Simeon E. Morris, Washington Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Simeon E. Morris, who resides at Franklinton, judicial center of Washington Parish, and who held the office of assessor of this, his native parish, is a representative of one of the old and honored families of this section of Louisiana, the original American progenitor of the Morris family having come from Ireland and established residence in North Carolina in the early Colonial days, while the same record pertains also to the maternal ancestors of Mr. Morris, the Stringfields. Elkanah Morris, grandfather of him whose name introduces this review, maintained his home in Pike County, Mississippi, until 1852, when he moved to Washington Parish, Louisiana, and here became a successful exponent of farm industry. His death occurred in this parish, but he was at the time in service as a soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war. His wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Brock, passed her entire life in Washington Parish. William Stringfield was the maternal grandfather of the former assessor of 'Washington Parish, within whoa borders he maintained his home from his birth until his death, he having been one of the extensive agriculturists of the parish for many years, having been a loyal soldier of the Confederacy during the entire course of the Civil war, and having been eighty seven years of age at the time of his death. Here his wife died at the age of seventy-nine years. She likewise having been born and reared in Washington Parish and her maiden name having been Tabitha Lewis. Both were devout members of the Baptist Church, in which Mr. Stringfield gave many years of service as deacon and Sunday School superintendent. Simeon Elkanah Morris was born on the family homestead farm, eight miles west of Franklinton and the date of his nativity was October 24, 1880. His father, Simeon Volentine Morris, was born in Washington Parish, January 15, 1858, and after his marriage he continued to reside on his farm eight miles west of Franklinton until 1899, when he purchased and removed to a farm five miles east of Tangipahoa in the parish of that name. There he continued his productive industrial activities until November, 1923, since which time he has lived retired, as a member of the family circle of his son, Simeon E., of this sketch. He is a stalwart democrat and is a zealous member of the Baptist Church, as was also his wife. In 1877 Mr. Morris married Miss Elizabeth Stringfield, who was born in Washington Parish in the year 1836, and whose death occurred on the home place in Tangipahoa Parish September 29, 1915. Of the children the eldest is Dora E., who is the wife of Theodore Fortinberry, a prosperous farmer in Walthall County, Mississippi; Simeon E., of this review, was the next in order of birth; Lena is the wife of Edgar Crawford, one of the substantial farmers of Tangipahoa Parish; Maggie, the wife of Hosea Graham, a farmer near Wilmer, that parish; Euna, whose death occurred iii Washington Parish, was the wife of Clayton Hyde, now a resident of Bogalusa, this parish. Simeon E. Morris gained his early education in private and public schools in Iris native parish, and thereafter gave four years of effective service a~ a teacher in the rural schools of this parish. In 1907 he was graduated from the Soule Business College in the City of New Orleans, and thereafter he was bookkeeper for the firm of C. A. Jenkins & Brother at Jenkins, Washington Parish, besides serving as assistant postmaster of the village until 1909. He then purchased the general store of the firm by which he had been employed, and thereafter he continued the business until 1912. During the following year he owned and operated automobiles for general public service at Bogalusa, and in 1913 he became bookkeeper for the M. M. Magee Lumber & Tie Company at Franklinton. In 1915 be here engaged in the general insurance business, and on the 1st of January. 1917, he assumed the office of parish assessor, his second term in which expired December 31. 1924. He then reentered the insurance business, and in addition is selling office supplies for Fitzwilliam & Company of New Orleans. He served one year as secretary of the Town of Franklinton and is one of the active factors in the ranks of the democratic party in his native parish. He and his wife are active members of the local Baptist Church, arid he is a teacher in its Sunday School. Mr. Morris is affiliated with Bogalusa Lodge No. 1338, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Franklinton Camp No. 354, Woodmen of the World. In addition to his attractive home property, on Main Street, Franklinton Mr. Morris owns the farm upon which his father formerly resided in Tangipahoa Parish. February 3, 1905, recorded the marriage of Mr. Morris and Miss Rosa Jenkins, daughter of Charles A. and Elizabeth (Wascom) Jenkins. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have four children, whose names and years of birth are here noted: Jessie, 1907; James Noel, 1909; Inez, 1912; and Wilson, 1916.. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 34-35, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.