Coat of Arms of The

Morrison Family

______

MORRISON GENEALOGY

______

(At the Age of 90 Years)

HISTORY

OF A

and located in Virginia in Colonial days, with sketches

of the people and conditions of the country

surrounding them and their posterity

down to the present time.

ALSO A SKETCH OF

The New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Morrisons

settling in those States at an earlier date.

BY

"May we ever keep green the graves, and fresh in our

memories the lives of our dear ones who have preceded

us to the beyond, who blazed the path that would lead us

to a life surrounded with more comforts and conveniences

than it was their lot to enjoy."

JARRET PRINTING CO., CHARLESTON, W. VA.

Then too, if I had had more specific information, before beginning this history, of my great, great-grandfather, the first emigrant and progenitor of our branch of the Morrison family, which I secured later, the work would have been in better shape. But I did not receive this information until a part of it had been written, as will be seen by its perusal, and at my advanced age, being now in my ninetieth year, I did not feel like throwing it aside and writing it anew.

Genealogical works are never perfect, for the sources from which they are derived, such as family records and personal memories, are more or less defective. Such errors in the majority of instances are confined to dates of births, marriages, and deaths, as well as other matters of some interest in a work of this kind. In not less than two instances, the date of births of my father's family which were reported to me by descendants, did not correspond with dates recorded in the old family Bible by the father. In such cases I have used the dates originally recorded believing that to be more likely correct. Other reports showing error in dates on their face were returned to the writer for correction, all of which shows how easy it is to make mistakes.

In compiling this little volume I have used every means at my command to record facts so far as it was in my power to do so from the information at hand. Yet I would not vouch for the correctness of everything mentioned. It does not claim to contain, by any means, a history of all the Morrisons who are descendants of our progenitor, Andrew Morrison, who first emigrated to America and served in the Revolutionary War. It would take years of expensive research to try to accomplish that and the result would be a failure. It is a settled fact that the origin of the Morrisons was Scotch-Irish descent with preponderance of Scotch blood.

In speaking of my ancestors, as well as on down through my past life, I have frequently spoken of prominent men that lived and acted their part during the time of which I was writing, with a sketch of the conditions of the country which existed at the time. I may be subject to censure by some for using so much space in setting forth the uninteresting sketch of my own life and family. The only excuse I have for so doing is that I know more about myself and family than I do of any others about whom I have written.

For general information, I have used Cooke, "On Early History of Virginia," Samuel Kercheval's "History of the Valley of Virginia," the first edition of which was published in 1833, the second in 1850, and the third in 1902. The fourth revised and enlarged edition came from the press in 1925. It has had a large circulation and contains much valuable information in regard to the early settlers of the Valley of Virginia. The writer has also used Honorable Virgil A. Lewis' "History of the Battle of Point Pleasant," 1774; Honorable John D. Sutton's "History of Braxton County and Central West Virginia"; Mr. L. A. Morrison's extensive "History of the New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Morrisons" from their early settlement of those states.

For the illustration of the Morrison Coat-of-Arms as appearing in this little volume, I am indebted to Honorable William A. MacCorkle, Ex-Governor of West Virginia, whose mother was a Morrison and said to be a member of our branch of the family. The Governor, a few years ago, loaned me his copy of the Coat-of-Arms from which a copy was made. During the writing of this family history, I wrote the Governor in regard to inserting the Coat-of-Arms as an illustration in the work, but saying that I did not wish to do so without reasonable authentic evidence that it represented our branch of the family. His reply was as follows:

MacCorkle, Clark & MacCorkle

Lawyers

Charleston, West Virginia

December 14, 1927

258 Gallaher St.,

Huntington, W. Va.

Yours very sincerely,

W. A. MacCorkle (Signed)

Notwithstanding the Governor's impression that my father's birth did not occur that far back, his family record, as well as that of my grandfather, shows that such was the fact.

Andrew Carnegie, the Scotch-American steel-manufacturer and philanthropist, was born at Dunfermline, Scotland, on November 25, 1835. He came with his father's family to the United States in 1848 and settled at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By his sterling honesty and industry, he later in life accumulated a vast fortune and, to his honor, let it be said that he made noble use of it.

I do not claim relationship with Mr. Carnegie by reason of the fact that his mother was a Morrison, as was the mother of Governor MacCorkle, even though he was given the Christian name of Andrew, which has always been the leading name of our branch of the Morrison family, traced from Scotland, through Ireland, England, and America and which name is still in use. Neither is relationship claimed because he was Scotch as is our people, nor because he very much resembled several members of our branch of the family, but taken all in all, it is very possible that such relationship exists. It is a great honor to the name of the mothers who have borne and reared to manhood such sons as the late Andrew Carnegie and Governor MacCorkle of West Virginia, who have made the world better by the examples as they passed along life's rugged road.

For information in regard to records of births, marriages, deaths, and other facts relating to members of our branch of the family, I am indebted to W. F. Morrison of Sutton, West Virginia, Andrew B. Morrison of Nicholas County, West Virginia, Mrs. H. M. Bing of Delaware, Ohio, Mrs. A. A. Parsons of Leon, West Virginia, and many others. My thanks are due all that assisted me in the preparation of this little work. But few that were called upon for information neglected to comply. It is but a brief family record. Its design is to preserve the traditions of our branch of the Morrison family and those allied with them and to gather up the fading memories of the past, and transmit them to those who shall succeed us. It is not complete but our efforts may be able to convey to those for whom the work is intended, a knowledge that will be of interest to many of them. The shaft is reared and others more able may take up the task, polish and complete it if they see proper to do so.

It has been a labor of love and I can but hope that the perusal of its pages will be a pleasure to those interested for many days hence. If so, it will have filled its mission.

Huntington, W. Va.

September, 1928.

Andrew Morrison, the immediate progenitor of our branch of the family, was born October 23, 1754 and died in Greenbrier County, now West Virginia, October 15, 1845. He was of Scotch-Irish descent. About the year 1776, he married Elizabeth Taylor at or near Winchester, Virginia. To this union, ten children were born, four boys and six girls.

We have no definite information at hand as to just where Andrew Morrison was born. Some of our family, his descendants, have been of the impression that probably he was born in Pennsylvania, and was a descendant of the Pennsylvania Morrisons, but after careful perusal of all history and information we have, touching on the matter, the writer is inclined to discard the Pennsylvania theory and is fully persuaded that Andrew Morrison was a native of Virginia, probably of Frederick County or, at any rate, that Section of the State.

About the year 1877 or 1878, Mr. Leonard A. Morrison, an author of some note of Londonberry, New Hampshire, undertook to write up a history of the Morrison families who settled in that State in the year 1719. In his extensive search for information of their ancestors and descendants, he ran across so much information of other Morrison families that he decided to include them all insofar as he could obtain authentic information in regard to their history. He entered into extensive correspondence with prominent men of Scotland, Ireland, and England, as well as the United States. A careful search of the histories of these Countries, relating to the Morrison clan (if it could be called a clan), was made. After securing all the information possible, he compiled it into one volume of nearly 500 pages, which is probably the most extensive work that ever came from the press in regard to the people named Morrison.

The name seems to have originated in Scotland centuries ago made up or composed of names pronounced the same, but spelled differently, such as Moor, Marson, and Morris, but from the Twelfth to the beginning of the Sixteenth Century, the name of Morrison was fully settled upon, and spelled with one r (Morison) up to about the year 1800, when two r's (Morrison) was adopted, and which spelling has since been used generally. We have run across the writings of more than one author who claims the Morrisons originated from Royalty, but we very much doubt whether those of them living at this day and age have enough royal blood in them to do them a great deal of harm. Also we doubt whether, even if such claims were definitely established, it would make them any better than they are.

Mr. Leonard A. Morrison, in his history referred to, speaks extensively of the original settlers of that name, both in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, following up their descendants to the seventh and eighth generation, naming the location to which many of them removed, and giving their names, marriages and dates of death, as well as everything of note connected with their history up to the time of his writing, in the year 1880. It seems settled beyond a doubt that the Morrisons immigrating from

Scotland to Ireland, England and America, all originated from the same parent stock.

An inquiry having been made to the Press Information Bureau at Washington, D. C., as to when the term "Scotch-Irish" came into use, brought the following reply:

Many of them intermarried with the Irish in an early day and their descendants were recognized as Scotch-Irish. Mr. L. A. Morrison, in his history of the Pennsylvania Morrisons, says "Gabriel Morrison, the immigrant ancestor of the family came from North Ireland about 1740. He settled in Pennsylvania and married Martha Glin (?) or Wilson (?) of Chester County, Pennsylvania, prior to January 2, 1743, (according to an old bond now in existence). He first settled in Londonberry, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Later in 1752 or 1754, he purchased a large tract of land in Colerain, Lancester County, and located near the Octorara, a beautiful stream which divides Chester and Lancaster Counties. He dug a ditch around three hundred acres of his land to protect it from cattle as was the custom in those days. Some of his descendants still owned and resided on this land in 1880.

Mr. Leonard A. Morrison, in his work, carefully traces the descendants of Gabriel Morrison, as well as the New Hampshire Morrisons, down to 1880, and in no instance does he mention or indicate that any of the New Hampshire or Pennsylvania Morrisons ever moved to or located in Virginia. Tradition only, indicates that the New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Morrisons were related, and this was partly on account of an apparent family resemblance in features and characteristics. But it is said they never investigated the matter to determine whether such relationship existed or not. Some of our branch of the Morrison family has had the impression that we are descendants of the Pennsylvania Morrisons on account of the resemblance mentioned above. We are quite ready to admit that there is a noted likeness existing between some of our family and the Pennsylvania Morrisons. I remember, about the year 1874, of serving on a Jury for a month with a Pennsylvania Morrison who very much resembled my brother, William F. Morrison, who then resided in Nicholas County, West Virginia. Again, about the year 1894, there was a Mr. William Morrison, Superintendent for a Pennsylvania Oil Company that had leased a large survey of land for which I was the agent. He was from Pittsburgh and resembled some members of our family, but neither of us, in these two instances, knew enough about our ancestors, at that time, to trace up any relationship.

It is a noted fact that family resemblances will often crop out far down the line, and after many generations. History tells us that many noble men and women were descendents of both the New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Morrisons, who first immigrated and settled in those States, that they were noted for their industry, good common sense and integrity in every way, as well as for reaching high marks in their chosen professions.

In looking up a people of whom we have no direct record, either ancestors or descendants, family names and resemblances are not bad lines to follow. For instance, the name John appears frequently in the history of the New Hampshire Morrisons; in the history of the Morrisons settling in Pennsylvania and their posterity, you will find the named Alexander standing head in point of numbers. A man who lived in their settlement once remarked "that he could hardly go out after night without running against an Alexander Morrison."

The above has been written in support of our position first taken that Andrew Morrison mentioned at the beginning of this small family history was not a descendant of either the New Hampshire or the Pennsylvania immigrants. It is a matter about which there is no dispute or cause for contention. It would

be no detriment to any name or family to be the posterity of either if the facts should show such to be the case. When we take into consideration that the pioneer immigrants to America, named Morrison, were all from the same section of foreign country, of the same nationality, and that no great period of time intervened between their coming, we are lead to the reasonable conclusion that a blood relationship could have and probably did exist between the New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Virginia Morrisons. In support of this theory, we have the strong resemblance as well as general characteristics in many ways. However, if such relationship does exist, without doubt it originated before immigration to this country.

With a detailed history of both the New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Morrisons before us giving the names and dates of birth of each family from date of settlement, through many years, there is no room left for supposing that the progenitor of our immediate family, Andrew Morrison, could have been a descendant of either branch. The early immigrants of the Morrisons settling in Virginia do not seem to have settled in any particular locality as many of them did in other states, and this may have been the reason Mr. L. A. Morrison did not secure a more definite account of them in his history of the Morrisons. Andrew has been a leading family name in our branch from 1754 down to the present time, 1929. How long prior to that time, it was recognized as such, we have no authentic information. It appears several times in the history of the New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Morrisons, more especially as concerns the relatives of the latter left in Ireland by Gabriel Morrison, the pioneer set tler in Pennsylvania.

History tells us that in or about the year 1715, one Andrew Morrison, who, it was said, had taken part in "The Rising of '15" as it was called in the Highlands, came over from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, passing through Lewis, which he regarded as the cradle of his race, settled in North Ireland, thus avoiding the unpleasant consequences of having taken part in that affair. He settled in Tyrone County and married a Miss Hamilton. He was a gentleman by birth, education and profession, which latter was that of Arms, and as a side issue seems to have been somewhat of a scrapper, as was proved by the fact that he once struck a man in Court and when asked his reason for doing so, replied: "My Lord, he trod on my corns!" At another time he knocked a man down in the street for attempting to take the wall side of him. Andrew and Hans were frequent names among his descendants.

In the History of the Morrisons, by L. A. Morrison, above referred to, he says: "There have been many immigrants of Morrisons to America. From the most authentic sources, I find nine persons of that name who immigrated to this country previous to 1700. The first mentioned is Elizabeth Morrison, 1635; William, the same year; Robert Morrison embarked for Virginia at S. Severne, England, 1635. Prior to 1670, Richard Morrison was appointed to the office of Captain or Keeper of the Castle of Point Comfort, Virginia. The same year, March 10, Hans Morrison received a patent given at Fort James, New York of lands at White Clay Creek, Delaware, where his descendants still live. In 1690 Andrew Morrison was in New Haven, Connecticut." He speaks of a Mr. Morrison being appointed Governor of Virginia.

By referring to other histories, we find that was Francis Morrison who them spelled his name Moryson, as some others of the clan did at that day, 1661.

At the close of his work, in the latter part of 1880, Mr. L. A. Morrison says: "Col. Don Morrison of St. Louis, Missouri, Honorable William R. Morrison, member of Congress from Illinois, and Chief Justice Morrison of California, are brothers. Their ancestors came from Ireland in the latter part of the last century." He says that Rev. Theadore N. Morrison, D. D. of Chicago, Illinois is the son of John S. Morrison who emigrated from Ireland in 1799 and settled in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and that Honorable Isaac L. Morrison of Jacksonville, Illinois, is a grand son of Andrew Morrison who emigrated from North Ireland and settled near Orange Court House, Virginia prior to the Revolutionary War.

We made an effort to locate some of his ancestors but failed. In the War records of the Revolution, we find an Andrew Morrison of Fauquier County, Virginia, was killed in the Battle of Brandywine, Sept. 11, 1777.

We do not claim that all the Andrew Morrisons above mentioned are our ancestors, nor that all of that name who are still upon the stage of action are descendants or relatives, but we do know that quite a number of them are such. We have been unable so far to definitely locate or secure the history of our ancestors previous to the time of our Grandfather, Andrew Morrison who, as stated, was born October 23, 1754. Just where he was born, we can not positively say, but from information at hand, we are satisfied that it was in the Valley of Virginia and most likely in Frederick County. This is probably further back in the remote past than quite a number of American families could trace up their ancestry. When we think it over we must admit that several moons have come and gone since that time. The millions of humanity that then inhabited the known world have long since returned to their mother dust.

Our beloved West Virginia was then mostly a vast wilderness; buffalo, bear, deer, wolves, and other wild and vicious animals roamed its hills and valleys unmolested. The native red man trailed its pathways with tomahawk and scalping knife in hand, ever ready to use them in removing the scalps of his victims which he carried home to his people as a trophy of his bravery.

Washington was then a young man of 22 years just entering upon his military career, which later, with his Civil Government abilities, made him the most renowned American that ever entered upon the stage of action.

Robert Dinweddie was then Governor of Virginia, deriving such authority by appointment of the King of England.

The Immortalized Patrick Henry was then a boy of 18 years, having been born at Studly, Hanover County in 1736. He received his educational instructions from his father, Colonel John Henry, a man of education and culture belonging to an old Scottish Family. Patrick's biographer says he never attended college, but his education at home was more than respectable for the time.

He was long in finding out what he was intended for; he became a country store keeper and duly a bankrupt; then a farmer with the same results; then he went back to his store and the second venture turned out more unfortunate than the first. Finding himself at the end of his resources, and having married, he went to live with and assisted his father-in-law at the Inn at Hanover Court House. It was the old story of a great genius who was unfitted by nature for the life of routine. He was ready to try a new vocation and began by studying law to fit himself for the bar, if six weeks reading could be called a study. Procuring a license with great difficulty, he opened an office at the Court House. He was of rustic address and ungainly in person, and no one acquainted with him had the least suspicion that under this unpromising exterior lay the immense genius for oratory, which was destined to shape the history of the North American Continent. This was revealed in December 1763.

We are digressing from our subject as this is not family history; the names of a few prominent men of Virginia has been mentioned to call the reader's attention to the time and the questions of public interest that existed when our prognator, Andrew Morrison, first saw the light of day.

But as we had up Patrick Henry when we called attention to our digression, we will again take up that subject and give a brief sketch of his first effort at law as well as of public oratory.

Under the laws of England, the Church and State were not separated, and the same law applied to the Colony, at least so far as the Church of England was concerned. A suit was brought by a minister of the church for arrearage of salary. In a year of failure of the tobacco crop in Virginia, the House of Burgesses (the law making power of the Colony) had enacted a law that all debts payable in that commodity, then a species of currency, might be paid in money at the rate of two-pence for the pound of tobacco. This cut a slice from the salary of the ministers that most men employed on a stated salary would sternly object to, as the current price of tobacco was then sixpence. The clergy believed the law unjust as

well as illegal and appealed to the King who decided with them. The Clergy was therefore entitled to their tobacco or its value; nothing was left but the question of the amounts to be paid them as damages. There was no question of law to be settled by the Court--the King had decided the law.

Mr. Maury, a minister of the Church of England, located in Hanover, brought suit to recover the difference between two-pense and sixpence on his 16,000 pounds of tobacco. The defendants, the Hanover collectors, retired from the case. There was, however, a desire by some that something should be said on behalf of the defendants, and Henry was employed to oppose the parsons. The Virginians, or many of them at least, was at that time opposed to rebelling against the mother country. Dreading war and having failed in their petitions to Parliament for a redress of grievances, they were somewhat undecided what steps to take. A large assembly gathered at the Court House to hear the case of the Parson, and probably, through curosity, to see how Henry would conduct his first effort in court. But a surprise awaited them. He arose to address the jury and, having never spoken in public, at first his voice faltered, he hung his head and seemed to be overwhelmed. Soon a strange transformat ion took place in his appearance, his head was erect and as he proceeded, his delivery grew passionate. He denounced the clergy, a number of whom retired in indignation from the Court House; he stigmatized the King who had supported their demands, as a tyrant who had forfeited all claims to obedience. At this, the Council for the plaintiff cried, "The Gentleman has spoken treason!" but Henry's language only grew more violent. The crowd around him swayed to and fro in evident sympathy with the speaker, who, with passionate vehemence insisted that the Burgesses of Virginia was the only authority which could give force to the laws for the Government of that Colony. The words were treason, since they defied the royal authority, and when the jury retired the crowd was in the wildest commotion. Five minutes later the jury returned with a verdict, fixing the plaintiff's damage at one penny, and a loud shout of applause followed. The jury, like the young orator, had defied the orders of the King. Such was the result of an obscure law suit, assuming the proportions of a historic event.

Patrick Henry had found his calling, and his hearers too, were patriots, who lacked nothing in love or loyalty to their Country and who would ever be ready with their fortunes, their lives, and their all, to extricate it from the yoke of tyranical foreign power and set it on a foundation of Independence, freedom and republican government for all time.

When court adjourned, Patrick Henry was caught up and borne upon the shoulders of his excited admirers around the Court House green, in triumph.

We have probably digressed further than is interesting to the reader or prudent of the writer; therefore, I will return to the subject in hand.

Andrew Morrison, (Born October 23, 1754) married Elizabeth Taylor, about the year 1776 at or near Winchester, Virginia. They evidently, soon after marriage, and probably before setting up house-keeping, turned westward and located in what was then Botetourt County, which has been formed from Augusta County in 1770, and included the territory now known as Southwestern West Virginia to the Ohio River, of which territory a number of Counties have since been formed.

From the best information we have, Andrew and Elizabeth Taylor Morrison settled and reared their family near Lewisburg in the direction of Frankford. They were our grandparents, and their second child, William Morrison, born October 9, 1779, was the father of the writer and told us that he was born in Botetourt County. Whether he was, in every respect, correct or not, we cannot say, but we have no doubt of his being so informed, but with the unsettled condition of the country at that time, he could easily and innocently have been misinformed. Greenbrier County was formed in 1777 from territory known as Botetourt County. At that time the Revolutionary War was at its zenith, and it is reasonable to suppose that the people were much more interested in the war than they were in the County they lived in. Land was the most abundant necessity with which they were blest; if they wanted a new County, they had plenty

of material from which to make it. Again, at the time of which we speak, 1779, Greenbrier might not have been functioning as a County, and the citizens living in its bounds, possibly still recognized it as Botetourt.

Giving the matter due consideration, we must conclude that Andrew Morrison, when he settled in Botetourt County, must have located in that section from which Greenbrier County was later formed, and become a citizen of that county by reason of his location. In that County he lived and reared his family. He died on the 15th day of October, 1845, at the advanced age of 90 years, 11 months and 23 days. We have no information in regard to his occupation during his life, but infer he was a farmer. Neither are we informed as to the date of the death of his wife.

CHILDREN OF ANDREW AND ELIZABETH TAYLOR MORRISON

Since the foregoing was written, the author has unexpectedly received some further information in regard to the first ancestor of our branch of the Morrison family in America. The reader will remember that in quoting from Mr. L. A. Morrison's history of the Morrisons, we referred to his mentioning one Andrew Morrison immigrating from North Ireland and settling near Orange Court House, Virginia, previous to the Revolutionary War. We made an effort to locate some of his descendants some time ago but failed. We recently wrote Edgar T. Morrison at Bidwell, Ohio for information regarding his father

John H. Morrison and his grandfather, Andrew Morrison, who was a brother to William Morrison (father of the author). Edgar T. Morrison replied to our letter saying that he had forwarded it to his sister, Mrs. H. M. Bing and his mother at Delaware, Ohio, believing they could answer the inquiry more satisfactory than he. We then received a letter from Mrs. Bing, giving us the desired information, as copied from her papers which had admitted her to become a member of the organization known as "The Daughters of the American Revolution." Her family tree, as supplied us, is:

Mrs. Bing informs us that she made a two years search before securing this evidence. Andrew, the immigrant also had a son named John Organ Morrison, and she located a great-great-granddaughter of his in Tennessee, who kindly furnished her with the information in regard to Andrew the immigrant and later the Revolutionary Soldier. We have no record as to just when he entered the army during the Revolution War, but from the best evidence at hand, he served a while at least with the third Virginia regiment as the following record furnished us by Mrs. Bing, from the War Department, will show:

WAR DEPARTMENT

The Adjutant General's Office

Washington, Sept. 28, 1907

The word "dead" was probably not made on the record until many months after he signed the pay roll on March 1, 1777, for we have examined all the War records as well as histories that we could obtain which would be likely to give us any light on our ancestors, but we have never been able to find but one Andrew Morrison mentioned as a Virginia Soldier in the Revolutionary War, and the War Records show that he was killed in the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777. That record does not show what regiment he belonged to or under whose command he served, but says that he was from Fauquier County, Virginia. It is known that he had ample time, after settling in Orange County to have moved and settled in Fauquier County long before the Revolutionary War began, or it might have been that he was transferred to a Fauquier County company and in that way been reported from that County. We are fully satisfied that the Andrew Morrison mentioned by L. A. Morrison in his history as immigrati ng from North Ireland before the Revolutionary War and locating in Orange County, the one who married Mary Organ of that County, the Andrew who served as a Revolutionary soldier in Captain John Chilton's Company of the Third Virginia Regiment and the Andrew Morrison killed in the Battle of Brandywine, on September 11, 1777 was one and the same, and the immediate progenitor of our branch of the Morrison family in America.

The Daughters of the American Revolution are and have ample reasons to be proud of their

organization, and guard its legal rights with a jealous eye, admitting none to membership without ample proof that their ancestors gave essential aid in gaining the independence of our Country.

The Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777, in which Andrew Morrison was killed, was no small skirmish. The Standard Dictionary of Facts says: "The Americans commanded by General Washington lost 289 men, killed and had wounded 568, while the English commanded by General Howe, lost but 98 killed and 389 wounded. General Washington's force was far inferior to that of Howe's in point of numbers, and did not go out to engage him in a general battle but only to check his march on Philadelphia."

Some traditional reports have existed that Andrew Morrison, and a brother-in-law of his, who married his sister, served in the War of the Revolution. We never learned the name of the brother-in-law, if such existed, and have no record to justify the claim that Andrew Morrison so served. In fact, we do not think he did so serve in the regular army, but from the history we have of his early manhood, it is but reasonable to conclude that he may have served in some capacity with General Andrew Lewis' forces.

It is well known, from reliable history as well as tradition, that many of the early settlers of Western Virginia selected their home sites for future settlement while out hunting Indians or game and when they discovered a place that suited their fancy, often returned and built a cabin and made it their future home.

At the time General Lewis' force was organized in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Andrew Morrison was a young man of nearly 20 years and lived in that section of the country. Lewis's force was assembled near Lewisburg, then Botetourt County, for final preparations for the march to the mouth of the Great Kanawha. One year or a little more, after this Andrew Morrison was married to Elizabeth Taylor at or near Winchester, Virginia, and shortly thereafter located his home at or near where Lewis had been encamped near Lewisburg, at which place he reared his family. We hardly think it reasonable that so soon after his marriage, he would have left the settlement in the Valley of Virginia, and crossed the wilderness of the Alleghenies to settle on the outskirts of civilization without some knowledge of the Country to which he was going.

We have never seen a list of General Lewis' men engaged in the battle of Point Pleasant, and do not know whether such a record is in existence of not, but have mentioned our reasons for the impression that Andrew Morrison may have been one of them.

We remember, when on our way from Pocahontas County to Lewisburg, in 1874, stopping overnight at Frankford, and the hotel proprietor telling us that the old Morrison farm lay on or near the road between that place and Lewisburg. We did not know then that our grandfather, Andrew Morrison, had ever lived in that neighborhood, and do not yet know whether he was speaking with reference to him or to our father, and it is not likely that he knew as he only had reference to the farm known by that name.

William grew to manhood and was married in that County in 1798; to Maria Perkins, who was born in the same county in 1782. His principal occupation was, no doubt, farming. He carried on a shoe shop at Frankford at least a part of the time and occasionally was engaged as a pioneer school teacher for a three months term of winter school. He compiled his own text-book.

It was only after five years previous to his birth that General Andrew Lewis assembled his Army of brave Virginians near Lewisburg as ordered to do by Lord Dunmore, then Governor of the Colony of Virginia, preparatory for his famous march to the mouth of the Kanawha, at which place Dunmore had agreed to meet him with a like force commanded by himself from the lower valley of Virginia and march by way of Northwestern Virginia until the conjunction was made as agreed upon.

Lewis' advance was an arduous undertaking, for the country was a wilderness of mountains and no wheeled vehicle could pass through it. The ammunition and provisions were borne on pack horses, and, cutting their way through pathless woods the division finally reached Point Pleasant. But Lord Dunmore was nowhere to be seen and his whereabouts, a mystery. Rumor reported him marching toward the Shawnee towns, now Chillicothe, and soon runners came with orders to Lewis to cross the river and move thither. Before the order could be obeyed Lewis was attached and had to fight. Some men who had crossed the Ohio returned in haste reporting that the woods were full of Indians. Lewis had just formed a line of battle when he was assailed by a heavy force of Indians. His position was favorable for defense but not for retreat. Behind him was the Kanawha, and on his left, the Ohio, and on his right a small stream called Crooked Run. Thus his flanks were protected, but if defeated, there wa s but little hope of retreat. The Indian force seemed to far outnumber his own. It was commanded by the famous Chief Cornstalk, and his warriors the best of the Ohio tribes. A fierce struggle followed; the Indians swarmed in the woods in front where they had erected a barricade and steadily advanced delivering a heavy fire from behind every cover. Under this galling fire, the Virginians grew discouraged. Many of their best men had fallen though the sun had scarcely risen above the woods. General Lewis, from the beginning of the action, had cooly watched its progress, and he now advanced with his reserve and made an obstinate attack in front. For some hours the hot struggle remained undecided. Lewis ordered a detachment through the undergrowth on Crooked Run to attack the Indian rear. The sudden fire they delivered proved they were behind the enemy and Lewis rushing forward in front with heavy volleys at the same time, drove the Indians toward the Ohio River. A panic had seized upon them at the fire in their rear and Cornstalk's appeal to them to stand firm was in vain. The battle was over, the Indians routed and flying to Ohio, and by sunset the whole force had disappeared. The ground was covered with the dead, and the Virginians' loss was heavy. Two Colonels, seven Captains, three Lieutenants, and seventy-five men were killed, and one hundred and forty wounded. This is claimed to be the last combined assault of the red men on the western border of Virginia. Lewis and his Virginians between sunrise and sunset had put an end to the long drama of horror. There arise on the part of Lewis' men a passionate demand to know where

Dunmore was. The attacking force had come from the direction of Chillicothe where the Governor was said to have concluded a Peace. Was the bloody business at the mouth of the Kanawha the result of it? The men raged but Lewis kept the quiet demeanor of his way. Burying his dead, he erected a stockade and left a small party to hold it and set out for Chillicothe, where Lord Dunmore, in command of a thousand men, was quietly waiting. On the march he was met by an order from Lord Dunmore to return to Point Pleasant. He continued to advance without taking any notice of the order, and finally came to a halt within three miles of Dunmore's camp. A scene followed. Lord Dunmore, accompanied by an Indian Chief, came to Lewis' camp. "Why had he disobeyed orders?" was the Governor's harsh demand. The answer of Lewis is not recorded but it not probable that it was complementary toward the Governor. It was afterwards said that if he had not restrained his men, they would have put Dunmore to de ath. The charge against him at the time was that he had a private understanding with the Indians to destroy Lewis and his brave Virginians, disabling the colony for military resistance to England. Was this true? It is not proved.

Since writing the above in regard to General Lewis' army and the battle of Point Pleasant, we have carefully examined the history of that event written by Virgil A. Lewis, one of West Virginia's most noted Historical writers. In his work, Mr. Lewis gives a detailed account of everything pertaining to that important move, from the time Lord Dunmore directed General Lewis to enlist a volunteer army for the raid, which was July 12, 1774, until the end of the campaign. He names all the officers of each Company, where they were from, as well as the time of their arrival and departure to and from Camp Union, the place of rendezvous, then Botetourt, now Greenbrier County, where the town of Lewisburg stands. The aim of General Lewis and his recruiting officers was to raise a force of thirty companies of 50 men each, to be ready for the march by September 1st, but it was not until September 6th that a force sufficient to make the start was ready. Mr. A. V. Lewis, quoting Colonel William Christian writing to Colonel Preston, the next day, says: "Colonel Charles Lewis marched yesterday with about 600 Augusta men. His business is to proceed as far as the mouth of Elk, then to make canoes to take down the flour. He took with him 108 beeves and 500 pack horses carrying 54,000 pounds of flour." Mr. Lewis further says that fortunately, the Journal and Orderly Book of Colonel Fleming has been preserved. He was Commander of the Botetourt Regiment and left Camp Union, Sunday, September 11. From his Journal, Mr. Lewis describes every day's march and camping place between Camp Union and Point Pleasant. Colonel Christian left Camp Union with a force of about 400 men on September 27th, but failed to reach Point Pleasant until 11 o'clock, P. M. October 10, after the battle was over.

Mr. Lewis gives a minute account of Lord Dunmore's movements from the time he left Williamsburg until he reached the Indian towns on the Sciota and concluded the Treaty of Peace. Mr. Lewis also gives a list or rosters of eleven companies of General Lewis' Volunteers who were engaged in the Battle of Point Pleasant, and who arrived with Colonel Christian after the battle was won. Of the 30 companies listed, no other roster is known to exist. A part of the companies never left Camp Union until the Campaign was over. He says that many of the force had seen service under Washington and other Commanders.

Mr. Lewis differs from other and former writers in regard to the illfeelings reported to exist between Lord Dunmore and General Lewis and his soldiers. He claims that no such thing as General Lewis disobeying orders of Lord Dunmore ever existed, and that the earlier writers got their information by tradition which was not correct. He states that they did not take the trouble to hunt up the records that then existed and accepted traditional reports for facts. He produces a number of letters written by officers of both branches of Dunmore's Army, the expressions of public meetings of the people of Virginia, the House of Burgesses (then the law making power of the Colony), all expressing their gratitude and thanks to Lord Dunmore for his earnest and loyal efforts in their behalf, in his ardious campaign. If the written reports of responsible men, the expressions at public gatherings, and the resolutions of law making bodies, is good evidence of an occurance that has just taken plac e, we can but say that Mr. Lewis has produced ample evidence to prove his position correct.

It must have been a heroic undertaking for General Lewis to organize a volunteer Army of that magnitude in such a sparcly settled country as it was at that time, but, for the Colony of Virginia, it was a heroic age, and the brave pioneers quickly responded to their country's call. Two Companies came from what is now Tennessee, and a like number from what is now Kentucky. Lord Dunmore sent one company from the Valley of Virginia where he was organizing his force. It is said that there were but few able bodied men west of the Blue Ridge that did not in some way participate in the Dunmore War.

Some writers have claimed that Cornstalk was born on Davis Creek, a small stream emptying into the Kanawha just below South Charleston. There is but little doubt that he was well acquainted with south-western West Virginia. He was with the Indian raiders at the Muddy Creek and Big Level Massacre in Greenbrier previous to the Battle of Point Pleasant. Some writers also claim the Battle of Point Pleasant to be the first blood of the Revolution. While it could hardly be so claimed, it was a fore-runner that was of great advantage to the cause of independence. The treaty made by Lord Dunmore kept the Indians quiet for over three years, giving the Colonies time to extend their border settlements much more than they could have done if Indian wars had been kept up during that time.

We have again been digressing from the subject of family history but will come back to the subject in hand.

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William Morrison and his wife were both quite young when married. To them were born twelve children: James A., James W., Cyntha, Nancy, Andrew G., Spicer F., Rebecca, Elizabeth, Leavan J., William F., and Leroy S. They were all born in Greenbrier County, Virginia. The wife and mother died about 1826 or 1827, we have no exact record. The dates of birth of the above named children are copied from the record in the father's old Family Bible, in his own hand writing with a quill pen--probably not so legible as John Hancock's signature on the Declaration of Independence, but the same old round hand style. We would be pleased to give the names as well as the places of residence of those still living of our father's first family, and their descendants, if such were possible, but it is not. They are numerous and scattered. Years of investigation would not secure such information. So we must be content by giving such limited knowledge as we can secure of a few of them.

William Morrison continued to reside in Greenbrier County until 1829, when he again united in marriage with Mrs. Eliza Hoover Oldham of Pocahontas County, and shortly thereafter moved to Nicholas (now Braxton) County. He owned three slaves: Jack, Joe, and Joe's wife, which, we understand, came through his first wife. From his disposition as we remember it, we do not believe that he would either have bought or sold a slave. Jack was given his freedom in Greenbrier, but Joe and his wife, Maria, went with the family to Nicholas. We heard our father say the country was sparsly settled, and with no colored people near, the negroes seemed lonesome, so he gave them their freedom and they returned to Greenbrier.

Children of William and Maria Perkins Morrison, and their descendants:

1st, James A--Born October 10, 1802, died in infancy.

8th, Wellington F.--Born June 30, 1845. Married Sarah E. Berry, daughter of Joel Berry, on September 27, 1866, who departed this life February 18, 1918. Mr. Morrison enlisted in Company F, 10th W. Va. Infantry when quite young. He served until the close of the war. He was with General Grant's force when Lee surrendered, was in a number of battles and slightly wounded once. Upon return home at the close of the war, he attended school for some time not quitting until some time after his marriage. He has served the public as County Superintendent of Schools, Deputy Sheriff, Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court, one term as Clerk of the same Court, several terms as Mayor of his town and in 1904 was elected Presidential Elector. He is prominent in business, owning stock in several corporations. He is President of a grocery and milling Company, and writes insurance. He writes a nice legible hand though in his 83rd year. Since the death of his wife, he has made his home with one of his sons .

(At the Age of 33 Years)

Sutton, West Virginia

(At the Age of 84 Years)

(Wife of George H. Morrison) (Wife of Wellington F. Morrison)

From old tin type.

Elizabeth married Jonathan Young, a farmer by occupation. Three children were born to them.

Nancy M. Oldham married George W. Hickel in Braxton County in November 1844, the late William G. Hickel of Jackson County being their oldest child. They moved to the latter county in 1849 or 1850 and reared a large family, all of which are dead except three; Samuel S. lives at Huntington, Preston T. lives in Illinois, Sanford A. is some place in the west.

The two Oldham children were taken to Braxton County by their mother and step-father, William Morrison, in 1829. They remained with them until grown. They could not have been more kind to their own father than they were to their step-father as long as he lived.

William K. Oldham went to Jackson County with the family when they moved there, but, owning some land in Pocahontas County, inherited from his father, he went there in 1849. He attended school at the Academy in the Little Levels of that county for a year or so and in 1855 was married to Miss Sarah Kinnison. One child was born to them on June 13, 1857. He was named Upton E. He married a Miss Hunt, who lived near Evans in Jackson County. The wife and mother died in 1859. William K. Oldham sold his property in Pocahontas County and bought a farm in Jackson County and in 1861 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Smith of Pocahontas County. They immediately, in the spring of that year, moved to the farm in Jackson County where they made their permanent home. Six children were born to them, all of whom were boys:

Oley O.--Born September 27, 1864, married a Miss Casto. They live at Ripley, W. Va.

John and Esther Hoover, above referred to, moved to Braxton County sometime near the date the county was formed in 1836. They settled on the Mountain between Elk and Holly Rivers and lived there the remainder of their lives. They were buried on the farm. They had two sons, John and Paul.

John, son of John and Esther Hoover, married Lucinda Butcher. They lived and reared their family in the Flatwoods neighborhood. They had six sons and one daughter: Jesse M., Asa, Wesley, William, Francis, and Granville, and a daughter, Caroline. Mr. Sutton, in his history of Braxton County, says:

Paul Hoover, son of John and Esther Hoover, married Martha Short. Our recollection of them is that after they left the Mountain between Elk and Holly Rivers, they probably resided for a while on Elk, now Clay County, later on the Elk in Kanawha County and at Charleston. Some of the family still reside in that section. Their children were: Morgan, James, Thomas, Benjamin, and, Mr. Sutton says--"some daughters, the eldest of whom married Morgan Simmons."

To our knowledge, our grandparents, John and Esther Hoover, had five daughters, all of whom married and lived in Pocahontas County. This would indicate that the parents had lived in that county at least for a while before moving to Braxton County.

Eliza--Who first married William Oldham, has been mentioned.

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Three children were born to William and Eliza Hoover Morrison; namely:

Corda--Born March 12, 1886, married Joseph Ferguson. They have two children.

Okey H.--Born October 2, 1887, married Elna Batterell. They have seven children.

Georgia--Born March 3, 1889, married Grover Parsons. They have seven children.