Big Timber Pioneer, January 31, 1929
John B. Morris, Early Day Settler, Died Tuesday Evening
John B. Morris, a real pioneer of the west, and of Sweet Grass county, died at the Forsythe hospital Tuesday evening after a long illness of heart trouble. Funeral service will be held at the Patterson chapel at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon, Rev. V. P. Eastman of the Congregational church in charge. Interment will be in Mountian View by the side of his wife who died in 1915, and a son Alfonso, who passed in 1910.
John B. Morris was born at Quincy, Ill. June 8, 1852. In 1872 he came west being in this vicinity, then going to California. From there he went into Nevada, according to a conversation he had with the editor of the Pioneer a few months ago, at a time when the famous Comstock mine was worldwide talk. There he met Oliver P. Templeton, first sheriff of Park county, who he stated, at the same hotel with him in 1874-75. In 1883 he was at Bozeman, where he first ran onto Templeton in Montana. At that place he was married, 1883 to Dora M. Gage, sister of Mrs. Horace G. Bartlett of Livingston whose parents were on Duck creek, at the old A. M. Clark ranch, then known as the Gage ranch in 1867. Later he located on Swamp creek, then on Little Timber creek, at the foot of the Crazies, where 14 children, 10 sons, and four daughters were born. Those living are: Mrs. N. J. Tintinger, Mossmain, Mont.; Mrs. Nina Stonefield, Bozeman, Mont.; Mrs. Thomas Dooley and Mrs. N. W. McKenney, Springdale, Mont.; Chester A Morris, Meyer Falls, Wash.; Benjamin F., Butte; Abe, Kettle Falls, Wash..; Monty M.; Lewiston, Idaho; Grover H, Mcleod; Jake D., Sam J., Clay J., and Dewey Morris, all of Big Timber. There are also 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Personally, Mr. Morris was known to practically every resident of this county by all of whom he was held in highest esteem. Of late years he had made his home in this city, where his jovial manner and carefree life made him a welcome visitor with both old and new friends.