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Rev Isaac Zachary Taylor Morris

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Rev Isaac Zachary Taylor Morris

Birth
Spalding County, Georgia, USA
Death
10 Dec 1914 (aged 67)
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA
Burial
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section 8E
Memorial ID
View Source
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Friday, December 11, 1914, p. 9:

With almost his last thought for the future of the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society, of which he has been superintendent for sixteen years, Rev. I. Z. T. Morris before his death Thursday night had made and been granted the request that his wife should succeed him as superintendent, and she will take charge at once.

Rev. Mr. Morris' death followed a critical illness which had lasted since Oct. 15, when he was stricken with paralysis. For a number of years he had been a sufferer from Bright's disease, but that was not the cause of his death.

Scores of orphans for whom Rev. Mr. Morris has found homes will be present at the funeral services, which will be held in the Polytechnic Methodist Church at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Practically all of the members of the board of the Home and Aid Society are on the list of active pallbearers, which follow:

Active -- F. G. McPeak, William Bryce, W. L. Smallwood, E. L. Cochran, E. A. Cowan and H. B. Francis.

Honorary -- Rev. R. C. Armstrong, Rev. A. P. Lowry, Rev. C. A. Evans, Rev. J. P. Mussett, Rev. J. A. Walkup, Rev. G. C. Rankin of Dallas, Rev. C. R. Wright and Rev. W. E. Boggs.

All of the members of the Morris family who are in Fort Worth were at his bedside, and in addition a brother, John W. Morris of Comanche, Texas, was here when the end came.

Rev. Mr. Morris is survived by his wife; three sons, Marvin W., Oscar V., and Rob T., all of Fort Worth; four daughters, Mrs. Ruth Whitaker of Wichita Falls, and Misse Ethel, Gertrude and Luck Key Morris, all of Fort Worth; two grandchildren, Alton Ruth Whitaker and Francis Whitaker; two brothers, Rev. J. V. M. Morris of Athens, Ga., and John W. Morris, and a sister, Mrs. M. E. M. Herlong of Luverne, Ala.

Rev. Mr. Morris was known and loved in all parts of the state because of his work for the Home and Aid Society, the thing into which he has put the most heartfelt interest of his life. The society during the sixteen years of its existence, has obtained homes for more than 1,000 children, and Rev. Mr. Morris never would consent to making his part of the work merely supervisory.

He had a personal acquaintance with practically every one of the 1,000 whom he has helped, and made it a point to continue correspondence with each one after he or she had been placed in a home.

A recent incident gives an idea of the unfaltering interest he took in the work. Shortly after the founding of the society, Rev. Mr. Morris obtained a home for a boy about 5 or 6 years old -- a home in which the boy appeared to be happy. When the child started to school and learned to read and write, Rev. Mr. Morris began to correspond with him, and that correspondence was continued until six year ago, when the boy suddenly ran away from his adopted home. During the years that have passed Mr. Morris never ceased to search for him, and just recently located him in Kansas City. He wrote at once and received a penitent answer from the runaway, expressing a desire to return. Arrangements for his return now have been practically completed, the aged superintendent directing how the case should be handled even after he was forced to lie helpless on his bed.

Since it became known that Rev. Mr. Morris' illness was serious, letters have been pouring in from scores of towns, expressing the sympathy and interest of those for whom he has located homes. He made a request that every one of them be answered, and his request was complied with.

Rev. Mr. Morris was born in Spaulding county, Georgia, March 21, 1747, and has been a minister since he was 20 years old. He received his degree at Auburn college and then was a circuit rider, later a pastor and after he came to Texas a presiding elder in the Methodist Church.

He came to Texas in 1874, locating first at Houston. There he married Miss Belle Waters, June 12, 1876. He removed to Fort Worth about twenty-three years ago, and for a time was city missionary of the church here. He was one of the founders of the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society, and a few months after its organization sixteen years ago, was appointed to the position which he has occupied ever since -- that of superintendent.

To that work he has devoted his whole time, ignoring all offers of something more remunerative, and as a result he died a poor man, insofar as money is concerned.

He has always opposed allowing the society's work to become entangled in any sort of politics and it was for that reason that he requested the governing board to appoint his wife as his successor. He made the request shortly after the stroke which resulted in his death, when he became convinced he could not recover. He lived to know the request had been granted.

He was deply interested in state politics insofar as it could have a bearing on charitable work and was responsible for the framing of a number of measures whose passage he advocated. One of the laws for which he worked was passed by the Thirty-third legislature, that fixing a heavy punishment for wife desertion, but some of his ideas he did not live to see incorporated into law. One of these was a plan for a state charity board, while another was a pension for mothers, and a law to help those whose husbands are imprisoned.

Rev. Mr. Morris' death occurred at his home, 3130 Avenue H, Polytechnic, which also was state headquarters for the Home and Aid Society and the home to which hundreds of orphans have been brought while plans could be made for their future.


From the Dallas Morning News, Friday, December 11, 1914, p. 11:

Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 10 -- The Rev. I. Z. T. Morris, superintendent of the State Children's Home and Aid Society, who has placed thousands of homeless children in good Texas homes during the last sixteen years, died today at his home in Polytechnic, a suburb of this city.

Dr. Morris was widely known on account of his philanthropic work. He was 67 years of age and was in active service until a month ago, when he was stricken with paralysis, which resulted in his death. He was born in Spaulding County, Georgia, and was ordained a Methodist minister at Alban College, Alban, Ga. He served in the Confederate Army throughout the Civil War and was chaplain of R. E. Lee Camp, United Confederate Veterans, of this city. He moved to Galveston in 1873 and was married to Miss Belle Watters of Houston in 1876. He served as a Methodist minister for many years and was presiding elder for one term. He is survived by his wife and seven children: Marvin W., Robert, Oscar and Misses Ethel, Gertrude and Lucy T. Morris, all of Fort Worth, and Mrs. E. H. Whitaker of Wichita Falls.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Friday, December 11, 1914, p. 9:

With almost his last thought for the future of the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society, of which he has been superintendent for sixteen years, Rev. I. Z. T. Morris before his death Thursday night had made and been granted the request that his wife should succeed him as superintendent, and she will take charge at once.

Rev. Mr. Morris' death followed a critical illness which had lasted since Oct. 15, when he was stricken with paralysis. For a number of years he had been a sufferer from Bright's disease, but that was not the cause of his death.

Scores of orphans for whom Rev. Mr. Morris has found homes will be present at the funeral services, which will be held in the Polytechnic Methodist Church at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Practically all of the members of the board of the Home and Aid Society are on the list of active pallbearers, which follow:

Active -- F. G. McPeak, William Bryce, W. L. Smallwood, E. L. Cochran, E. A. Cowan and H. B. Francis.

Honorary -- Rev. R. C. Armstrong, Rev. A. P. Lowry, Rev. C. A. Evans, Rev. J. P. Mussett, Rev. J. A. Walkup, Rev. G. C. Rankin of Dallas, Rev. C. R. Wright and Rev. W. E. Boggs.

All of the members of the Morris family who are in Fort Worth were at his bedside, and in addition a brother, John W. Morris of Comanche, Texas, was here when the end came.

Rev. Mr. Morris is survived by his wife; three sons, Marvin W., Oscar V., and Rob T., all of Fort Worth; four daughters, Mrs. Ruth Whitaker of Wichita Falls, and Misse Ethel, Gertrude and Luck Key Morris, all of Fort Worth; two grandchildren, Alton Ruth Whitaker and Francis Whitaker; two brothers, Rev. J. V. M. Morris of Athens, Ga., and John W. Morris, and a sister, Mrs. M. E. M. Herlong of Luverne, Ala.

Rev. Mr. Morris was known and loved in all parts of the state because of his work for the Home and Aid Society, the thing into which he has put the most heartfelt interest of his life. The society during the sixteen years of its existence, has obtained homes for more than 1,000 children, and Rev. Mr. Morris never would consent to making his part of the work merely supervisory.

He had a personal acquaintance with practically every one of the 1,000 whom he has helped, and made it a point to continue correspondence with each one after he or she had been placed in a home.

A recent incident gives an idea of the unfaltering interest he took in the work. Shortly after the founding of the society, Rev. Mr. Morris obtained a home for a boy about 5 or 6 years old -- a home in which the boy appeared to be happy. When the child started to school and learned to read and write, Rev. Mr. Morris began to correspond with him, and that correspondence was continued until six year ago, when the boy suddenly ran away from his adopted home. During the years that have passed Mr. Morris never ceased to search for him, and just recently located him in Kansas City. He wrote at once and received a penitent answer from the runaway, expressing a desire to return. Arrangements for his return now have been practically completed, the aged superintendent directing how the case should be handled even after he was forced to lie helpless on his bed.

Since it became known that Rev. Mr. Morris' illness was serious, letters have been pouring in from scores of towns, expressing the sympathy and interest of those for whom he has located homes. He made a request that every one of them be answered, and his request was complied with.

Rev. Mr. Morris was born in Spaulding county, Georgia, March 21, 1747, and has been a minister since he was 20 years old. He received his degree at Auburn college and then was a circuit rider, later a pastor and after he came to Texas a presiding elder in the Methodist Church.

He came to Texas in 1874, locating first at Houston. There he married Miss Belle Waters, June 12, 1876. He removed to Fort Worth about twenty-three years ago, and for a time was city missionary of the church here. He was one of the founders of the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society, and a few months after its organization sixteen years ago, was appointed to the position which he has occupied ever since -- that of superintendent.

To that work he has devoted his whole time, ignoring all offers of something more remunerative, and as a result he died a poor man, insofar as money is concerned.

He has always opposed allowing the society's work to become entangled in any sort of politics and it was for that reason that he requested the governing board to appoint his wife as his successor. He made the request shortly after the stroke which resulted in his death, when he became convinced he could not recover. He lived to know the request had been granted.

He was deply interested in state politics insofar as it could have a bearing on charitable work and was responsible for the framing of a number of measures whose passage he advocated. One of the laws for which he worked was passed by the Thirty-third legislature, that fixing a heavy punishment for wife desertion, but some of his ideas he did not live to see incorporated into law. One of these was a plan for a state charity board, while another was a pension for mothers, and a law to help those whose husbands are imprisoned.

Rev. Mr. Morris' death occurred at his home, 3130 Avenue H, Polytechnic, which also was state headquarters for the Home and Aid Society and the home to which hundreds of orphans have been brought while plans could be made for their future.


From the Dallas Morning News, Friday, December 11, 1914, p. 11:

Fort Worth, Texas, Dec. 10 -- The Rev. I. Z. T. Morris, superintendent of the State Children's Home and Aid Society, who has placed thousands of homeless children in good Texas homes during the last sixteen years, died today at his home in Polytechnic, a suburb of this city.

Dr. Morris was widely known on account of his philanthropic work. He was 67 years of age and was in active service until a month ago, when he was stricken with paralysis, which resulted in his death. He was born in Spaulding County, Georgia, and was ordained a Methodist minister at Alban College, Alban, Ga. He served in the Confederate Army throughout the Civil War and was chaplain of R. E. Lee Camp, United Confederate Veterans, of this city. He moved to Galveston in 1873 and was married to Miss Belle Watters of Houston in 1876. He served as a Methodist minister for many years and was presiding elder for one term. He is survived by his wife and seven children: Marvin W., Robert, Oscar and Misses Ethel, Gertrude and Lucy T. Morris, all of Fort Worth, and Mrs. E. H. Whitaker of Wichita Falls.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Inscription

Father (on footstone)

Gravesite Details

ssw Isabella Morris



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  • Created by: JCF
  • Added: Jun 3, 2011
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70775455/isaac_zachary_taylor-morris: accessed ), memorial page for Rev Isaac Zachary Taylor Morris (21 Mar 1847–10 Dec 1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 70775455, citing Greenwood Memorial Park and Mausoleum, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, USA; Maintained by JCF (contributor 47174419).