Henry S. Morris Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1237-1238 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HENRY S. MORRIS is not only one of the leading business men and 
representative citizens of Roberts county, but also one of the earliest 
settlers of this part of the state and, as his father, W. K. Morris, 
bore an important part in the early history of eastern Dakota and was 
one of the first white men to locate within the present limits of 
Roberts county, it is appropriate that a brief review of his life be 
given in this connection. W. K. Morris was born in Hartford, 
Connecticut, September 11, 1842, the son of a city missionary who moved 
to Washington county, New York, when his son was an infant. In the 
latter state Mr. Morris grew to maturity and received his education and 
he moved thence to Minnesota, in 1864, locating in Blue Earth county, 
where he made his home until 1870. In that year he was selected to take 
charge of the Good Will Mission in South Dakota, and on December 1st he 
set forth with two yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows hitched to two wagons 
containing his family and a modest outfit of household goods. After a 
journey of fourteen days he arrived at his destination, seeing no white 
men after passing the town of New Ulin until reaching the mission. Mr. 
Morris had never seen any Sioux Indians until he reached his field of 
labor, and at that time could neither speak nor understand their 
language. In due time, however, he acquired a thorough knowledge of the 
same and from the beginning his work among the Indians was blessed with 
beneficial results. He taught at Good Will Mission under the supervision 
of Rev. S. R. Reggs until 1873, when he was placed in full charge of the 
school, holding the position during the ensuing seventeen years. In 1890 
he went to the Omaha and Winnebago reservation, where he had charge of a 
school until 1894, at which time he transferred to the church at Pine 
Ridge agency, when he was licensed a minister. After preaching at the 
latter place until July, 1897, he gave up his missionary work and 
settled at Sisseton, Roberts county, near which town he engaged in 
farming and stock raising, but is now living a life of retirement. Mr. 
Morris was married in 1876 to Miss Martha T. Riggs, sister of Thomas 
Lawrence Riggs, of the South Dakota State Historical Society, the union 
being blessed with five children, of whom Henry S. of this review is the 
first in order of birth. Mr. Morris is a man of intelligence and 
culture, and having devoted much attention to South Dakota, its 
settlement and various interests, he is considered an authority on all 
matters relating to the history of the state. 

	Henry Morris, cashier of the First National Bank of Sisseton and 
president of the Citizens' Bank at White Rock, was born at Stirling, 
Minnesota, June 21, 1868. At the age of two years he was brought to 
South Dakota and from that time until a youth in his teens lived with 
his parents at Good Will Mission, where he received his early 
educational training. Later he entered the State University of Minnesota 
and after being graduated from the academic department of that 
institution in 1891, spent one year as special agent of the government, 
making land allotments to the Indians on the reservation. At the 
expiration of the time he was elected clerk of the Roberts county court 
which position he held four years, and then came to Sisseton and 
organized the State Bank, serving as cashier of the same until April, 
1900. In the latter year he resigned his position and established the 
First National Bank of Sisseton, of which he has since been cashier, and 
is now its vice-president, and in addition thereto he is president of 
the Citizens' Bank at White Water, an institution he also helped to 
organize. Politically Mr. Morris is a zealous supporter of the 
Republican party, and as such has been prominent in its councils and a 
successful leader in a number of campaigns. He was chairman of the 
Roberts county central committee in 1896, and rendered valuable service 
in that capacity. 

	Mr. Morris is identified with the time-honored Masonic order, and 
still retains membership with a college fraternity which he joined while 
pursuing his studies in the State University. 

	On December 20, 1892, he was united in the bonds of wedlock with 
Miss Mary Strangsway, and is now the father of four children, whose 
names are Martha D., Wyllys K., Esther F. and Elizabeth R.