The association of William Morris with James Greenleaf had started in February 1792, when Morris sold one hundred thousand acres (four hundred square kilometers) of the Morris Reserve to Greenleaf, James Watson, and Andrew Craigie for £15,000 New York currency ($37,500).

Morris sells another million acres (four thousand square kilometers) to the Holland Land Company between December 1792 and July 1793 for £112,500, and his son sells 1,800,000 acres (7,300 km2) to the Holland Land Company for $500,000.

Morris sells another 87,000 acres (three hundred and fifty square kilometers) ("the Triangle Tract") to an investor group in January 1793.