Isle of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Morrison, Emmett M., 1932 

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Col. E. M. MORRISON 

COL. MORRISON DIES AT AGE 91 

Was Brilliant Officer In Confederate Service and Active Isle of Wight Citizen; 
   Funeral Thursday. 

  [Col. E. M. Morrison, one] of the last survivors of the War Between the 
States in Isle of Wight, died at his home in Smithfield at 6:45 this morning 
at the age of 81 years.  Col. Morrison had been ill since Sunday. 

  Funeral services will he held at the residence at 3 o'clock Thursday 
afternoon with the Rev. William Brayshaw, rector of Christ Episcopal church, 
conducting the service.  Burial will be made in Old St. Luke's churchyard. 

  Col. Morrison was for a half-century one of the most active men of his 
section.  Born at Smithfield on August 21, 1841, he graduated from Virginia 
Military Institute in the class of 1861 before he had reached his twentieth 
birthday.  He volunteered his services to the Confederacy and served 
throughout the War with distinction.  His most notable achievement during 
the struggle, was the part he played in the construction of forts along the 
James River.  He built the Jamestown Fort and served as its adjutant under 
Catesby Roger Jones, of Merrimac fame. 

  Following the war he made his home at Smithfield and pursued an active 
business career.  In 1907 he wrote and published a history of Isle of Wight 
county which is frequently referred to as an excellent source of material on 
one of Virginia's oldest counties. 

  Col. Morrison is survived by two sons, George Morrison, of Washington, D.C., 
and Eddie Morrison, of Smithfield, and a brother, E.A. Morrison, of Suffolk.

****************************************************************************** 

Funeral For Col. E. M. Morrison To Be Held Today 

  Colonel E.M. Morrison, age 91, died at the home of his son in Smithfield at 
6:45 a.m. Wednesday.  Colonel Morrison had been in declining health for 
several years.

  Funeral services will be conducted from the home on Church street at 3 p.m. 
Thursday, June 9.  Rev. William Brayshaw, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, 
will officiate.  Internment will be in the family section at Old St. Luke's 
Church.

  The pallbearers will be G.W. Wright, J.B. Jones, T.L. Gwaltney, F.B. 
Simpson, E.H. Cofer, V.W. Joyner, Fred Barrett and James R. Rowell, Jr. 

   The deceased is survived by two sons, George Morrison of Washington and 
Mr. Eddie Morrison of Smithfield.

  Colonel E.M. Morrison, who served with distinction in the war between the 
States, has probably had one of the most active careers of any man of his 
time.

  Colonel Morrison was born August [2]1, 1841.  He was graduated at Virginia 
Military Institute in the class of 1861.  He entered the Confederate service 
May 1, 1861, as lieutenant of engineers and assisted in building forts on both 
sides of the James river, especially that at Jamestown Island.  He was 
adjutant of the post under Catesby Ap-Roger Jones of Merrimac fame.

  When the Confederate army was reorganized in 1862 he was elected captain, 
Company C, Fifteenth Virginia infantry.  He served with this regiment from the 
retreat at Williamsburg. the seven days fight around Richmond, and at the 
battle of Malverin [sic; Malvern] Hill and by death and casualties of the 
field officer, was made major.  He was in command of his regiment at the 
battle of Sharpsburg, Md., and while fighting in the ranks, was badly wounded.

  Then he was confined in a hospital at Baltimore for five months.  When about 
to be exchanged with seventeen others, he was put in close confinement for ten 
days for retaliation of the alleged massacre of negro troops at Fort Pillar 
[sic; Pillow] on the Mississippi River, which, upon investigation, proved to 
be false. [sic; it really happened] 

  He served as lieutenant-colonel and colonel of Fifteenth Virginia infantry 
until the retreat from Petersburg, fought at Sailors Creek, Va., two days 
before Lee's surrender.  He served until September 1, 1865.  He was captured 
with 3,000 others and confined at Johnson Island, Lake Erie, after which he 
returned to his native town, Smithfield, taught the academy here for forty 
years, was county supervisor for thirty years, was the first county 
superintendent of schools for twelve years was postmaster and assistant 
postmaster for thirty years, and compiled the History of Isle of Wight County 
for distribution at the Jamestown Exposition. 

****************************************************************************** 

Col. E. M. MORRISON 

Smithfield, Va., June 9 - Colonel E.M. Morrison, 91, died at the home of 
his son in Smithfield at 6:45 am Wednesday.  Colonel Morrison had been in 
declining health for several years.

   Funeral services were conducted from the home on church Street at 3 pm 
today.  The Rev. William Brayshaw, rector of Christ Episcopal church, 
officiated.  Internment was in the family section at Old St. Lukes' Church.

   The deceased is survived by two sons, George Morrison of Washington and 
Eddie Morrison of Smithfield.

   Colonel E.M. Morrison, who served with distinction in the War Between 
the States, has probably had one of the most active careers of any man of 
this time.

   Colonel Morrison was born August 21, 1841.  He was graduated at Virginian 
Military Institute in the class of 1861.  He entered the Confederate service 
May 1, 1861, as lieutenant of engineers and assisted in building forts on 
both sides of the James River, especially that at James town Island.  He was 
adjutant of the post under Catesby Roger Jones of Merrimac fame.

   When the Confederate army was reorganized in 1862 he was elected captain, 
Company C., Fifteenth Virginia Infantry.  He served with this regiment from 
the retreat at Williamsburg, the seven days' fight around Richmond, and at 
the battle of Malvern Hill and by death and casualties of the field officers 
was made major.  He was in command of his regiment at the battle of 
Sharpsburg, Md and while fighting in the ranks was badly wounded.

   Then he was confined in a hospital at Baltimore for five months.  When 
about to be exchanged with seventeen others, he was put in close confinement 
for ten days for retaliation of the alleged massacre of Negro troops at Fort 
Pillar [sic; Pillow] on the Mississippi River, which, upon investigation, 
proved to be false. [sic; it really happened] 

   He served as lieutenant-colonel and colonel of Fifteenth Virginia Infantry 
until the retreat from Petersburg, fought at Sailor's Creek, Va, two days 
before Lee's surrender.  He served until September 1, 1865.  He was captured 
with 3,000 others and confined at Johnson Island, Lake Erie, after which he 
returned to his native town, Smithfield, taught the academy here for forty 
years, was county's supervisor for thirty years, was the first county 
superintendent of schools, for twelve years was postmaster and assistant 
postmaster for thirty years, and compiled the history of Isle of Wight County 
for distribution at the Jamestown Exposition. 


Colonel Emmett M. MORRISON, first Superintendent of Isle of Wight schools, 
former postmaster & county supervisor, surveyor & historian, 
Confederate veteran, 
b. 21 Aug 1841, d. 8 Jun 1932, at son's home, Smithfield, 
interred in Historic St. Luke's Cemetery*, Benn's Church, 9 Jun 1932, 
"Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 10, No. 68, June 8, 1932, 
   p. 1, col. 5; 
"The Smithfield (VA) Times," Vol. 13, No. 10, June 9, 1932, p. 1, col. 2; 
"The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch," June 10, 1932 

*Isle of Wight County Historical Society {IWCHS} 
   Grave Site Survey Task Force {GSSTF} report #17: 
   http://www.iwchs.com/Cemetery-Reports.html 

Additional information: 

He authored "Isle of Wight County, 1607-1907," for the Jamestown Tricentennial.
   It was a major source for "Historical Notes on Isle of Wight County, 
   Virginia" - both were commissioned & published by the Isle of Wight County 
   Board of Supervisors - and his photographic portrait (which I recall as 
   looming over the reception area of the Co. School Board in the mid-1970's) 
   is included in the latter work. 

He was elected commander of Robert E. Lee Camp No. 4, United Confederate 
   Veterans, when it was organized, 4 Jun 1903. 

King, Helen Haverty, et al. 
"Historical Notes on Isle of Wight County, Virginia" 
(Isle of Wight: Board of Supervisors, 1993) 
esp. pp. 187, 253-61 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Carolyn Keen (VAHistoricHouses@aol.com) & 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/isleofwight/obits/m625e1ob.txt