Bartholomew County IN Archives Biographies.....Morris, William A. 1858 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 4, 2007, 2:27 pm Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) WILLIAM A. MORRIS. Bartholomew county figures as one of the most attractive, progressive and prosperous divisions of the state of Indiana, justly claiming a high order of citizenship and a spirit of enterprise which is certain to conserve development and marked advancement in the material upbuilding of the section. The county has been and is signally favored in the class of men who have controlled its affairs in official capacity, and in this connection the subject of this review demands representation as one who has served the county faithfully and well in positions of distinct trust and responsibility. He is now acting as county auditor of Bartholomew county. One of the native sons of this county, Mr. Morris was born on the 9th of July, 1858, and is a son of John R. and Minerva (Robertson) Morris. The father was a native of Pennsylvania and was of Pennsylvania Dutch lineage, while the mother's birth occurred in Clark county, Indiana. She was there reared and both Mr. and Mrs. Morris were successful teachers in the public schools prior to their marriage. Becoming acquainted, their friendship ripened into love and they were joined in wedlock in Clark county. Subsequently they came to Bartholomew county as pioneer settlers and for a number of years resided in Clifty township, where the subject of this review was born. People of superior intellectual attainments and high moral worth, they left their impress for good upon the community and gained for themselves many warm friends who accord to them a high measure of respect. William A. Morris was the fourth in order of birth in a family of eight children, five daughters and three sons, and of this number four are still living, two brothers and two sisters. His boyhood and youth were passed in the usual manner of farm lads of the period. He worked in the fields through the summer and in the winter seasons attended the common schools, mastering the branches of learning which formed the curriculum there. He was twenty-one years of age when he left the farm and started out in life on his own account. He had gained practical experience of farm work in all of its departments and his knowledge he put to use upon his own place. In 1881 Mr. Morris was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Williams, a native of Bartholomew county who spent her girlhood days here and acquired her education in the common schools. Unto them were born four children, Bessie, Guy, Harry and Maude, all of whom are now at home. The wife and mother died March 5, 1902, and her loss was deeply deplored by many warm friends as well as her immediate family. At the time of his marriage Mr. Morris began farming on his own account upon a tract of land belonging to his father. He is today the owner of one hundred and forty-two acres of land in Clifty township, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation and has also improved it with splendid buildings. Everything about the place is neat and thrifty in appearance and indicates the supervision of a careful and progressive owner. He has also been actively engaged in shipping stock for the past fifteen years, making large purchases and sales, on which he realizes a good income. It was in the year 1902 that Mr. Morris was elected to his present position as auditor of Bartholomew county. In his political affiliations he is a Republican and has ever kept well informed on the issues and questions of the day, thus being able to support his position by intelligent argument. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, nominated him for the position of auditor in 1902 and, being elected, he entered upon the duties of the office on the 1st of January, following. In his work he is methodical, systematic and accurate and is therefore proving a capable official, over whose public career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. His life has been an active, useful and honorable one. He and his family are members of the Christian church and he has served as elder of the Newbern church, with which he is identified. In political thought and action he has always been independent, carrying out his honest views without fear or favor. In business he has achieved success through consecutive effort, untiring industry and capable management. He has ever been most loyal to the duties of friendship and of citizenship and his history well deserves a place in the annals of his native county. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/morris856gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 5.2 Kb