Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Morrison, Capt Robert J 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com October 3, 2007, 1:57 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

CAPT. ROBERT J. MORRISON. For his heroism displayed during the Civil war, 
Captain Morrison received the highest praise of his colonel, George W. Kirk, 
and the commendation of all patriotic citizens who appreciate self-sacrifice 
in behalf of our country. At the close of the war, in September, 1865, he came 
to this county, bringing with him a wagon and also two horses that had been 
with him in the army. For a time he rented a farm on the edge of Kendall 
County, after which he bought a  place in Plainfield Township and later bought 
and sold other property. Coming to Joliet in 1879, he embarked in the lumber 
business and also from 1880 to 1883 was call man in the fire department, then 
from 1883 to 1888 was driver of steamer No. 1, being transferred in 1888 to 
East Side No. 3. In 1891 he resigned and began to devote his attention 
entirely to the real-estate business, in which he had previously become 
interested. In 1894 he was appointed deputy city and township assessor.
The following year he was elected city and township assessor on the Republican 
ticket, by a majority of three hundred and sixty over his town opponents. In 
1896, 1897, 1898 and 1899 he was re-elected, the last time without opposition, 
and he now gives his whole time to the duties of the office, superintending 
the work of his corps of assistants.

William Morrison, a Scotchman, removed to Manchester, England, and years later 
settled on a farm near Belfast, Ireland, where he died. His grandson, Robert 
Morrison, was born in Manchester, England, but grew to manhood in Ireland, 
where he learned the painter's trade. In 1832 he married Elizabeth Bell, who 
was born in Belfast, Ireland, her father, David, having removed from his 
native place, near Glasgow, Scotland, to Belfast, Ireland, in order to 
establish a shoe factory there. The year after his marriage Mr. Morrison 
brought his wife to America and settled in New York City, where he worked at 
his trade. In 1842 he went to Toronto, Canada, where he remained until 1845, 
and then settled in Baltimore, Md., afterward went to Philadelphia, thence to 
New York City, and in 1847 returned to Toronto, from there going back to 
Baltimore. October 26, 1856, he removed his family to Carter County, Tenn., 
where he cultivated a farm and also worked as a contracting painter. A man of  
strong Union sympathies, he had on his farm an underground railroad for 
escaping Federal prisoners, and one of his sons, William, was a pilot for the 
refugees. He himself was several times taken prisoner by Confederates, but, 
being a great favorite throughout that entire region on account of his fine 
business qualities, his genial manners and his work as a Methodist Episcopal 
local preacher, his life was spared. Not so fortunate was his brother-in-law, 
James Bell, who, falling into the hands of the rebels, was shot twenty-six 
times, his brains being beaten out. Two of his sons, William and David, slept 
outdoors every night during the four years of the war. When the war ended the 
family moved to Carroll County, Mo., where the father died at sixty-two years 
of age. His death was caused by an attack of pneumonia brought on by fording a 
stream to keep an appointment for preaching. After his death his wife went to 
Canada, where she died. They had four sons and four daughters, and all but one 
of the daughters still survive. William lives in Johnson City, Tenn.; John, 
who was a prisoner for eighteen months during the Civil war, served in the 
Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry as orderly sergeant of Company B, and is now 
living in Kendall County, Ill.; David lives in Nebraska, making his home at 
Wood River; Mrs. Anna Hill lives at Norborne, Mo.; Mrs. Sarah McKey is at 
Pinkerton, Canada; and Mrs. Elizabeth Walker is in Kansas City, Mo., Mrs. Mary 
McDevitt died at Linton, Canada, April 25, 1898.

The second of the sons, Robert J., was born in New York City May 1, 1840. His 
education was received principally in Canada. With his older brother he 
learned the painter's trade, and afterward was with an uncle, Dr. David Bell, 
for two years, then returned to assist his brother. April 15, 1861, he 
enlisted in Company F, Second Tennessee Infantry, and was mustered in as a 
private at Camp Dick Robinson, Ky. After the battles of Wild Cat, Mills 
Springs and Cumberland Gap, he returned through the rebel lines to Tennessee, 
in order to recruit for the Union army. Securing eighty-nine men, he started 
back to the Union army in the fall of 1861.   During the following winter he 
camped in the mountains of Tennessee, hiding from the Confederates, who were 
in search of him and his recruits. Their food was brought to them by his 
sister, who would put a note in a biscuit telling where the next installment 
of provisions would be hid. Sometimes it would be impossible to get food to 
the men, who would then be reduced to the necessity of eating crow or such 
game as could be found. In 1862 they started to go through the rebel lines, 
traveling at night, wading rivers, and enduring hardships of every kind. When 
within one mile of the Kentucky line they were attacked by Confederates and 
eleven escaped out  of eighty-nine. Afterward these eleven were in hiding for 
four days and nights without anything to eat. Growing desperate with hunger, 
several of the men swam across Powell's River, then crossed the Cumberland 
mountains, where their hunger was partially appeased by some huckleberries 
they fortunately found. About six o'clock one evening they came within sight 
of a man chopping wood and drew lots as to which of the men should speak to 
him. The lot fell on our subject, who went forward, scarcely knowing what fate 
might befall him. However, the mountaineer was a Union man and called to 
him, "Come on." The meal they had of mush and milk and honey seemed to them 
the best they had ever eaten. They had been for four days and nights without 
food and water, and were almost starved. A little later they found five  of 
their comrades, which made their company number eleven, and two others got 
through three weeks later, but the other seventy-six were killed or lost.

Returning to his old regiment, our subject fought at Deep Creek Gap. From 
Kentucky he went to Ohio and took part in several battles with Gen. John H. 
Morgan; later marched into West Virginia. After the battle of Murfreesboro he 
assisted in the taking of Rogersville, where afterward all of his regiment but 
seventy-five men were captured. He was one of the number that escaped. At the 
end of three years he was mustered out and came to Illinois, spending a short 
time at Canton, Fulton County,  and then returning to Tennessee, where he 
helped to mount Gilham's brigade of cavalry, the Eighth, Ninth and Thirteenth 
Tennessee. Next he went to Knoxville and  organized Company C, Third North 
Carolina Mounted Infantry, of which he was commissioned first lieutenant in 
September, 1864, and which engaged in scouting. He led his men three hundred 
miles into North Carolina, where he captured three hundred and twenty-five 
prisoners. In February, 1865, he organized Company I, of the same regiment, 
and was commissioned its captain, serving under General George Stoneman, being 
detached to command twenty-five scouts. He took part in many desperate cavalry 
dashes, where death seemed imminent at any moment, but he seemed to bear a 
charmed life; and in all his service was only wounded once, and that was a 
mere flesh wound. He was constantly on the move. At one time he was in the 
saddle for eighteen days and nights, never making a stop longer than three 
hours. More than once his friends were in doubt as to his fate, and once his 
family were told that he was dead. Nor did they know the report was false 
until he appeared before them in person, when a scene of rejoicing followed 
that could be imagined, but not described. During an engagement at Morristown, 
Tenn., he captured one of his old schoolmates, who is now an attorney in that 
state. After the war closed he was mustered out at Knoxville, Tenn., August 8, 
1865, and returned to his old home, but a month later came to Illinois, and 
has since made Will County his home.

In politics Captain Morrison has always affiliated with the Republicans. For 
many years he has been chaplain of Bartleson Post No. 6, G. A. R., also of 
Mount Joliet Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and is a member of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows. With his wife, he belongs to the Eastern Star and the Ottawa 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church. His marriage took place in Elizabethtown, 
Carter County, Tenn., January 22, 1862, and united him with Miss Hester 
Snider, daughter of William Snider, a native of Sullivan County, that state, 
and a farmer and blacksmith. Several times during the war he was taken a 
prisoner. In February, 1865, he moved to Troy Township, Will County, Ill., 
where he died at seventy-eight years. His father, William, Sr., who was born 
near Philadelphia, Pa., served in the war of 1812 and afterward became the 
owner of large tracts of land in Tennessee. The mother of Mrs. Morrison was 
Mary, daughter of William Jones, an early settler of Tennessee and a soldier 
in the war of 1812. She died in 1874. Of her eleven children eight attained 
mature years. A half-brother of Mrs. Morrison, Joseph Snider, was with our 
subject and made his way through the lines to Cumberland Gap; her own brother 
was taken a prisoner at one time during the war. Captain and Mrs. Morrison 
became the parents of five children, namely: Lizzie, who has charge of the 
millinery department of the Joliet Dry Goods Company; Mary, who died in 1888; 
Minnie H., deceased; William R., a graduate of the University of Illinois, and 
now superintendent at Wichita, Kans., of the city street railroad; and John 
H., who graduated from the medical department of the Northwestern University 
in 1898, and is now engaged in practice at Plainfield, this county. He married 
Catherine E. Downey and they have one daughter, Martha Hester.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900


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