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Below is a family biography included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Berry P. Morris was born in Rutherford County, N. C, January 5, 1822, and is the son of Dotson and Caroline (Johnson) Morris, The father was probably born in North Carolina, and was reared in that State. He then went to Alabama, where he remained from about 1831 to 1874, and then moved to Little Rock, Ark., where he died at the last mentioned date. He was a farmer by occupation, and a good man. The mother was born in Burke County, N. C., and died in Alabama about 1872; ten children were born to this union, Berry P. being the third child. He was reared from nine years of age to manhood in Alabama, and remained in that State until 1858, when he came to what is now Logan County, Ark., and farmed there for twelve years. From there he went to Sebastian County, Ark., and tilled the soil there until 1885, when he located at Siloam Springs, and here followed his old occupation of farming. He owns two farms three miles from Siloam Springs, 100 acres, fifty-six under cultivation, but he is residing in the town. Mr. Morris also owns some farms in Sebastian County. He was married, at the age of twenty-four, to Miss Laura Ann Shelton, of Alabama, and they became the parents of eight children: Eustacia J., wife of John Darks; Carroll K., deceased; Burrel H., deceased; Fleetwood, in Sebastian County; Elizabeth, wife of Zachariah Ragsdale; Virgil, a merchant in Siloam Springs; Missouri F. and Barclay, who died fifteen years ago, wife of Henry Graves. The mother of these children died November 3, 1884, and Mr. Morris was married April 29, 1885, to Miss Sarah Hill, of Sebastian County; two children were the fruits of this union: Roscoe C, and an infant, Allen B. Mr. Morris was a Democrat before the war, but since then has been a conservative Republican, and is one of the enterprising citizens of the community. He and wife are members of the Christian Church.

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This family biography is one of 240 biographies included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Benton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Benton County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

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