Morris, George R.

MORRIS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/29/2021 at 13:59:45

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.395

GEORGE R0BERT MORRIS
George Robert Morris, successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising in Otter Township, has been a lifelong resident of Warren County, his birth occurring in Indianola, February 15, 1863, and he has never been outside the county limits longer than three months at a time. He has never missed a primary and has always voted the Republican ticket.
Robert Morris, the father of our subject, was born in Vermilion County, Indiana, in 1837, and on leaving that state came to Warren County, Iowa, trading Indiana property for a farm in Otter Township, near the present home of our subject. He was married in Indianola to Mrs. Phoebe (Gee) Brinkerhoff, who was born in Ohio about 1838 or 1839 and being left an orphan at an early age was brought to Indianola as a child by the father of Moses Barker, by whom she was reared. By her first marriage she bad one daughter, Annie Brinkerhoff, who married William Morris and died in Indianola about fifteen years ago. She and her husband had resided in Smith County, Kansas, and in that state he died in 1906, leaving two daughters and one son, while two others are deceased.
After his marriage Robert Morris crossed the plains with a party to Den­ver, traveling with ox-teams, and for two years he remained in Colorado search­ing for gold. It was in that state that his son Edward was born. He then returned to Indianola and resumed farming in this county. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-fourth Iowa Volunteer In­fantry, and remained in the service for four years, or until hostilities ceased. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg and other important engagements, but was never injured though he suffered from disease in the south. At the close of the war he returned home and followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1882. He was a very prominent and successful farmer and stock-raiser, owning over four hundred acres of well improved land, which he kept under a high state of cultivation. He was reared in the Friends Church and was a man highly respected by all who knew him. His estimable wife survived him for several years, passing away in 1895.
Unto them were born the following children: Flora B., is the wife of W. 0. Starbuck, who was a farmer of Warren County but on account of ill health removed to Eugene, Oregon, in 1906, where he is now engaged in the real-estate business. Edward died at the age of fourteen years. George R., of this review, is the next of the family. Charles O. and F. O., were twins. The former attended Simpson College and became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died at Imperial, Nebraska, at the age of forty-one years, leaving a widow and two children who reside in Indiana. F. O., a farmer and stock-raiser of Madison County, Iowa, married Mahala Arnold, of Truro, and they have a large family, one son named Theodore, called Teddy; Victor J., owns and operates the old Starbuck homestead in Otter Township, which farm was purchased by the father just before his death and adjoins the Morris homestead. He married Minnie Walker, who lived near Wick, Warren County. Elizabeth is the wife of John Cline and now resides in Eugene, Oregon. Wilda W., married a lady from Idaho and now owns a farm near Springfield, Oregon, though he was formerly a railroad man. Myrtle is the wife of L. Elmer Hiatt, a farmer residing west of Indianola. Carrie is the wife of Stacy Scott, who was born and reared in Polk County, Iowa, but is now engaged in the machine, windmill and pump business at Flathead Valley, Montana.
George R. Morris attended the country schools near his boyhood home and remained with his parents until his marriage. At one time he spent three months in Nebraska but with that exception he has always remained on the old homestead in Otter Township. He is now the owner of two hundred and fifty-three acres of very productive and valuable land and in addition to its operation he also cultivates one hundred acres more. He is a breeder of fine horses, cattle and hogs, making a specialty of Percheron horses, shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, and this branch of his business he has found quite profitable.
In 1885 Mr. Morris was married to Miss Flora Wachtor, who was born in Madison County, Iowa, in September, 1866, and was there reared and educated. Her parents were J. J. and Catherine (DeWitt) Wachtor, early settlers of this state. Her father was a native of Switzerland and a. cabinetmaker by trade. Crossing the ocean at the age of sixteen years, he first located in Batavia, Iowa, where he remained until after his marriage and then removed to Peru, Madison County. During the Civil War he entered the army but after nine months service was discharged on account of disability. In his business affairs he met with success. He died in Madison County in 1898 and his wife passed away in 1875. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Albert, who married Sophronia Tracy and now lives near Tecumseh, Nebraska, where he is extensively engaged in raising Poland China hogs; Henry, who is married and is employed as foreman in a large sawmill in the state of Wash­ington; James, who died in Peru, Iowa, about fifteen years ago; Ulrich Z., who is married and is a merchant of Peru; Flora, the wife of our subject; Ira, who married Josie Bailey and is a mechanic, of Indianola; and Mary, the wife of Lincoln Silliman, who served as sheriff of Madison County for one term and later engaged in the machinery business but is now engaged in farming near Winterset. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Morris have been born four children: Hugh W., who was born in 1.886 and is still at home; one who died in infancy; Archie Roy, who was born in August, 1890, and married Stella Smith, a daughter of Arthur and Lizzie Smith, of Otter Township; and Lester Edward, who was born in May, 1892; and is now attending school.
As school director, Mr. Morris has done much to promote educational interests in his community, and he never withholds his support from any enterprise which he believes will promote the moral and social welfare of his township and county. Both he and his estimable wife are members of the Metho­dist Episcopal Church.