Morris, Benjamin

MORRIS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 16:20:15

BENJAMIN MORRIS
born Oct 7, 1821, KY

History of Warren County, Iowa; Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns & Etc., by Union Historical Company, 1879, p.671
MORRIS, BENJAMIN, farmer, Jefferson Township, Sec. 14; P.O. Lothrop; is a native of Clark county, Kentucky; born October 7th, 1821, and came from there to Shelby county, Ind., with his parents when about four years old, and remained there till he came to this county, in October, 1853. He was married in Shelby county, Indiana, to Miss Artie Keck, a native of West Va., Dec. 17, 1846; she was born Nov. 11, 1827; they have a family of seven children living: Daniel T., Annie, Willis G., Marion F., Allen M., Riley, and Dora, and three deceased: Clark, Greenlee, and Elda. Annie is now the wife of D. S. Myers; they have one son: Willis A. Mr. Morris owns a farm of 281 acres.

Benjamin Morris, of Warren county, is well known as one of the old pioneers, having for more than forty years been one of the representative men of this region. He was born in Hardin county, Kentucky, October 7, 1821, one of eleven children of William Godfrey and Nancy (Young) Morris. Our subject has now only one brother living, Hamilton Morris, of Shelby county, Indiana. William Godfrey, the father, was born at Norfolk, Virginia in 1780. When nineteen years of age the family moved to Kentucky, where he lived until middle life, emigrating thence to Shelby county, Indiana, where he was one of the early pioneers. Where the thriving city of Shelbyville now stands there was at that time but one log cabin. Mr. Morris was a farmer and stock raiser on a large scale, noted as one of the foremost among the leading men there for many years. In early life he served as a soldier in the war of 1812, receiving later, on account of meritorious services, a land warrant from the Government, which was laid on eighty acres in Jefferson township for his son. Mr. Morris was a strong Whig in his political relations. An uncommonly active man up to old age, possessing a remarkable memory, and keeping abreast with the questions of the day, he was for many years a noted man in the region where he lived. His death occurred in 1864, at the age of eighty-four years, universally respected for his sterling qualities. At the time of his death his descendants, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren numbered 202. His father, William Morris, was a native of England, but came to this country in the early days of the colonies, settling in Virginia. He was at one time a large slave owner, but on leaving Virginia in 1799, he gave them their freedom, having become convinced of the wrong of the system of slavery. William Morris located in Kentucky and there spent his later life dying at the age of ninety-three years. His first cousin, Robert Morris, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
The mother of our subject, nee Nancy Young, was a Kentuckian by birth and a daughter of James and Mary (Quinn) Young. The father, of Irish descent, served through the seven years of the Revolution. During an Indian uprising in Kentucky his parents and all their children excepting himself and a brother were killed. He lived to old age, dying in Kentucky. His wife's ancestry were of Scotch descent. She lived to the age of sixty-nine years.
Benjamin Morris, the subject of this sketch, was but four years of age when the family left his native State for Indiana, and he resided in Shelby county, that State, from 1824 to 1853, in the latter year removing to the place where he now lives, on section 14, Jefferson town township, Warren county. Iowa. He entered eighty acres of Government land, afterward purchasing 240 acres, and became a prominent farmer and stock-raiser. Mr. Morris has always been recognized as one of the well informed, public-spirited men of this county, ever ready to forward any good work, and has served his township as Trustee. A Whig in early life, his first presidential vote was cast for William Henry Harrison, and he is now known far and wide as an uncompromising Republican and a leader in his party.
December 17, 1846, Mr. Morris was united in marriage with Miss Artie Keck, a native of Virginia, and daughter of Daniel and Priscilla (Chew) Keck. Of their ten children, five besides Mrs. Morris are now living, namely: Benjamin, George, Reason, John, of Kansas City, and Lucinda, now Mrs. Haworth. of Shelby county. Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have had six children: Daniel T., of Winterset, Iowa; Willis G., also of this State; Marion F., and Allen M., of Nebraska; Riley, at home; and Annie, wife of Henry Williams, of Grinnell, Iowa. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.341