My Genealogy Hound

W. T. MORRIS, farmer; P. O. Tippecanoe City; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., July 19, 1827; is the oldest child of Ezra and Elizabeth (McKinney) Morris; she was born Jan. 5, 1805, and was the oldest child of Samuel and Sarah McKinney, who were old settlers of Clark Co.; he was widely known as a teacher of vocal music, and is still remembered as such; he would frequently take his daughter Elizabeth with him on horseback through the wilderness, as far as twenty miles, to give instruction in music. Ezra Morris was also the oldest child of his father’s family, born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Aug. 29, 1804; a son of David H. Morris, a native of New Jersey and pioneer of the Western country; he was one of the very first white men that traversed the Miami Valley, which he did as a soldier under Gen. Harmar, and as a hunter; in his youth, he was a soldier of the Revolution; previous to 1800 he settled amid the forests of this vicinity and assisted in establishing the sections of this, and probably other townships; by this means he was enabled to see the country, and made choice of half of Sec. 23, which he entered and improved; in 1825, he donated to the Methodist Episcopal Church 1 acre of land on the southeast corner of said half-section, and did the principal part toward building the first house of worship; it was a log house and known as Pisgah Chapel; ever after his house was the home of the itinerant clergy, among whom were William Raper, Daniel D. Davison and James B. Finley. He married Eve Ann Sailor, with whom he lived happily for more than forty years. On the 3d of April, 1843, he departed this life, in the 74th year of his age, in full assurance of a blissful immortality, leaving a large family to inherit his name and remember his many virtues. Ezra Morris was the father of eight children, of whom only two are now living. His death occurred June 12, 1856. Our subject, in his youth, received very little education, but he is a lover of books, and by his own efforts has obtained a good knowledge of business. He has been Assessor two years, Township Clerk eight or ten years, and has positively refused other offices since. In 1858, he married Elizabeth Wiggin; she died Jan. 2, 1859, aged 21 years 4 months and 11 days. His marriage with Maria E. Garst was celebrated May 7, 1867; she was born in Clark Co. May 25, 1840. The fruits of this union are four children— Mary M., Charles E., Nellie F. and Frank, deceased.