BIOS: MORRISON Family, Jefferson Township, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Roth Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 162-164 MORRISON Family. The following treats of the family to which belongs Walter Luther Morrison, a music dealer of Somerset borough, who was born August 23, 1865, son of John Henry Morrison. The Morrisons originally emigrated from Scotland. (I) John Morrison, of Scotch parentage, was born in 1795 and died on the old Morrison homestead in Jefferson township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1865, aged sixty-nine years, eight months and twenty-three days, the record reads. He bought the above named homestead in June, 1807, and the grandsons have in their possession the deed which was written on sheep-skin. But three transfers have been made on this land from the United States patent to the present owners, Walter L. and F.W. Morrison, grandsons of John Morrison. This farm is situated about seven miles from the borough of Somerset, Pennsylvania. John Morrison married Rachel Tedrow, born August, 1802, died August 6, 1882. By this issue were born Mary Ann, Catharine Jane, David King, Rebecca K., Sarah A., Missouri, John Henry, born August 24, 1842, Henrietta Minerva, born January 17, 1846. (II) John Henry Morrison, son of John and Rachel (Teddrow) Morrison (I), born August 24, 1842, on the homestead above described in Jefferson township, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, was educated in the common schools and has followed farming all his life. Politically he is a Republican. In their religion the family are Lutherans. He died November 5, 1905. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and Royal Arcanum lodges at Somerset. He married, November 3, 1863, Alice Ann Mason, born February 17, 1840. By this union the issue was: Bina Elmira, born September 6, 1864, married Harry Brough, a farmer; Walter L., born August 23, 1865, music dealer at Somerset, married Maggie E. Fox; Edith Minerva, born November 23, 1866, married Samuel Stoffer, a Lutheran minister, now residing in Canada; Rachel Rebecca, born May 10, 1868, married Ed. E. Morrison, a merchant; Mary Ann, born September 8, 1869, died in infancy; Thomas Monroe, born September 16, 1873, married Edna McCleary; Freeman Ward, born January 6, 1875, married Stella Jorder; Nettie Jane, born September 4, 1876, married George Countryman; Myrtle Grace, born February 8, 1880, with her parents at home in Jefferson township. Of the Masons it may be said in this connection that they came from England. The grandfather, Thomas Mason, died January 16, 1874, aged almost seventy years. His wife, Rebecca (Long) Mason, died March 11, 1886, aged sixty-six years and six months. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mason were: Alice A., Harrison H., born April 7, 1842; Edith, Jenny, Lewis, Amanda, Thomas, James, Flora-Jennetta. (III) Walter Luther Morrison, son of John Henry and Alice Ann (Mason) Morrison, born August 23, 1865, received an education such as was afforded in the district schools of his native township, Jefferson, Somerset county, Pennsylvania. He was reared to farm labor and after he left school went to Carroll and Lee counties, Illinois, where he farmed about a dozen years. While in Illinois he was employed by Miller, the music dealer of some note, at Dixon, of that state. He was with him five years, after which he went into the music trade on his own account at Lanark, Illinois. In January, 1901, he returned to Somerset, Pennsylvania, where he established the first exclusive music house of the place. In 1902 George W. Knepper became his partner, but a year later he withdrew and I.T. Holland became partner and they are both proprietors of what is styled the "Morrison Music Company", whose place of business in No. 34 Main Street, Somerset, Pennsylvania. Their trade is extensive and reaches out over Somerset, Cambria, Bedford, Westmoreland and Fayette counties, Pennsylvania, as well as over into the state of Maryland. Among the pianos handled by this firm are the "Weber, Steck, Jefferson, Schaeffer, Wheelock, Stuyvesant, Keller." They also handle the best of automatic instruments and carry a full line of organs and sewing machines. Eight men are employed and five teams are kept busy in the rural district. Mr. Morrison is a member of the United Evangelical church. He protects his family by a membership in "old line" and fraternal insurance companies, being a member of the Woodmen of America. In domestic relations it may be said that Mr. Morrison married, January 14, 1886, at Fair Haven, Illinois, Maggie E., daughter of Henry and Sarah (Senneff) Fox, born May 14, 1867, at Fair Haven, Illinois. Her paternal grandfather was Godfrey Fox, of German descent. In the family of Henry and Sarah Fox were born the following children: Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, Mary Flick, Mina Sinflinger, Mrs. Eliza Longfellow, Mrs. Anna McMillen, Elias B., William H., Maggie Ellen (Mrs. Walter L. Morrison), Cyrus Edwin, and three who died in infancy, John, Elsie and Sarah Alice. To Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Morrison have been born: Hazel May, February 8, 1887, died October 10, 1897; Clarence Guy, May 15, 1889; Helen Grace, February 21, 1898; Harry Edwin, June 16, 1900. The living of these children are all in the public schools of Somerset, obtaining a good education.