The Morse family is one of the greatest success stories in early New England history. Over three hundred and fifty years, the Morses have given rise to more than four thousand families, some of which will be preserved for time immemorial in the annals of American history.

Dorcas’ distant relative was the famous Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the Morse code and the telegraph. On April 27, 1858, the Morse Monument was erected in the family’s honor, which proclaimed them fervent Puritans in search of religious freedom. One of her nephews, Joseph Morse, became a Colonel in the French and Indian War through his valiant exploits on the battlefield. Her remote relative, Henry Morse, was sainted after his continuous attempts to Catholicize a hostile English Protestant community. One of her ancestors, Thomas Morse was an influential reverend who served as rector in Northern Suffolk.

And in the middle of it all was little Dorcas Morse. For the wife of a well-known and well-respected man by the name of Benjamin Clark and the daughter of such an affluent family, she figured little in Morse history. Although this may not be as quixotic as envisioned, it does not devalue her life or her legacy. Indeed, Dorcas will turn out to be a fascinating woman in a fascinating time.

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