MORRIS, Furman from the "Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa" ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Sue Baker < gonfishn@millcomm.com > ==================================================================== FURMAN MORRIS, a popular and prosperous citizen of Center Township, Pottawattamie County, 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 County, 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 County, New Jersey, 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 County, Illinois, in 1855, where they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying in June, 1889, at the age of eighty-two 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 County, 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 Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry. She resides at Eldena, Lee County, 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 eighteen years of age when he went to Illinois and settled in Lee County. In 1861, in answer to President Lincoln's call for volunteers, he enlisted in Company D, Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Stolie 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 equipment. He has been twice married, first, February 20, 1866, in Ogle County, Illinois, to Miss Sarah Putnam, a 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 eight or nine 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 Robert Provard Post, No. 414, of Carson. ==================================================================== If you would like more information about anyone mentioned in this biography, please write to the Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society at: PO Box 394 Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0394 ====================================================================