NELSON BONAPARTE MORRIS
Nelson Bonaparte Morris came to Cass county in 1855. In 1857, he entered a quarter section of land in Bear Grove township. He kept this land until 1882, when he sold it to Henry R. Lee, without improvement. In March, 1858, Mr. Morris entered one hundred and twenty acres of land in Sherman township, Monona county, where he located in 1860, and resided until 1882. He then returned to Cass county. His son, Jason H. Morris, now owns the farm which he occupied in Monroe county. Nelson B. Morris was born in Madison county, New York, in 1811. He was reared in his native county upon a farm, and remained there till 1855. In his youth he learned the carpenter's trade, but on account of an accident which rendered him unable to follow that trade, he learned the trade of shoe-making, which he followed about twelve years. Mr. Morris has been twice married. His first wife was Polly Neely, a native of Onondaga county, New York, where she died in 1864. She was of German descent. His present wife was Mrs. William W. Howard, formerly, Mary C. McMurphy. Her father, Solomon McMurphy, was a native of New England. He died while she was an infant. She went to Rock Island county, Illinois, with her grandfather, about 1833, where she was reared and married to William W. Howard, who was a native of Jefferson county, New York, and who removed to Rock Island county when a boy, with his parents. Mrs. Morris came to Cass county with her husband, Mr. Howard, in June, 1855, and settled where Mr. and Mrs. Morris now live, on section 1. The farm, however, was on section 12, adjoining the forty acres on which the house was built Mr. Howard lived upon this place until his death which occurred May 3, 1876. His widow was married to Mr. Morris, September 6, 1882, who has one son by his first wife, Jason H. Mrs. Morris has seven children...George V. Howard, Mrs. Cylinda Gingery, Seneca S. Howard, Mrs. Marietta Green, Samuel R. Howard, Mrs. Amanda M. Bidleman, and Mrs. Emily Kelly. She has lost four children...Daniel O., died December 5, 1882, leaving a family; the other three were Loretta L., William and Turner, all of whom died in infancy. Mary C. Morris, formerly Mary C. Howard, was born in Pike county, Illinois, on the 25th day of December, 1827, and was married to W. W. Howard, September 1, 1843.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 558.
