Morris, Furman

MORRIS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/22/2019 at 19:46:30

Furman Morris

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.274)
FURMAN MORRIS, a popular and prosperous citizen of Center Township, Pottawattamie Co, Iowa, came to his present location in 1872, when this part of the country was thinly settled. A sketch of his life will be found of interest and is as follows: Mr. MORRIS was born in Middlesex Co., New Jersey, October 3, 1837. His father, Aaron MORRIS, a native of the same vicinity, was a son of David MORRIS, who was also a native of New Jersey and who served in the Revolutionary War as a drummer boy. He was a son of Reno MORRIS, who was killed on the old Morris homestead by a falling tree. They were of Scotch extraction. Our subject's mother, nee Sarah RANDOLPH, was born in Middlesex Co, NJ, the daughter of Richard RANDOLPH also a native of that state. Her grandfather Randolph was born in Virginia, a descendant of the well known Randolph family of the Old Dominion.

Aaron MORRIS and Sarah, his wife, emigrated to Lee Co., Illinois in 1855 where they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying in June 1889 at the age of 82 years. The Morrises are a long-lived people, though the Randolphs usually died in middle life. Aaron MORRIS was a Democrat before the war. He voted for General Fremont, and was a strong Union man. He was a member of the Baptist Church. By his first wife the following children were born to him: Joel W., a resident of Franklin Co., Kansas; Richard R. and Furman, both of the same township; Aaron F., who died in infancy; Sarah, widow of H.A. JEFFS, a Lieutenant of the 34th Illinois Infantry. She resides at Eldena, Lee Co., Illinois; Rachel J., wife of Jerry MOSTELLAR, a grain merchant of Eldena. Some time after the death of his first wife, Mr. Morris married Alvira SMITH, a native of Massachusetts and by her had one daughter, Amanda MORRIS. This daughter resides with her mother at Dixon.

Furman MORRIS was reared on a New Jersey farm and received his education in the public schools of his native state. He was 18 years of age when he went to Illinois and settled in Lee Co. In 1861 in answer to President Lincoln's call for volunteers, he enlisted in Company D, 34th Illinois Infantry. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Perryville, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and Ringgold, Georgia. Mr. MORRIS was taken ill with a chronic disease which disabled him from active duty in the field, and he was sent to Nashville, where he was honorably discharged. From there he returned to his home in Illinois. He bought a farm near Dixon, which he cultivated until 1872 in which year he came to his present location. He bought 160 acres of wild land and afterward acquired more, now being the owner of 240 acres. It is well improved and is devoted to general farming and stock raising. Mr. MORRIS has a comfortable frame house, a good barn and all necessary farm equipments.

He has been twice married, first February 20, 1866 in Ogle Co., Illinois to Miss Sarah PUTNAM, daughter of George and Elizabeth (PERKINS) PUTNAM. The Putnams are relatives of old Israel PUTNAM of Revolutionary fame. The family came from Vermont when Mrs. MORRIS was 8 or 9 years old and settled in Illinois. She died January 26, 1868. Mr. Morris subsequently wedded her sister, Miss ELLEN R. PUTNAM, who previous to her maRriage was a popular and successful teacher. Nine children have been born to them, viz.: Charles L., Louie B., Winnie R., Jennie M., Roy F., Clara Violet, and Ada Pearl. Two are deceased - Mabel and Ida. Mr. Morris, his wife and two of their children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a steward of the church and his family are workers in the Sunday school. Mr. Morris is a member of the Robert Provard Post No. 414 of Carson