Morris family

MORRIS, EBERT

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 6/4/2007 at 00:37:43

Source: Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, September 22, 1954

Morris family marks a homestead centennial
Stockport -- Descendents of Georgeia and Matilda Morris gathered at the family homestead 1 1/2 miles east of Stockport Sunday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the family home place.

George Morris was one of eight children of Henry and Jane Morris. He came with his parents from Kentucky to Van Buren County in 1838. The family traveled by covered wagon.

In 1854 he married Matilda Ebert, and they established the family homestead.

The couple had 10 children, four of whom died in childhood.

Sunday the six surviving children gathered with other descendents to observe the centennial of the family home. The children are Mrs. Carrie Taylor, 89; Schuyler, 86; Mrs. Ingaba Downard, 84; Jay, 79; Talbert, 77, and Delbert, 72. Mrs. Downard lives in Fairfield and Delbert lives in Burlington. The others live in the Stockport vicinity. Jay resides on and cares for the old homestead.

108 registered for the celebration. There are 186 direct descendents and approximately 300 relatives counting those related by marriage.

There were five babies under one year. Two-weeks-old, Mark Boley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Boley, was the youngest.

The family consists of 14 in the second generation, 38 in the third, 80 in the fourth and 45 in the fifth. Eight sets of twins have been born in the family.

The blessing before the picnic dinner at noon was asked by Reston Morris, superintendent of Green County schools. Members of the family spent the day in visiting, taking pictures and exchanging memories of family events.

Relatives came from New York City, Monmouth, Ill., Memphis and Kahoka, Mo., Jefferson, Des Moines, Burlington, Fairfield, Mount Pleasant, Donaldson, Keosauqua, Birmingham and Stockport.