My Genealogy Hound

Capt. James W. Morris was born in Worcester County, Md., September 29, 1826, and is the son of Philip and Mary (Hall) Morris, also natives of Worcester County, Md. The father was born in 1837, of Irish descent, and died when fifty-five years of age. He began in early life to follow the sea, and made many voyages to different countries. The mother was of English descent, and died in Scotland County, Mo., when eighty-one years of age (July 13, 1872). Her father and four brothers were sea captains, and when not on a voyage the former taught navigation. The mother of our subject was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over sixty years, and by her marriage became the mother of seven children, only three now living. Our subject began his education in Maryland, and finished in Missouri. He was eleven years of age at the time of his father’s death, and the following year the family moved to Hannibal, Mo., where they lived for two years. They then spent some time in Shelby County, after which they moved to the wilds of Scotland County. In 1849 our subject crossed the plains to California, where he was engaged in mining, and was also engaged as a packer on the Trinity River. He also made trips to Oregon, and other States and Territories. The adventures of Capt. Morris while in California would alone make a volume. This venture proved successful, and he returned to Scotland County, Mo., in 1854, by way of Nicaragua and New York. The 14th of September, of the same year, he married Miss Martha Talbott, a native of Pendleton County, Ky., born February 1, 1824, and the daughter of Peter and Martha Talbott. This marriage was blessed by the birth of five children, four now living: Annie, Ella F., John T. and Jennie. James T. died December 6, 1881, when in his twenty-third year. Our subject purchased the farm on which he is now living, but later engaged in merchandising in Memphis, Mo., which he continued until the breaking out of the late war, when he moved back to his farm, and has continued there ever since. During the early part of the war he was made lieutenant, but was afterward promoted to the rank of captain of Company I, of the State militia. Before the war our subject was a Democrat, but since then he has been a supporter of the Republican party. He is a good man, and a prominent and influential citizen. His wife and three daughters are worthy members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he is a ruling elder, in Pleasant Hill Congregation, Kirksville Presbytery, Missouri.