My Genealogy Hound

JOHN MORRISON. For more than a century the Morrison family have made Cumberland county, Pa., their home, and for nearly that long they have lived in Dickinson township.

The father of John Morrison was William Morrison, a native of Ireland who emigrated to America when a boy with his parents. He was but a youth when he located in Cumberland county, where, at Carlisle, he was for some years the door-keeper of the jail. In 1805, when he was about twenty-one, he located in Dickinson township. He died in 1834. His wife, Sarah Wolf, was born in Cumberland county, a daughter of William Wolf, who came to this country from Germany when seven years of age, and resided in Cumberland county until his death; both William Wolf and his wife are buried at Boiling Springs. Mrs. Sarah Morrison survived her husband many years, making her home with her son John until her death, Feb. 20, 1872, at the age of eighty years. She was the mother of six children. Margaret, Mrs. Ann Knopp, John, William, Samuel and James.

John Morrison, the subject of this sketch, was born in Cumberland county July 1, 1818, and passed his early life on the arm, attending school in Dickinson township during the winter seasons. For four years he lived on the old Glen Farm, and then, in 1853, bought the Samuel Woods place of 131 acres, in Dickinson township, six miles from Carlisle. He also owned a tract of fifty acres of timberland on the South Mountain. On Feb. 24, 1842, he married Jane Lockard, daughter of Samuel and Catherine Lockard. The following children were born of this union: (1) Grizelle married Peter Hollinger, a farmer of Dickinson township, later of Mt. Holly, and died in Gettysburg. (2) Winfield Scott is mentioned below. (3) Caroline married Enos Stoffer and lives in Carlisle. (4) William H., born in 1849, married Katie Cline, has two children, and now resides in Kansas. (5) Frank G. is a resident of Illinois. (6) Sarah Catherine married William Martin, of Carlisle, and has seven children. (7) Anna Mary, now Mrs. Reuben Martin, has two children and resides in Dickinson township. (8) John S. is a resident of St. Joe, Miss. (9) Martin Luther is in Oklahoma.

John Morrison was a worthy son of Cumberland county. Born July 1, 1818, he died Sept. 6, 1892, and for the seventy-four years of his life he did his part in forming the history of Dickinson township. His wife survived him nine years, dying March 23, 1901. He was good to look upon; over six feet tall, his broad shoulders, his large chest, his large head, his erect air, his firm walk, his open face, his frank blue eyes, his benign smile, his look of general good will made it a pleasure to meet him. In his youth he was the champion wrestler for many miles. He was all of his life one of those most important factors in the county — the genial, determined, high-minded, independent countryman who had his opinion upon every matter of public and private interest and was ready to stand by that self-formed opinion to the end. When he was a young man, slavery was one, if not the question of the day. Mr. Morrison was one of the sympathizers who formed a division of the “Underground Railroad” in Cumberland county. So well did this group of men guard their secret that the whole history can never be told in this world. That there was a regular route through Cumberland county is an established fact, and one of the hiding places of these slave fugitives was a bit of swamp land on the farm of John Morrison and Richard Woods. Fortunate would the historian be who could know what scenes took place on that strip of land or who could know what those men knew of the “Underground Railroad.” but as they guarded the poor blacks who trusted them with their lives, so they kept their secret and it died with them. The writer was once shown this station by one of these men and told incidents connected with its history. Happy country to have such a citizen as John Morrison, one who, at such a crisis, could throw himself into the breach and help the weak until public sentiment was aroused and declared that such a crime as slavery or a barter of flesh and blood must cease. It was during the exciting times that preceded the Civil war that the Butler episode occurred. The Butler family were residents of Dickinson township. One night they were captured and an attempt made to carry them south to then alleged owners. The whole township was aroused by the news, a warrant issued for the arrest of the kidnappers, and the sheriff hurried after the party. With him went John Morrison as the representative of the community. All haste was made and the kidnappers overtaken just as they had crossed the line into Maryland. To make an arrest there was impossible. Mr. Morrison waved a letter and called “Come and get this.” Back came the curious kidnappers, and, once within the clutch of those strong arms, escape was impossible. The sheriff arrested the men and the Butler family were rescued. Had it not been for the courageous heart and strong arm of John Morrison these free negroes would have been sold into slavery.

Mr. Morrison was emphatic in his belief in Republican principles. His religious convictions led him into the Methodist Church, of which both he and his wife were consistent members. He was honest in thought, straightforward in action, a strong character.