Biography - Marvil Morris
MARVIL MORRIS is a native of Robinson county, Tennessee, and was born
October 2, 1807. He is the second child of John and Mary Morris. John Morris
was born in North Carolina, and his wife in South Carolina. They are
descended from some of the best English blood, their ancestors having
settled in the Carolinas long previous to the war of the revolution. Mrs.
Morris's maiden name was Mary Lewis. Her father, Jacob Lewis, was a soldier
in the revolutionary war. John Morris, while yet a single man, moved to the
primitive wildness of Tennessee, and there commenced the improvement of a
small tract of land. It was here that he became acquainted with, and
married, Miss Mary Lewis, in the early part of the year 1805. By this
marriage he had three sons and six daughters, of whom the subject of this
sketch is the only male representative now living. In 1809 Mr. Morris
removed, with his family, to the territory of Illinois, locating in Pope
county, where he resumed his former business. His death occurred in 1822.
Mr. Marvil Morris received his early education in the schools of this state,
which, at that time, were rather imperfect. The death of his father
occurring when he was but a lad, he was early thrown on his own resources,
and, young in life, learned to battle with the realities of the world. In
1822, with his mother and the rest of the family, he moved to Jefferson
county, this state. In December, 1829, Mr. Morris was married to Miss Mary
Estes, the daughter of Absalom Estes, by whom he became the father of
thirteen children, eight of whom are now living. In 1829 he became a
resident of Greene county, locating west of Kane. He settled on the farm
where he now resides in 1834. His mother died at this residence in 1855. Mr.
Morris, for about a quarter of a century, has been a consistent member of
the Christian Church. In politics, he early became a believer in the
principles of the whig party, and at its dissolution joined the republican
party. His first vote was for Henry Clay; he voted twice for the immortal
Lincoln, and the same for U. S. Grant. During the late rebellion he was a
strong Union man. His wife died in October, 1868. Mr. Morris can be called a
successful man. It is no small task to raise and educate so numerous a
family; and he has raised as many orphan children, all of whom, as well as
his own, have grown up to be good citizens. If nothing further were said
concerning the character of Mr. Morris, the fact of his great kindness above
mentioned would sufficiently illustrate the largeness of his heart. As an
agriculturist, in its various departments, he deserves commendable mention.
He now owns real estate to the amount of upwards of five hundred acres of
valuable lands, situated in Greene and Montgomery counties. In November
1872. Mr. Morris was married to Mrs. Maria Redding, of Carrollton, and is
now living at his residence with his young wife, surrounded with all the
essential requisites of a happy life.
Extracted 07 Sep 2018 by Norma Hass from Atlas Map of Greene County Illinois, 1873, page 54.
