Earl Morris

    An honorable record of lives worthily lived, of duties and obligations well performed is that of the Morris family, in whose younger generation is Earl Morris, present Town Clerk and Treasurer of Fairmount. Few Grant County families go back further in American residence and like so many other substantial people of this section, the early stock was Carolina Quakers, the religion of simplicity being still a marked family trait.

    The Morris family, of English stock, came to America during the early colonial days, perhaps two hundred years ago, locating in North Carolina, and being represented in that old commonwealth for a number of generations. Adequate data is not at hand concerning the first generation, and the first of the family concerning whom there is definite information was Thomas, who was born in North Carolina, was a Quaker, and farmer, and spent all his days in his native State. He married Sarah Musgrove, also of a Quaker family, and she probably died in Randolph County. They had a large family of ten children, four sons and six daughters.

    Aaron Morris, son of Thomas, was the second in the family and was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, January 4, 1791. He died in May, 1832, in Indiana. He married Nancy Thomas, who was born October 27, 1800, in North Carolina, and died March 2, 1832, in Wayne County, Indiana. They both sleep their last sleep side by side in the cemetery at Fountain City. They were among the early founders of the Quaker Church in Indiana, were upright god-fearing, and thrifty people. They were probably married in North Carolina, and it appears that they became residents of Indiana, about 1818, locating at Fountain City, in Wayne County. In the family of Aaron Morris and wife were five children, mentioned as follows:

  • William was born in 1820, married Margaret Jones, and they left one son, and two daughters.

  • John T., was the grandfather of Mr. Earl Morris, and is mentioned at greater length in succeeding paragraphs.

  • Anna, died in Indiana.

  • Jesse married and at his death in Michigan left a family, and the last twenty-seven years of his life were spent in blindness.

  • Hannah was the second wife of Axium Elliott, and died at the age of twenty-four, being buried in Marion, I. O. O. F. Cemetery, without children.

    John T. Morris, grandfather, was born at Fountain City, Indiana, November 22, 1821. When he was eleven years old he lost his father by death, and as both parents died about the same time, in Grant County, Indiana, the children were scattered and taken into other homes to be reared. John T. went to Grant County, and was bound out to Silas Overman, working on the farm as a bound boy until he had completed his apprenticeship at the age of twenty-one. He was then ready to make his independent start, having received for all his labor only his board and clothes, and had a few dollars and a pair of overalls as extra clothing when he started for himself. In 1846, four years after he had reached his majority, on the twenty-second day of April, he married Rebecca Jay, who was born in Indiana, September 15, 1827, and who died August 29, 1868, in Illinois. John T. Morris lived on a farm in Grant County for a number of years, later moved to Illinois, spent some time in the far northwest in the State of Oregon, afterwards returned to Indiana, and lived first in Rush County, and later at Newcastle, in Henry County. He still lives at Newcastle, being a remarkably well preserved old gentleman, who has never been obliged to wear glasses and has his hearing almost perfect. He is an intelligent reader, and has had many exceptional experiences during a long career. He has been a life long member of the Quaker Church, and in politics, has always voted for the prohibition cause. During his residence in Rush County he married for his second wife Sarah Ann gray, a native of Indiana, who died in Rush County. For his third wife he married Mrs. Emily (Macey) Winslow, who is now past seventy-six years of age. there were no children by the second and third marriages, but those by his first wife were as follows:

  1. Thomas Elwood, born February 9, 1847, now a resident of Florida, and by his first marriage had children Charles L. Clarkson D., and William. By his second wife he was the father of Myrtle, Earl, Esther and Harry, all of whom are living but Esther.

  2. Aaron, born January 25, 1849, died June 29, 1876, unmarried.

  3. Mary Eliza, born March 17, 1852, died in August 1887 in Grant County, Indiana. She married Christopher Porter, also deceased. They had four children: Anna, John, Lizzie and Florence, all of whom are deceased.

  4. Bryon, born July 7, 1854, married Elizabeth Hodson, and is a Dentist at Portland, Oregon. Their children were Willis, Chester and Lewis.

  5. Luther Lee was born June 6, 1857, and is mentioned in the following paragraphs.

  6. Eli O. was born December 21, 1859, and died unmarried July 1, 1876.

  7. Emma was born March 28, 1863, and died January 17, 1878.

  8. Daniel born August 20, 1865, with present whereabouts unknown, but if he is living he is probably in Alaska.

    Luther Lee Morris was born in Indiana, spent most of his early life and received his education in Rush County, and grew up on a farm. After he became of age he located in Grant County, took up farming, and was also engaged in tile manufacturing. For some time he resided at Marion, and was a street paving contractor for a time. later he engaged in the wood and fuel business and about twenty years ago moved to Fairmount. He is now Street Commissioner of the town of Fairmount. In politics he is a Republican.

    Mr. Luther L. Morris was twice married. His first wife was Ida Leapley, who was born in Marion, and who died in that city in the prime of life. Her one son was William Clifford Morris, now a farmer west of Marion, who married Fay Stephens, and has one son, Harry Luther. The second marriage of Mr. Morris was to Melissa Draper of Marion. She was born in grant county on a farm, May 5, 1863, and is still living. Her parents died when she was a child, and she was reared in the home of her grandfather, Hezikiah Nelson. She is the mother of Earl and Otto. The latter was born January 14, 1890, a graduate of the Fairmount Public Schools and the Fairmount Academy, now living at home with his father and mother, and working as a lineman for the local telephone company.

    Earl Morris was born at Marion, June 13, 1886. His early life until he was eight years old was passed within the limits of his native city and he began attending school there. Later he was a student in the Fairmount Public Schools and graduated from the graded school in 1901, and from the Fairmount Academy in the German Scientific and Teacher's Courses. His first regular position in life was as a teacher, and he followed that vocation actively for seven years. Three years of this time were spent as Principal at Fowlerton Public School. In the fall of 1911 Mr. Morris was elected Town Clerk and Treasurer of Fairmount and has given a most proficient administration of the duties of his office. He is a Republican in politics, and fraternally is affiliated with Fairmount Lodge No. 635, F. & A. M., having formerly been a Secretary of the Lodge. Mr. Morris is unmarried.

Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914, page 890-91.

 

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