Biographical Sketch of William Morrison, Lafayette County, Missouri

>From "History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled
from the most authentic official and private sources" St. Louis, Mo.
Historical Company, 1881.
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William Morrison, was born in Pittsburg, Penn., August 7, 1817, being the
elder of two children.  His parents' names were John Morrison and Nancy
Barnes, and they both died while he was yet young; his mother when he was
only two years old.  His father was a tinner and copper smith by trade,
and he and his brother served in the War of 1812 under Gen. Harrison. His
father moved, when William was quite young, to New Lisbon, Ohio, and 
there he received a common school education.  At twelve years of age he 
left school, so that his education has been mainly a practical one, and
what he has been able to pick up during a very practical life.  The only
legacy he received from his father was the request that he would learn
the trade of a tin and copper smith; and on leaving school he went to
Steubenville, Ohio, and apprenticed himself for five years to that busi-
ness.  In 1836, at the end of his apprenticeship, he went south and 
worked at his trade in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana, until 1840,
when he moved to St. Louis.  Previous to this he had started for the same
point, but the steamer on which he embarked was sunk; he lost everything
he had and returned to New Orleans, where he worked until he had again
acquired the necessary funds.  After a short stay in St. Louis he went to
Lexington, and, in connection with another gentleman, commenced business
on his own account, the means he had saved furnishing him a start.  He
continued the copartnership four years, when he concluded to transact
business alone which he did for two years.  He then associated himself
with a partner, and continued business for seven years, when the partner-
ship dissolved, and he conducted the business alone up to the breaking
out of the war.  Meantime the demand for his goods became so large that
he had to erect a foundry in 1858, which he operated until 1861 with very
great success.  In 1852 he established a branch store in Kansas City for
the sale of his goods, and for ten years largely supplied the Mexican
traders with stoves and camp equipage, etc.  During the war his foundry
was destroyed by the United States government to prevent it from falling
into the hands of the rebel forces.  In 1862 he rebuilt it, and it is 
still in operation.  In 1865 he sold out and turned his attention exclu-
sively to banking, in which he has ever since been engaged.  In 1844 he
was appointed by Gov. Austin A. King director of the part of the state 
in a branch of the bank of the State of Missouri, located at Lexington,
and continued so during its existence.  Immediately succeeding it was the
Farmers' Bank of Missouri with branches at Liberty and Paris, and during
his attendance in the legislature he rendered valuable service in obtain-
ing its charter.  During the twelve years it existed he was a director in
it and one of its stockholders.  Owing to the heavy tax imposed upon 
banking (ten percent) it was finally wound up without any loss to anyone.
He then associated himself with Mr. Wentworth, and in 1864 opened a 
private bank under the style of William Morrison & Co., of which he 
became cashier.  In February, 1875, the firm organized under the state
law, with the style of the Morrison-Wentworth Bank.  He was elected mayor
of the city soon after it obtained its charter.  In 1857-58 he represent-
ed his county in the legislature.  He has been president of the board of
curators of Central Female College since its organization in 1868.  He
also helped organize the coal company which furnishes coal for the 
Pacific Railroad, and is president of the board.  He is also cashier in
the Morrison-Wentworth bank, as well as one of its principal stock-
holders.  His travels have extended over most of the United States and
Canada.  He has been a Methodist for 30 years, and has always been a 
strong Democrat.  He was married in Lexington in 1844, to Miss Elizabeth
Funk, daughter of Henry Funk, a farmer in Illinois, and has four child-
ren, all living, one daughter and three sons.  His daughter is married to
Mr. Henry C. English, a teacher in the deaf and dumb asylum, Fulton, Mo.
His eldest son operates the foundry, his second son is in the bank, while
the third is still at school.  To no one, perhaps, does Lexington owe
more for its growth and prosperity than to Mr. Morrison.  Since he 
settled there he has always done a large business, and for nearly twenty
years kept his foundry running, employing continually from 40 to 60 men.
To his efforts is mainly due the building of the St. Louis and Lexington
railroad, and in every public enterprise he has shown himself to be a
public spirited and liberal man.

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