Robert A. Morris
Cashier of the Fairmount State Bank, was born at Milton, in Wayne County, Indiana, May 16, 1877. His paternal grandparents were George and Rhoda Morris, natives of North Carolina, and his maternal grandparents were Lewis W. and Pricilla M. Thomas, Pennsylvania people. The parents of Robert A. Morris were Aaron and Martha M. Morris, the father born at Milton, November 23, 1834, having died February 15, 1907. The mother (who was a direct descendant of Thomas Lloyd and Samuel Preston, both councilors of William Penn. Lloyd serving as first Governor of Pennsylvania), was born February 3, 1839, and now resides at Pendleton.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Morris were the parents of four children, namely: Louella Burdsall, of New York; W. F. Morris, of Pendleton, Indiana; Robert A. Morris of Fairmount, and Elizabeth Lantz of Pendleton. Robert A. Morris was educated in the public schools at Milton, his home, and at Earlham College.
Early in life, at nineteen years of age, he entered the banking business, being associated with his father in the Pendleton Banking Company. In 1902, with his father, he came to Fairmount and assisted in organizing the Fairmount Banking Company, this institution being later incorporated as the Fairmount State Bank, under which name it is now doing business. Mr. Morris is a stockholder and director of the Pendleton Banking company, of which concern he is President; director of the Citizens Telephone Company, and a director of the Fairmount Commercial Club.
In politics Mr. Morris is a stanch Republican, and a member of the Hicksite Friends. He has served his party as Treasurer of the Grant County Republican Central Committee, and was a member of the Grant County council He is an active member of Fairmount Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, No. 635, having served the local lodge in all the chairs, being now a Trustee.
On October 21, 1908, Mr. Morris was married in Fairmount to Miss Artie Suman, a native of Fairmount Township, and daughter of Harry and Rachel (Lewis) Suman, now residing at Hunter, North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Morris are the parents of one son, William Suman Morris, born January 2, 1913.
Submitted by: Gina Reasoner