s/o John F. Morris (1820-1891) & Rebecca Ashcom Morris Pierce (1830-1897). Occupations: Hotel owner, "Morris Hotel", county coroner, furniture maker, cook. Although there is no military record, he claimed that he enlisted in the 5th Kentucky Calvary in 1864 at the age of 17 and was a "dispatch rider".
Although his widow’s 1930 pension application was rejected for lack of records and witnesses, John and Rebecca’s eldest son, J. D. Morris, “served with credit for two years in the Civil war in the Fifth Kentucky cavalry” as a “Dispatch Rider” at the age of seventeen (sic), beginning in April 1864, and “has the distinction and honor of having served his country faithfully in the Civil war.” He continued serving diligently as the Captain of the G. A. R. where he later lived, attending national encampments for many years.
One scenario might have been that by the time he came of age, there may not have been an opportunity to enlist in Valparaiso, so in 1864 he may have taken the train to visit the Pelton family in Louisville and enlisted there. There was a close connection between Rebecca and her sister, Mary Pelton. Also, their mother, Elizabeth Ashcom, living in Valparaiso in 1860, died in Louisville in 1869. Maybe Elizabeth took her grandson, Joseph, with her when she moved.
If he had been a dispatch rider during that time, he would have seen action with Sherman’s famous (or infamous, depending on which side you were on) March through Georgia. His “Scorched Earth” policy of “Total War” cut the Confederacy in two and shortened the war by months.
Beginning with Joseph’s arrival in April, the 5th Kentucky was in Nashville with the 3rd Kentucky and the 20th Illinois Mounted Infantry on April 2, 1864. On the 3rd of May, Colonel Baldwin commanded the regiment as it entered the Atlanta campaign. At Adairsville, they engaged the enemy and “drove them all day.” They moved to Kingston on the 19th on roads not occupied by the Armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee.
They made a complete circuit of Atlanta with Sherman’s Cavalry by crossing the Chattahoochee River to Jonesboro, then to McDonough, Lovejoy, Fosterville, Cotton Indian Creek, Decatur and Sandtown. They struck the West Point and Atlanta Railroad, then to Flint River, where a major battle ensued, referred to as the “most brilliant cavalry fight in the South.” Completing the Atlanta campaign, they joined Sherman’s Army on its march through Northern Georgia and his march to the sea, through Savannah and then the Carolinas. On May 3, 1865, the 5th was mustered out of service in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1866, Joseph D. Morris was living with the Pelton’s, working as a driver on the Louisville City Railway.
He married Nellie Dunnegan, (Dunning), d/o William and Delia Dunegan [sic] of Ireland,on Dec 19, 1874 in Chicago. Although the 1850 census shows J.D. Morris and his parents living in Punxsutawney, his brother, Reuben B. Morris, was born in Lagoneer (probably Ligonier), Westmoreland County, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Joseph and Nellie had two children of their own: Joseph L. Morris, and Clara R. Eberhart. They adopted Clara L. "Lou or Lulu" Trevor, infant d/o his brother, Charles P. Morris, and Jennie McNulty, after the death of Jennie.
Between April 1892 and August 1894 Joseph made several trips to Livingston, Montana, working with his brother Reuben B. Morris, as proprietors of hotels and restaurants in that city.
Sycamore True Republican, 20 Oct 1897, p. 6
Kirkland, Illinois
Miss Jennie Morris [age 14], of Milwaukee, who has been visiting her sister, Miss Lulu Morris [age 5], for the past five days, started the first of this week for Stillwater, Minn., where she will visit for some time with an aunt [Mary (Morris) Hines Bixby].
Charley married Mary Cooper in Milwaukee on Mar 1, 1898. Maybe Jennie did not like living with her stepmother and moved into her aunt's house permanently. She would have been 15 then. She was living with the Bixby's in Muskogee, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in the 1900 census.
Although his widow’s 1930 pension application was rejected for lack of records and witnesses, John and Rebecca’s eldest son, J. D. Morris, “served with credit for two years in the Civil war in the Fifth Kentucky cavalry” as a “Dispatch Rider” at the age of seventeen (sic), beginning in April 1864, and “has the distinction and honor of having served his country faithfully in the Civil war.” He continued serving diligently as the Captain of the G. A. R. where he later lived, attending national encampments for many years.
One scenario might have been that by the time he came of age, there may not have been an opportunity to enlist in Valparaiso, so in 1864 he may have taken the train to visit the Pelton family in Louisville and enlisted there. There was a close connection between Rebecca and her sister, Mary Pelton. Also, their mother, Elizabeth Ashcom, living in Valparaiso in 1860, died in Louisville in 1869. Maybe Elizabeth took her grandson, Joseph, with her when she moved.
If he had been a dispatch rider during that time, he would have seen action with Sherman’s famous (or infamous, depending on which side you were on) March through Georgia. His “Scorched Earth” policy of “Total War” cut the Confederacy in two and shortened the war by months.
Beginning with Joseph’s arrival in April, the 5th Kentucky was in Nashville with the 3rd Kentucky and the 20th Illinois Mounted Infantry on April 2, 1864. On the 3rd of May, Colonel Baldwin commanded the regiment as it entered the Atlanta campaign. At Adairsville, they engaged the enemy and “drove them all day.” They moved to Kingston on the 19th on roads not occupied by the Armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee.
They made a complete circuit of Atlanta with Sherman’s Cavalry by crossing the Chattahoochee River to Jonesboro, then to McDonough, Lovejoy, Fosterville, Cotton Indian Creek, Decatur and Sandtown. They struck the West Point and Atlanta Railroad, then to Flint River, where a major battle ensued, referred to as the “most brilliant cavalry fight in the South.” Completing the Atlanta campaign, they joined Sherman’s Army on its march through Northern Georgia and his march to the sea, through Savannah and then the Carolinas. On May 3, 1865, the 5th was mustered out of service in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1866, Joseph D. Morris was living with the Pelton’s, working as a driver on the Louisville City Railway.
He married Nellie Dunnegan, (Dunning), d/o William and Delia Dunegan [sic] of Ireland,on Dec 19, 1874 in Chicago. Although the 1850 census shows J.D. Morris and his parents living in Punxsutawney, his brother, Reuben B. Morris, was born in Lagoneer (probably Ligonier), Westmoreland County, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Joseph and Nellie had two children of their own: Joseph L. Morris, and Clara R. Eberhart. They adopted Clara L. "Lou or Lulu" Trevor, infant d/o his brother, Charles P. Morris, and Jennie McNulty, after the death of Jennie.
Between April 1892 and August 1894 Joseph made several trips to Livingston, Montana, working with his brother Reuben B. Morris, as proprietors of hotels and restaurants in that city.
Sycamore True Republican, 20 Oct 1897, p. 6
Kirkland, Illinois
Miss Jennie Morris [age 14], of Milwaukee, who has been visiting her sister, Miss Lulu Morris [age 5], for the past five days, started the first of this week for Stillwater, Minn., where she will visit for some time with an aunt [Mary (Morris) Hines Bixby].
Charley married Mary Cooper in Milwaukee on Mar 1, 1898. Maybe Jennie did not like living with her stepmother and moved into her aunt's house permanently. She would have been 15 then. She was living with the Bixby's in Muskogee, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in the 1900 census.
s/o John F. Morris (1820-1891) & Rebecca Ashcom Morris Pierce (1830-1897). Occupations: Hotel owner, "Morris Hotel", county coroner, furniture maker, cook. Although there is no military record, he claimed that he enlisted in the 5th Kentucky Calvary in 1864 at the age of 17 and was a "dispatch rider".
Although his widow’s 1930 pension application was rejected for lack of records and witnesses, John and Rebecca’s eldest son, J. D. Morris, “served with credit for two years in the Civil war in the Fifth Kentucky cavalry” as a “Dispatch Rider” at the age of seventeen (sic), beginning in April 1864, and “has the distinction and honor of having served his country faithfully in the Civil war.” He continued serving diligently as the Captain of the G. A. R. where he later lived, attending national encampments for many years.
One scenario might have been that by the time he came of age, there may not have been an opportunity to enlist in Valparaiso, so in 1864 he may have taken the train to visit the Pelton family in Louisville and enlisted there. There was a close connection between Rebecca and her sister, Mary Pelton. Also, their mother, Elizabeth Ashcom, living in Valparaiso in 1860, died in Louisville in 1869. Maybe Elizabeth took her grandson, Joseph, with her when she moved.
If he had been a dispatch rider during that time, he would have seen action with Sherman’s famous (or infamous, depending on which side you were on) March through Georgia. His “Scorched Earth” policy of “Total War” cut the Confederacy in two and shortened the war by months.
Beginning with Joseph’s arrival in April, the 5th Kentucky was in Nashville with the 3rd Kentucky and the 20th Illinois Mounted Infantry on April 2, 1864. On the 3rd of May, Colonel Baldwin commanded the regiment as it entered the Atlanta campaign. At Adairsville, they engaged the enemy and “drove them all day.” They moved to Kingston on the 19th on roads not occupied by the Armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee.
They made a complete circuit of Atlanta with Sherman’s Cavalry by crossing the Chattahoochee River to Jonesboro, then to McDonough, Lovejoy, Fosterville, Cotton Indian Creek, Decatur and Sandtown. They struck the West Point and Atlanta Railroad, then to Flint River, where a major battle ensued, referred to as the “most brilliant cavalry fight in the South.” Completing the Atlanta campaign, they joined Sherman’s Army on its march through Northern Georgia and his march to the sea, through Savannah and then the Carolinas. On May 3, 1865, the 5th was mustered out of service in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1866, Joseph D. Morris was living with the Pelton’s, working as a driver on the Louisville City Railway.
He married Nellie Dunnegan, (Dunning), d/o William and Delia Dunegan [sic] of Ireland,on Dec 19, 1874 in Chicago. Although the 1850 census shows J.D. Morris and his parents living in Punxsutawney, his brother, Reuben B. Morris, was born in Lagoneer (probably Ligonier), Westmoreland County, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Joseph and Nellie had two children of their own: Joseph L. Morris, and Clara R. Eberhart. They adopted Clara L. "Lou or Lulu" Trevor, infant d/o his brother, Charles P. Morris, and Jennie McNulty, after the death of Jennie.
Between April 1892 and August 1894 Joseph made several trips to Livingston, Montana, working with his brother Reuben B. Morris, as proprietors of hotels and restaurants in that city.
Sycamore True Republican, 20 Oct 1897, p. 6
Kirkland, Illinois
Miss Jennie Morris [age 14], of Milwaukee, who has been visiting her sister, Miss Lulu Morris [age 5], for the past five days, started the first of this week for Stillwater, Minn., where she will visit for some time with an aunt [Mary (Morris) Hines Bixby].
Charley married Mary Cooper in Milwaukee on Mar 1, 1898. Maybe Jennie did not like living with her stepmother and moved into her aunt's house permanently. She would have been 15 then. She was living with the Bixby's in Muskogee, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in the 1900 census.
Although his widow’s 1930 pension application was rejected for lack of records and witnesses, John and Rebecca’s eldest son, J. D. Morris, “served with credit for two years in the Civil war in the Fifth Kentucky cavalry” as a “Dispatch Rider” at the age of seventeen (sic), beginning in April 1864, and “has the distinction and honor of having served his country faithfully in the Civil war.” He continued serving diligently as the Captain of the G. A. R. where he later lived, attending national encampments for many years.
One scenario might have been that by the time he came of age, there may not have been an opportunity to enlist in Valparaiso, so in 1864 he may have taken the train to visit the Pelton family in Louisville and enlisted there. There was a close connection between Rebecca and her sister, Mary Pelton. Also, their mother, Elizabeth Ashcom, living in Valparaiso in 1860, died in Louisville in 1869. Maybe Elizabeth took her grandson, Joseph, with her when she moved.
If he had been a dispatch rider during that time, he would have seen action with Sherman’s famous (or infamous, depending on which side you were on) March through Georgia. His “Scorched Earth” policy of “Total War” cut the Confederacy in two and shortened the war by months.
Beginning with Joseph’s arrival in April, the 5th Kentucky was in Nashville with the 3rd Kentucky and the 20th Illinois Mounted Infantry on April 2, 1864. On the 3rd of May, Colonel Baldwin commanded the regiment as it entered the Atlanta campaign. At Adairsville, they engaged the enemy and “drove them all day.” They moved to Kingston on the 19th on roads not occupied by the Armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee.
They made a complete circuit of Atlanta with Sherman’s Cavalry by crossing the Chattahoochee River to Jonesboro, then to McDonough, Lovejoy, Fosterville, Cotton Indian Creek, Decatur and Sandtown. They struck the West Point and Atlanta Railroad, then to Flint River, where a major battle ensued, referred to as the “most brilliant cavalry fight in the South.” Completing the Atlanta campaign, they joined Sherman’s Army on its march through Northern Georgia and his march to the sea, through Savannah and then the Carolinas. On May 3, 1865, the 5th was mustered out of service in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 1866, Joseph D. Morris was living with the Pelton’s, working as a driver on the Louisville City Railway.
He married Nellie Dunnegan, (Dunning), d/o William and Delia Dunegan [sic] of Ireland,on Dec 19, 1874 in Chicago. Although the 1850 census shows J.D. Morris and his parents living in Punxsutawney, his brother, Reuben B. Morris, was born in Lagoneer (probably Ligonier), Westmoreland County, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Joseph and Nellie had two children of their own: Joseph L. Morris, and Clara R. Eberhart. They adopted Clara L. "Lou or Lulu" Trevor, infant d/o his brother, Charles P. Morris, and Jennie McNulty, after the death of Jennie.
Between April 1892 and August 1894 Joseph made several trips to Livingston, Montana, working with his brother Reuben B. Morris, as proprietors of hotels and restaurants in that city.
Sycamore True Republican, 20 Oct 1897, p. 6
Kirkland, Illinois
Miss Jennie Morris [age 14], of Milwaukee, who has been visiting her sister, Miss Lulu Morris [age 5], for the past five days, started the first of this week for Stillwater, Minn., where she will visit for some time with an aunt [Mary (Morris) Hines Bixby].
Charley married Mary Cooper in Milwaukee on Mar 1, 1898. Maybe Jennie did not like living with her stepmother and moved into her aunt's house permanently. She would have been 15 then. She was living with the Bixby's in Muskogee, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in the 1900 census.
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