The Morris Family
Beginning in 1790 and every ten years thereafter there was a census taken of all free persons living in Somerset County, Maryland. These censuses only gave the names of persons who were the head of each household. Among the free blacks in Somerset County, Maryland in the 1820 census was a young man named Charles Morris. He was the head of his household. Twelve years later there was a special census in 1832 of all the free blacks in all the counties of Maryland. This census included both male and female. There was a separate list for each gender. In this census were Charles Morris and other members of his household. The census taker spelled their surname “Morres”. The names of this family in the 1832 census were Charles Morres age 44, Eliza Morres age 30, Priscilla Morres age 11, Levin Morres age 10, Charles Morres age 7, Eleanor Morres age 5, John Morres age 3, Ketty Morres age 3 and Moses Morres age 1.
The 1850 census gave the names of the persons in the household regardless of their relationship. The names of persons in Charles Morris’ household in 1850 were Eliza Morris age 42, Mary Morris age 10, Henry Morris age 9 and Eliza E. Morris age 6. When the 1850 census was taken; this family was living in the Salisbury District of Somerset County, Maryland. Eliza Morris was considered “Mulatto” meaning of a mixed race. Also in 1850 in a separate household were Mary Morris age 25; Gatty Morris age 22; Josephine Morris age 3 and Betty E Morris age 1.
In Barren Creek district during 1850 census Charity Johnson age 8 and Eliza A Morris age 5 was located. In 1860 census, there were Aaron Morris age 35; Hester Morris age 20, James Morris age 2 and Charles Morris age one living in Salisbury, Maryland. The research for the Morris family in 1860 takes us to the household of Noah Morris age 35 in the Quantico District . The persons in this home were a woman named Nicey (Nancy) Morris age 60, Moses Morris age 22, Margaret Morris age 18, Mary Morris age 30 and Thomas Morris age 4. In 1870 in the Quantico District were Peter Morris age 60, Jane Morris age 51, Josephine Morris age 12 and Levin Morris age 3. In 1880, Moses Morris age a mulatto was living in the Quantico District with his family. Their names are the following: Williamana Morris age 32- wife; their sons -George P Morris age 16; James Morris age 14; Levin Morris age 14; John Morris age 12; Sidney Morris age 5, Earnest Morris age 4 and Alonzo Morris age 3. Peter Morris family was also living the Quantico District in 1880. The research has not been proven whether these two families are related. The following persons were in the home. Peter Morris age 65; Charlotte Morris age 68 – wife; Josiah Morris age 22 – son; Rebecca Morris age 20 daughter-in-law; Aaron Morris age 18-son; Levin Morris age 11 -son and Leonard Morris four month born in February 1880 – grandson.
Levin Morris
The 1870 census listed Levin Morris, son of Charles and Eliza Morris, with the members of his household. They were the following persons: Levin Morris age 48 born circa 1822; Marie Morris age 44 born circa 1826; Alonzo Morris age 18 born circa 1852; Alexander Morris age 16 born circa 1854; Louisa Morris age 13 born circa 1857; Lizzie Morris age 13 born circa 1859; Charles Morris age 9 born circa 1861 and Levin C Morris age 6 born circa 1894. Alexander J Morris was born October 1854. Alexander Morris married Clara Henry May 13, 1868 in the church. The minister was G H Washington. She was born May 1852 in Somerset County. The couple was living in the home of Levin Morris in 1880 and their son Samuel J Morris age one born circa 1979. Their children were Landen Morris born February 1881; Margaret Morris born May 1883; Elizabeth Morris May 1884 and Aircisia Morris born June 1890.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Morris married John Hudson February 28, 1907. Their children were Marie Hudson and Thomas Hudson. Louisa Morris Powell, daughter of Levin and Marie Morris, was born July 1867. In 1900, both she and her mother were widows. The children of Louisa were Alexander Powell born April 1890; Barrett Powell born January 1893 and George Powell born February 1895.
Gertrude Morris
Gertrude Morris, daughter of Charles & Eliza Morris, was born October 1840 in Somerset County, Maryland. The family called her “Gattie”. Her husband was Henry Dennis. He was born November 1835. The 1870 & 1880 censuses show that she had four children Anna Morris, Charlotte Dennis, Thomas Dennis and Samuel Dennis. Anna Morris married Samuel Byrd. The 1900 census gave name & birth date of her children. They were Ernest Byrd born August 1880; Thomas Byrd born Sept 1886; Lettie Byrd born May 1888; Caleb Byrd born August 1890; George Byrd born April 1891 and Samuel Byrd born September 1992. Charlotte Dennis married James Dutton. The children of this family were George Dutton, Annie T Dutton, Benjamin Dutton, and Alexander Dutton. Samuel Dixon was a nephew of Henry Dennis.
Eliza E Morris
Eliza Emmeline Morris, daughter of Charles & Eliza Morris, was circa 1844 in Somerset County, Maryland. Her husband was John Lankford. He was born circa 1840 in Somerset County. They lived in the Quantico District in 1880. Her mother Eliza Morris age 87 was living with them.
Moses Morris
Moses Morris, son of Charles & Eliza Morris, was born February 1831 in Somerset County, Maryland. I870 Moses Morris is living in the Salisbury District with his family. The following persons were in his household. Moses Morris age 24, Williamana Morris age 22, George Morris age 11, Samuel Morris age 6, Levin Morris age 6, John P Morris age 3, Eleanor Morris age 5 months and Nancy Morris age 71. It is believed that Nancy and Eliza Morris may be the same person. In 1880 Moses Morris family consist of the following persons: Moses Morris, his wife, Williamana Morris, their sons George P Morris, James Morris, John Morris, Sydney Morris, Ernest Morris and Alonzo Morris.
When the 1900 census was taken Williamana Morris was living in the Quantico District. Williamana Morris was born October 1845 in Somerset County, Maryland. Her sons were John Morris, George Morris, Levin Morris, James Samuel Morris, Sidney Morris, Ernest Morris and Alonzo Morris. Their daughter, Eleanor Morris, does not appear in this census with the rest of her family. In 1910, Williamana Morris was 64 years of age. She had eleven children and four of them were living.
John W Morris Family
John Morris, son of Moses and Williamana Morris, was born December 1863 in Somerset County, Maryland. His wife was Emily Morris. They were married circa 1889. She had six children, four children living in 1900. Their names were the following: Ella M Morris, William H Morris, Harlan L Morris and Delilah R Morris. Levin B Morris, born circa 1896, one of the children that was deceased. In 1910, there were several new additions to John Morris family. They were Ada C Morris, John Otis Morris, Merrill L Morris and a grandson, Clifton Morris. By 1920 the youngest son, Preston D. Morris was born.
First Child
Ella Mae Morris was Born November 1890. She married Sidney W Furr February 27, 1907. The children of this marriage were Clifton Morris, Sidney Furr Jr. and L Carlton Furr.
Second Child
William Henry Morris was born December 1892 in Hebron, Maryland. He married Mary Ethel Bailey of Wetipquin, Maryland. She was born circa 1892 in Wetipquin. Her parents were Theodore Bailey and Minta (Minnie) Seldon Bailey of Wetipquin. The children of this marriage were Pearl W Morris born circa 1920, she lived a very short life; William James (Billy) Morris born circa 1921; S Benjamin (Benny) Morris born circa 1927, Fredia Helen Morris born circa 1929, Anna Mae Morris, Robert Morris, Milton Morris and Olive Rosa Lee Morris. William Henry Morris passed May 1964 in Salisbury, Maryland and was buried in Green Acres in Salisbury. Mary Ethel Bailey Morris passed away August 1955 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Third Child
Harlan L Morris was born February 1894 in Hebron, Maryland. He married Julia E Rider June 30, 1917. She was born circa 1902. The children of this marriage were E. Harlan Morris born circa 1918; Annabelle Morris born circa 1921; E. Esther Morris born circa 1923; V. Julia Morris born circa 1926 and T. Earl Morris circa 1929.
Fourth Child
Delilah R Morris was born August 1897 in Hebron, Maryland. She married Sherman R Moore September 2, 1914. One child was born of this union. Her name was Dorothy Moore. Her second marriage was to Granville Horsey September 29, 1926. Listed in the 1930 census were the children of this family: William Horsey age 22, F Jesse Horsey age 18, Welsie Horsey age 16, G Roland Horsey age 14, A James Horsey age 11, Elsie Horsey age 9, L Mildred Horsey age 2 &1/2, W Granville Horsey age one month.
Fifth Child
Ada C. Morris was born circa 1905 in Hebron, Maryland. She passed away at young age and never married.
Sixth Child
John Otis Morris was born circa 1907 in Hebron, Maryland
Seventh Child
Merrill L, Morris was born circa 1912 in Hebron, Maryland
Eighth Child
Preston D. Morris was born circa 1916 in Hebron, Maryland
George P Morris Family
George P Morris, son Moses and Williamana Morris, was born March 1864. His wife was named Laura Morris. She was born October 1866. Their children recorded in 1900 census were Delilah E Morris born September 1886; Lucy E Morris Born November 1889; George E Morris born August 1891, Clara P Morris born July 1893; Martha J Morris born September 1896 and William D Morris born November 1899. George P Morris had three additions to his household in1910. They were the following children: Stanford Morris age 6, Woolford Morris age 6 and Minnie Morris age 3. Stanford Morris was born circa 1885 in Salisbury, Maryland His wife was Artense or Hartense Morris born circa 1883. The children of this marriage Robert Morris and Nellie Morris
The following marriages of the children in this family were listed in Wicomico County marriage records. Delilah E Morris married Edward L Birckhead June 2, 1908. Clara Morris Married Robert H Wallace July 27, 1910. Their son was Maurice Wallace. Martha Morris married Isaac I Trader April 28, 1915. Their son was Howard L Trader. George E Morris married Ronie Wonpher on September 4, 1913. She passed away before 1918. George E Morris, a widower, married Elizabeth Burnett April 28, 1918. The children of this family were Laura Morris born circa 1914; Edward L Morris born circa 1916 and George A Morris born circa 1919. Edward Linwood Morris married Grace Steman Morris of Wetipquin August 16, 1937. Her parents were Charles Morris and Bertha Seldon Morris of Wetipquin.
Levin Morris, son of Moses Morris and Williamana Morris, was born May 1866. He married Mary Hester Waters August 24, 1898. James Samuel Morris, son of Moses & Williamana Morris, was born May 1866. He was a twin of Levin Morris.He married Eleanor Bishop May 29, 1894.
Sidney Morris
Sidney Morris, son of Moses and Williamana Morris, was born December 1872. He Married Mary Dutton January 2, 1894. She was born September 1867. His wife had 10 children 7 living in 1900. Perry Morris was born May 1887; Mary A Morris was born May 1893; William E Morris was born December 1894; Sidney C Morris was born October 1897 and Louis L Morris was born March 1900. Sidney C Morris married Janie Allen. Louis L Morris married Nellie Winder July 11, 1918. William E Morris (Emory Morris) married Helen E Twilley November 3, 1914. She was born circa 1896. The children of this marriage were Marion Morris born circa 1906; Marion Morris born circa 1908; John E Morris born circa 1908. Leonard Matthew Morris was born circa 1924 in Salisbury, Maryland. She married Edna Winifred Cornish February 12, 1944. Her parents were Charles Cornish and Mazie Gale Cornish. Leonard Morris was World War 11 veteran. The children of the marriage: Edna Morris, Marion Morris, Leonard Morris and Michael Morris. Leonard Matthew Morris passed December 15, 1978 in Wilmington, DE and was buried in Green Acres cemetery in Salisbury, Maryland. Ernest Morris, son of Moses & Williamana Morris, was born April 1876. He married Maggie Brown of Sussex County, Delaware September 15, 1897. Alonzo Morris, son of Moses Morris and Williamana Morris, was born October 1877. He married Edith A F Waller February 13, 1902.