MORRIS FAMILY - Part 1 of 2

      The following was sent to me by Billy Morris, an excellent researcher who is a native of Ohio County. Billy was born in Ohio County near Renfrow in 1933 and now lives in Mount Washington, Kentucky.  Billy attended Renfrow school and Horse Branch High School.  He served 22 months with the 11 Airborne at Fort Campbell, KY.  He had a career in electronics at GE in Louisville. Here is a quote about his life in Ohio County: 

"In the years I grew up in where we lived there was no electricity, only water was a spring or well some of them would go dry in the summer and you had to haul water in a barrel in a road wagon with a team of mules or horses. The roads were dirt. Only one or two people had a car. The WPA built what is now known as HWY 505, it was graveled. The people with cars left them by the gravel road in winter, you could not use anything but mules or horses. Very little money most farmers raised tobacco as a cash crop and a few hogs they would sell in the winter to get a little money for Christmas and it did not go very far. We always had food but lots of people did not. You raised it, killed it or you didn’t eat. You really looked forward to spring and the first mess of greens after a winter of beans and potatoes or for a change potatoes and beans and corn bread. If you raised wheat you would have flower until it ran out. When the 2nd World War started things started picking up. Many men with families were drafted. The allotment checks sent home put some money in circulation. Also anything you raised you could sell. I know my dad bought or traded for 4 or 5 cows. The got a cream separator and sold cream then fed the skimmed milk to the hogs. Other people left the farm and worked in defense work and sent money home."

MY MORRIS FAMILY IN OHIO COUNTY, KENTUCKY

FIRST GENERATION:

           

Holland Morris, Sr., born 1783 VA, died 1860 Ohio County. Holland married Sarah English, the daughter of William K. English (Inglish) and Sarah Swope about 1805 in Grayson County. Sarah was born 1788 in VA, died 1850, Ohio County. [Due to the fact that Grayson County was not formed until January 1 1810 the marriage would have been in Ohio County. Grayson was formed from Ohio and Hardin Counties.]

More information of Holland Morris, Sr.:

Land purchases:

1821 Holland Morris bought from John & Sarah Hampton 215 Acres Caney Creek Deed book E 296.

1842 he bought from William Beel 150 acres Caney Creek Deed book I 211.

1846 from William Miller 457 acres Caney Creek Deed book I 537

1851 from William Beel 1050 acres Caney Creek Deed book N 191

1853 from Charles Wheeler a tract of land Deed book N 207

Children of Holland Morris, Sr. and Sarah English are:

      1. Leah Morris, born 1807 in Virginia; died after 1870 in Ky.

      2. Artemetia Morris, born 23 Dec 1802 in Virginia; died 10 Dec 1870 in Grayson County Ky.  She married Hosea Stone 28 May 1826 in Grayson County, KY, who was born 22 Jun 1792 in Virginia; died 17 Apr 1863 in Grayson County, Ky.

      3. Braxton Morris, born 07 Apr 1811 in Virginia; died 01 Sep 1882 in Grayson County, KY.  He married Ursula Shaw before 1839 in Grayson County, KY, who was born 18 Apr 1812 in Grayson County, KY; died 03 Nov 1898 in Grayson County, KY.

      4. Marshall Morris, born 13 Apr 1813 in Virginia; died 21 Mar 1897 in Galena, Kingfisher County, Oklahoma Territory.  He married Milly Ann Cook about 1837 in Kentucky, who was born 16 Sep 1816 in Kentucky; died 26 Jan 1896 in Oklahoma.

      5. Amos Morris, born 1818 in Grayson County, KY; died 1860 in Ohio County Ky.  He married Cathrine Byers in 1836 in Grayson County, KY, who was born about 1818 in Kentucky; died 1870 in Ohio County, Ky.

      6. Herman O. Morris, born 16 Oct 1819 in Grayson County, KY; died 18 Jul 1820 in Grayson County, Ky.

      7. Ewen Morris, born 20 Feb 1822 in Grayson County, KY; died 03 Feb 1902 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Lucinda Linsey Leach 25 Mar 1841 in Grayson County, KY, who was born 06 Dec 1818 in Ohio County, KY, who died 11 Nov 1894 in Ohio County, Ky.

      8. Rosanna Morris, born 02 Nov 1825 in Grayson County, KY; died 11 Feb 1908 in Ohio County, KY.  She married Leonard W. Leach 10 Oct 1841 in Grayson County, KY, who was born 15 Apr 1821 in Ohio County, KY and died 16 Oct 1906 in Ohio County, KY.

      9. Elizabeth Morris, born 1826 in Kentucky; died after 1870 in Ohio  County, KY.  She married John Alexander Washington Autry 17 Apr 1845 in Ohio County, KY, who was born about 1827 in Kentucky and died Abt. 1870 in Ohio County, KY.

      10. Holland Morris, Jr. born 1827 in Grayson County, KY; died 01 Aug 1864 in Marietta, GA.  He married Mary Maiden 08 Dec 1851 in Ohio County, KY, who was born 1833 in Kentucky; died 1884 in Ohio County, KY.

                         NOTE: Holland Jr., was with the Ky. 17th., H Co., killed in Civil War,  buried in Marietta, Ga.

                         From Hospital Records:

                         Holland Morris Co. H 17th Reg Ky Inf.

                         Mar 1864 Abs in Hospital, Knoxville Tn.

                         July 1864 Abs in Field Hospital

                         Aug 1864 Died of wounds, Hosp 3 Division 4 C Aug 1 1864

      11. Benjamin Franklin Morris, born 1830 in Edwards County, IL; died in McLean County, KY.  He married (1) Sarah Ann Stewart 07 Apr 1853 in Ohio County KY, who was born about 1830 in Kentucky; died before 1864 in Ohio County, KY.  He married (2) Louisa Keeton 21 May 1864 in Ohio County KY, who was born 1837 in Tenn.

      12. James Virgil Morris, born about 1834 in Edwards County, IL; died about Feb 1892 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Eliza Pointer Young 27 Jan 1858 in Ohio County KY, who was born Feb 1842 in Ohio County, KY.

      13. Sarah Morris, born 1837 in Ohio County, KY, died after 1850 Ohio County.  She married John W. Thirbor 18 Feb 1869 in Ohio County KY, who was born 1846 in Ohio County, KY.

     

SECOND GENERATION:

Ewen Morris (son of Holland, Sr.) was born 20 Feb 1822 in Grayson County, KY, and died 03 Feb 1902 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Lucinda Linsey Leach 25 Mar 1841 in Grayson County, KY, daughter of William Leach and Nancy Leach.  She was born 06 Dec 1818 in Ohio County, KY, and died 11 Nov 1894 in Ohio County, KY.

     

Children of Ewen Morris and Lucinda Leach are:

      1. William Holland Morris, born 1841 in Ohio County, KY; died 08 Dec 1861 in Calhoun, McLean County, KY.

                         More about William Holland Morris:

                         Enlistment date Jan 11 1861, Calhoon, KY

                         Company E. 17 Inf Kentucky Infantry

                         He died in a hospital Dec 8 1961 of an illness. Kentucky deaths 1852 to 1953 list cause of death bleeding of the lungs. He was 20 years old.

                         His father Ewen Morris and mother Lucinda filed a pension request first 1894 and again in 1905.

      2. Amos D. Morris, born 17 Jun 1842 in Ohio County, KY; died 17 Sep 1876 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Elizabeth Embry 07 Feb 1866 in Ohio County KY; born 19 Feb 1847 in Butler County, KY; died 03 Jun 1925 in Ohio County, KY.

      3. Holland Morris, born 16 Mar 1844 in Ohio County, KY; died 23 Feb 1934 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Martha Embry 13 Mar 1866 in Ohio County KY; born 23 Feb 1846 in Butler County, KY; died 17 Jun 1933 in Ohio County, KY.

                         More about Holland Morris:

                         Holland Morris is listed as a Pvt in CO F 1  Volunteer Kentucky Inf during the civil war.  He is also listed on a roll of Ohio County Veterans copied from a file in the Kentucky Historical Society Counties listing.  He enlisted Nov 5 1861 at Camp Hobson  and was released Jan 12 1865 at Louisville, KY.  He drew a Civil War pension.

      4. Christina Morris, born 17 Nov 1848 in Ohio County, KY; died 30 Oct 1940 in Ohio County, KY.  She married Thomas Morse Daugherty 22 Jan 1863 in Ohio County, KY; born 17 Feb 1839 in Ohio County, KY; died 02 Dec 1906 in Ohio County, KY.

      5. Sarah Jane Morris, born 29 Dec 1849 in Ohio County, KY; died 25 Aug 1921 in Ohio County, KY.  She married (1) John W. Duvall 09 Jan 1866 in Ohio County, KY; born about 1839 in Kentucky; died 04 Dec 1921 in Ohio County, KY.  She married (2) James M. Baize 20 Aug 1872 in Ohio County, KY; born 24 May 1848 in Ohio County, KY; died 18 Apr 1936 in Ohio County, KY.

      6. Benjamin Franklin Morris, born 27 Nov 1854 in Ohio County, KY; died 12 Aug 1943 in Butler County, KY.  He married (1) Georgia Ann Arbuckle 24 Jul 1871 in Ohio County, KY; born about 1853 in Ohio County Ky.  He married (2) Frances Ermaline Daugherty 21 Jan 1874 in Butler County, KY; born 15 Dec 1856 in Ohio County, KY; died 07 Feb 1923 in Butler County, KY.

      7. Leonard Virgil Morris, born 17 Mar 1855 in Ohio County, KY; died 27 Apr 1947 in Butler County, Ky.  He married Emma Wade 18 Nov 1885 in Butler County KY; born 1863 in Butler County, KY; died 1947 in Butler County, KY.

      8. Margaret Morris, born 21 Nov 1856 in Ohio County, KY; died 02 Nov 1860 in Ohio County, KY.

      9. Mary Caroline Morris, born 10 Mar 1860 in Ohio County, KY; died 21 May 1934 in Ohio County, KY.  She married Julis Valentine 18 Jul 1876 in Ohio County, KY; born 1856 in Ohio County, KY; died 29 Jul 1924 in Hopkinsville, KY.

      10. James Ewen Morris, born 10 Jun 1861 in Ohio County, KY; died 28 Jul 1950 in Butler County, KY.  He married Laura A. Liles 19 Jul 1887 in Ohio County, KY; born 29 Dec 1864 in Ohio County, KY; died 21 Jul 1950 in Ohio County, KY.

      11. Anetta Morris, born 1867 in Ohio County, KY; died 1870 in Ohio County, KY.

      12. Nancy E. Morris, born 1869 in Ohio County, KY; died Aft. 1870 in Ohio County, KY.

Amos Morris  (son of Holland, Sr.) was born 1818 in Grayson County, KY, and died 1860 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Cathrine Byers 1836 in Grayson County, KY.  She was born about 1818 in Kentucky, and died 1870 in Ohio County, KY.

     

Children of Amos Morris and Cathrine Byers are:

      1. William Holland Morris, born 29 Jul 1838 in Ohio County Ky; died 24 Mar 1914 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Eliza J. Southard 16 Oct 1860 in Ohio County KY; born 31 May 1841 in Virginia; died 06 Sep 1915 in Ohio County, KY.

      2. Daniel Austin Morris, born 1840 in Ohio County, KY; died before 1866 in GA.

      3. Margaret Elizabeth Morris, born 1845 in Ohio County, KY; died 1899 in Ohio County, KY.  She married Zachariah Talbot Albin 08 May 1868 in Ohio County, KY; born 1842 in Kentucky; died 1933 in Ohio County, KY.

      4. Presley Ruben Morris, born Sep 1848 in Ohio County, KY; died Aft. 1910 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Cynthia A. Albin 09 May 1868 in Ohio County KY; born Jan 1851 in Clay County, IL; died 10 Sep 1935 in Warren County, KY.

      5. Virgil Porter Morris, born 02 Mar 1851 in Ceralvo, Ohio County, KY; died 05 May 1933 in Nelson Creek, Muhlenberg County, KY.  He married (1) Mary Jane Wilson 21 Sep 1879 in Ohio County, KY; born 27 Jun 1863 in Cromwell, Ohio County, KY; died 11 Dec 1940 in Island, McClean County, KY.  He married (2) Julia Bird Payton 25 Aug 1919 in Ohio County, KY; born Jan 1857 in Grayson County, KY.

      6. Joseph Henry Morris, born Oct 1853 in Ohio County, KY; died 1918 in Ohio County, KY.  He married (1) Louise Thomas Baize 04 Feb 1884 in Ohio County, KY; born 1854 in Ohio County, KY; died 1899 in Ohio County, KY.  He married (2) Julia Bird Payton 01 Aug 1899 in Ohio County, KY; born Jan 1857 in Grayson County, KY.

      7. James Morris, born 1854 in Ohio County, KY.  He married Sue Willet 30 Apr 1888 in Ohio County, KY.

      8. Sarah A. Morris, born 1857 in Ohio County, KY; died 01 Jan 1937 in Christian Co., KY.  She married James C. Stearman 30 Jan 1879 in Ohio County, KY; born 1856 in Ohio County, KY.

      9. Mary Palestine Morris, born 1861 in Ohio County, KY.  She married William J. Skaggs 07 Aug 1880 in Ohio County, KY.

Part 1 of 2.

John T. B. Cox

          John T. B. Cox, son of Thomas Jefferson Cox (1811-1892) and Susannah Miranda Leach (1807-1859) was born 29 April 1847 in Ohio County and died of fever at age 5, on 4 Nov 1853, in Ohio County. He is buried in East Providence Cemetery, Prentiss, Ohio County.  John was the youngest of four children: Mary Elizabeth, born 1832; James William, born 1838; Leonard Thomas, born 1843; and John.

Robert Haworth Leach

Robert Haworth Leach, son of Cecile Wayne Leach and Hannah A. Hayworth, was born in Ohio County 4 Aug 1928 and died 25 Sep 1996 at age 68.  He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery with his wife, Carol Crume Leach (1933-2016).  Robert and Carol had three children, all daughters: Paula, Roberta, and Lori.

Robert was one of eight children: Anna Lois (1918-2004); Wendell Porter (1919-2008); Ruby Corine (1921-2008); Glenn W. (1923-2005); Betty Jean (1925-2016); Eula Ray (1927-2012); Robert; and Agnes Patricia (1930-2019).

Robert served with the Army Air Corps during WWII and was a Mason.

James Pendleton Vandiver

          James Pendleton Vandiver (1869–1932) was a Kentucky fiddler, born in Ohio County shortly after the American Civil War. He was uncle to bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, who immortalized him in a song, "Uncle Pen".

          Monroe used to hear his uncle playing fiddle on the hilltop where he lived, while Monroe put away his mules at night. He later said that Vandiver was "the fellow that I learned how to play from." Vandiver played fiddle at local square dances and social events, and his nephew backed him up, playing mandolin. Monroe's parents had both died by the time he was 16, and he lived part of the time with his Uncle Pen, in his two-room hilltop house in Rosine, Kentucky. Vandiver had been crippled earlier, and he made some money with his music. Bill Monroe's biographer, Richard D. Smith writes, "Pen gave Bill more: a repertoire of tunes that sank into Bill's aurally trained memory and a sense of rhythm that seeped into his bones. Sometimes Bill played guitar behind his uncle, sometimes the mandolin."

          On September 13, 1973, a monument in honor of Uncle Pen was unveiled 

by Monroe at the Rosine Cemetery. Another way he honored Penn's memory was to play the part of "Uncle Pen" in Ricky Skaggs' Country Boy music video.

         The photo above shows Vandiver with what is presumed to be wife, Anne Belle Johnson Vandiver, and their daughter, Lena Narne Vandiver, taken during the 1920s.  Source:  John Lawless, bluegrasstoday.com

Jacob Weaver Malin

          Jacob Weaver Malin, son of Isaac Malin (1794-1860) and Drusilla Davis (1810-1874); born 16 Feb 1850, Mclean County, died at age 76 on 9 May 1926, Ohio County.  On 11 January 1873 married Martha Lucinda Leach and they had four children: Altha June Malin (1875-1943); Drusella A. Malin (1876- ?); John Fielden Malin (1877-1951); and Joseph N. Malin (1880-1952).  Martha died in 1893 and Jacob married Zelma P. Austin (1856-1914) and they had two children: Virgil Clay Malin (1894-1978; and Wavy Bee Malin (1896-1918).  Jacob lived his entire life in the Cromwell area of Ohio County.

Annie (Addie) Brooks Leach

          Annie (Addie) Brooks Leach was the daughter of Henry Allen Brooks 1847-1916 and Mary A. (Moseley) Brooks 1848-1925.  Addie was born in Ohio County 6 Oct 1879 and on 27 Dec 1903 she married Edgar Johnson Leach 1874-1914, son of Stephen L. Leach and Rebecca M. Park.  Addie and Edgar had two daughters and three sons:  Irene (Salmon), Hubert Clarence (spouse Gwendolyn), Ernest Miller (unmarried), Helen Rhea (Hoover), and Henry Gordon (1^st wife Willie R. Moore, 2nd wife Louise Jackson).  Addie and Edgar are buried in the Patterson Cemetery, Hartford.

Orphan Brigade - Civil War - CSA

The Orphan Brigade

            The Orphan Brigade was the nickname of the First Kentucky Brigade, a group of military units recruited from Kentucky to fight for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The brigade was the largest Confederate unit to be recruited from Kentucky during the war. Its original commander was John C. Breckinridge, former United States Vice President and candidate for president, who was enormously popular with Kentuckians.

            The regiments that were part of the Orphan Brigade were the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 9th Kentucky Infantry Regiments. Units of the Orphan Brigade were involved in many military engagements in the American South during the war, including the Battle of Shiloh. In 1862, Breckinridge was promoted to division command and was succeeded in the brigade by Brig. Gen. Roger W. Hanson. At the Battle of Stones River, the brigade suffered heavy casualties in an assault on January 2, 1863, including General Hanson. Breckinridge—who vehemently disputed the order to charge with the army's commander, General Braxton Bragg—rode among the survivors, crying out repeatedly, "My poor Orphans! My poor Orphans," noted brigade historian Ed Porter Thompson, who used the term in his 1868 history of the unit. The name came from how the Confederacy viewed its soldiers from Kentucky (which remained in the Union, but was represented by a star in both countries' flags). The term was not in widespread use during the war, but it became popular afterwards among the veterans.

            The Orphan Brigade lost another commander at the Battle of Chickamauga, when Brig. Gen. Benjamin H. Helm, Abraham Lincoln's brother-in-law, was mortally wounded on September 20, 1863, and died the following day. Major Rice E. Graves, the artillery commander, was also mortally wounded.

            The Orphan Brigade served throughout the Atlanta Campaign of 1864, then were converted to mounted infantry and opposed Sherman's March to the Sea. They ended the war fighting in South Carolina in late April 1865, and surrendered at Washington, Georgia, on May 6–7, 1865.

          The "Ohio County" unit was Company C, of the 9th Kentucky Infantry Regiment, which was part of the 1st Kentucky Brigade.

Samuel Ewing Hill

          SAMUEL EWING HILL was born January 30, 1844, Morgantown, Ky., a son of Daniel S. and Malinda (Ewing) Hill, of Butler County, Ky.  After service in the Civil War he became an attorney and had his office in Hartford.  He married Naomi Baird (1850-1912) in 1869 and they had three children: Effie, Mary Lawrence, and Elizabeth.  Mr. Hill died 30 May 1904.

     I was unable to find Mr. Hill's obituary but I found the obituary for his wife:

Ignatius Pigman Taylor

          Ignatius Pigman Taylor, son of John Pigman Taylor (Virginia) and Elizabeth Taylor (Virginia), was born 29 Jan 1802 in Ohio County and died 12 Jan 1863 in Ohio County.  He is buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Cromwell, Ohio County. His nickname was Nacy.  He married Nancy Leach 13 Oct 1825 and they had 11 children:

Margaret Ann, born 22 Jul 1826

Mary, born 1827 (died as an infant)

Elizabeth Caroline, born 25 Mar 1829

Hannah B., born 8 Jul 1830

Henry Leach, born 30 Oct 1831

Nancy Ann, born 15 Aug 1833

Martha Elizabeth, born 29 Jan 1835

Lorenzo Dow, born 19 Sep 1837

Sarah Angeline, born 24 Nov 1841

Paulina C., born 1844

Philema, born 1846

          Nacy and his family lived in Cromwell and farmed. Their nearest neighbors were Richard Sandefur & family; and their son, Henry L. Taylor & family.