grandson of Lewis Morris, 1671-1746 [q. v. ], first lord of the manor of Morrisania, who became royal governor of the province of New Jersey in 1738.
His father died suddenly in 1764, but Robert was able to complete his legal studies, in which he manifested that aptitude which had characterized the Morrises for several generations.
Career
The difficult task to which he was called had already been declined by Richard Stockton and John DeHart.
Upon Morris, versed only in the theory of judicial procedure, devolved the responsibility of formulating rules for the high court of the state and of organizing county courts and the court of oyer and terminer.
Having entered upon his duties in February 1777, he was instructed by the council to hold a term of oyer and terminer in Sussex County in May.
Zealous and fearless in meeting the demands from various parts of the state for the institution of courts, he was angered when the legislature inquired whether he was sufficiently diligent in the performance of his duties.
.
Brief though his term had been, it had demonstrated his competence upon the bench and had marked the translation into reality of the plan for a system of state courts.
[Archives of the State of N. J. , 2 ser.
III (1906); L. Q. C. Elmer, "The Constitution and Government of .
New Jersey, " N. J. Hist.
Soc.
Colls. , vol.
VII (1872); W. W. Clayton, Hist.
of Union and Middlesex Counties, N. J. (1882); E. Q. Keasbey, The Courts and Lawyers of N. J. , 1661-1912 (1912), vol.
II; W. H. Benedict, New Brunswick in Hist.
(1925); Proc.
N. J. Hist.
Soc. , July 1920, Apr. 1921; N. Y. Evening Post, June 5, 1815. ]
Religion
The exacting nature of his work, aggravated by the legislators' interference, soon proved irksome to his independent spirit and he tendered his resignation in June 1779.
He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church and served the Christ Church parish almost twenty years as warden.
