William Ross Morrison

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Birth: Jul. 5, 1849 Death: Jun. 3, 1917

Taken from 'Jefferson County Pennsylvania - Her Pioneers and People', Vol. II, by William J. McKnight, published by J.H. Beers & Co., in 1917 in Chicago, page 107.

WILLIAM ROSS MORRISON, now living retired at Brockwayville, was until recently engaged in farming in the Beechwoods neighborhood in Washington township, where he owns the fine property known as "Pinehurst" which was his home for so many years. Mr. Morrison was a prominent resident of that section for over forty years, one of its most progressive agriculturists and equally enterprising in all the other activities of the community. Indeed, he is a representative member of his family, which has been known for sterling qualities during a long association with the history of this region, dating from the days of his grandfather, who belonged to the sturdy pioneer stock for which Beechwoods has become noted. The latter, Robert Morrison, was a native of County Derry, Ireland, and spent his early life in that country, where he and his wife Dorothea were married. They had several children when they settled in Washington Township, Jefferson Co., Pa., in 1832, on the farm later owned by Isaac and Robert F. Morrison, which they cleared with the assistance of their sons. Their children were: Susanna, William, Letitia, John, Rebecca, Isaac, Barbara and Joseph (born Oct. 28, 1826).

William Ross Morrison was born July 5, 1849, on the home farm in Washington Township, where he grew to manhood. A mile and a half away stood the little old schoolhouse known as the Dennison school, where he was first taught by Abbie McCurdy (now deceased), and he attended there up to the age of eighteen years, his last teacher being William Millen. Out of school hours he assisted with the chores from early boyhood, and later did his share of the heavier work, finding plenty to occupy him during vacation periods. He was but thirteen years old when he began to handle the plow, and was well prepared to begin farming on his own account when he undertook to buy and manage a farm for himself, at the time of his marriage. This place, known as Pinehurst, is a tract of 140 acres at Beechton, forty of which were cleared when he settled there - that is, the trees had been cut, though the pine stumps were still standing, the earth between being cultivated as much as possible. Mr. Morrison got a stump puller and did the most arduous part of the clearing, on the forty acres which had been started and on sixty more, developing his hundred acres of arable land on modern lines, setting out orchards, and making costly improvements in the way of buildings. In 1876 he built the ten room residence which now stands there, and he remodeled the barn (which is 60 by 60 feet in dimensions); the horse barn (which latter is 32 by 40 feet in dimensions) he built anew, besides constructing a good silo, the property being transformed completely under his direction. It is underlaid with coal, and at this writing the mines are being developed. The operations being conducted under the management of the Morrison Coal Company, whose members are William Ross Morrison and his three sons, Francis R., Alvin N., and Elmer B. Morrison. Veins already discovered measure five and a half feet in thickness. Mr. Morrison has also reserved the coal rights on ninety acres in Snyder township, which property he formerly owned, but now in the possession of his son Alvin. He has also retained the mineral rights on the lands now owned by John Pifer & Son, which he previously owned. He has a third interest in each of two ten acre tracts which he owns jointly with his brothers, Robert W. and Isaac Newton Morrison, one lying within the borough limits of Punxsutawney, adjacent to the iron works, the other in Washington township and now under lease for mineral and oil development.

Mr. Morrison had his home and work at Pinehurst until he removed to Brockwayville in the fall of 1916, to enjoy his leisure thoroughly. Local enterprises always had his cooperation, and he was formerly manager for ten years of the Rockdale Mutual Fire Insurance Company, whose success was largely due to his efficient labors. He has served his township in public offices, including that of school director, and had proved worthy of every trust. His political support has always been to the Democratic party. In 1872 Mr. Morrison joined the Beechwoods Presbyterian Church, in whose membership he was always active, helping to build the present house of worship and for twenty years filling the office of deacon, a service in which he found the greatest pleasure.

On Feb. 5, 1874, Mr. Morrison married Susanna J. Ross, one of his former schoolmates at the Dennison school, who was born in the Beechwoods April 30, 1854, and is a sister of J.S. Ross of Sugar Hill. She, too, was a zealous member of the Beechwoods Presbyterian Church and one of its devoted workers, for years a member of the choir. Her death occurred March 10, 1904, on the farm, and she is buried in the Beechwoods cemetery. Of the three children born to this marriage, Francis R. is now operating the home farm; he married Eliza Brenholtz, of the Beechwoods, and they have two sons, George Calhoun and William Carlisle. Alvin Newton, who lives in the Sugar Hill district, married Maud Pfeiffer, and they have five children, William John, Herman, Hazel May, Karl and Frances Burton. Elmer Burton, now living at Brookville, married Clara Stahlman, of Ringgold township, and has one son, William Earl.

For his second wife Mr. Morrison married, Dec. 2, 1908, Margaret Ross, daughter of Oliver and Eliza (Ross) Ross, who died in the Beechwoods, to which district they had removed when she was eight years old. She was born June 1, 1847, in Centre county, Pa., and after coming to Jefferson county attended the Dennison school under Abbie McCurdy, Martha Dennison and other teachers, later going to high school at Glade Run and Corsica. For ten or twelve years she was engaged in teaching, beginning in the Beechwoods, and afterwards following the profession in other places. Her parents had a family of seven children, her brothers and sisters being as follows: Mary Jane, unmarried, now in California; James H., deceased; William, a resident of DuBois, Pa.; Martha who married Thornton Strang, both deceased; Nancy, Mrs. K.C. Johnson, of Brockwayville; and Joseph, who married Mary Webster and lives on the old farm in the Beechwoods.