JOHN MORRIS, of Fairfield, Ill., was born September 14,1836, in Monroe County, Ohio. The family was first represented in America during the colonial days. and belonged to the Society of Friends, or Quakers, settling in New Jersey, where Elihu Morris, father of John,. was born in 1798. While Elihu was yet a lad, his parents removed to the State of Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood, and where he was first married, to a Miss Davis, soon after which they removed to Monroe County, Ohio, where his wife died, leaving several children.
He was next married to Mary Hartley, a native of Pennsylvania. and a daughter of James Hartley, of English ancestry. She was born in 1802, and was married to Elihu Morris about 1833. This union resulted in the birth of five children -
The family removed to Clay County, Ill., and settled in Xenia in 1859. Here the parents both died.
In August, 1862, Mr. Morris enlisted in Company C, of the One Hundred and Eleventh Illinois Infantry. and was elected to the position of First Sergeant; in August. 1863, was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and soon after to First Lieutenant. He was in command of his company on the Atlanta campaign. He was in all the active engagements incident to that campaign, closing at Jonesboro. after which he resigned, on account of the death of his parents.
From 1866 until 1873, Mr. Morris was engaged in farming principally, and in the last named year was elected County Clerk of Wayne County, serving four years then elected to the office of County Treasurer, in which capacity he served one term.
He is a member of the order of Masons, and Deputy Grand Master Workman in the A. 0. U. W.; has a family of seven children -
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