Brown Family Research - Maternal Ancestors - Segment 9

 

Holland Morris and Sarah English

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Holland Morris was born in VA sometime between 1783 and 1788.[1] Nothing is known of his youth or when the family moved to KY. Though Holland would have been of prime age for service in the War of 1812 and KY provided a disproportionate percentage of the volunteers, no records have been found that indicate that Holland ever served.

Sometime, probably about 1805, Holland married another VA native, Sarah English (sometimes Inglish). Sarah had been born around 1788. The location of that wedding is unknown. The first confirmed residence of Holland and Sarah is in Grayson Co., KY, in 1820. By this time, the couple had five of what would ultimately be eleven children. These first five included three boys and two girls; all were under age ten at the time of the census.[2] The first child that we can identify, Ewen, was born on February 20, 1822, probably in Grayson Co.[3] Daughter Rosannah was born on January 25, 1825, also in Grayson Co.[4] At that time, Grayson Co. was frontier land with only 4,000 inhabitants. The next to be born was Holland Jr. in 1827. Around 1828, the family moved to Edwards Co., in southeastern IL, where Benjamin was born in 1829.[5] Grayson Co. was a metropolis compared to Edwards Co. Even by 1830, its population was only 1,600.

The Morris’ stay in IL was short, returning to KY before 1834 when their next child, James, was born. Their last child, Sarah, was born in 1838, also in KY.

The 1850 Ohio Co. census, with its more exhaustive data, provides some insight into the family.[6] Only Holland Jr. (23), Benjamin (19), James (16), and Sarah (12) remain at home. Young Sarah was reported as unable to read or write. Holland’s real estate was worth $1,600, an amount well above that of surrounding holdings. Daughter Rosannah, 24, lived just two houses away with her husband, Leonard Leach, and their four young children. A few houses in the opposite direction were a KY-born Amos Morris, 32, and his young family. It is likely that he was one of the unidentified males born prior to 1820 mentioned above. Also nearby was 

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[1] Since KY didn't come into the union until 1792, it is conceivable that Holland was born in either present-day KY or VA. The uncertainty regarding the date of his birth is based on responses to the census takers in 1850 and 1860.

[2] Census data, Grayson Co., KY, 1820, sheet ___, _____ district. As names of children were not recorded until the 1850 census, the names of those five have not yet been discovered, but some researchers say those children were Artemetia, born 1802; Leah, born 1807; Braxton, born 1811; Marshall, born 1813; and Amos, born 1818. There might have been another son, Herman O., born in 1819 and died before the 1820 census.

[3] Ewen died on February 2, 1902, at his home in Baizetown in Ohio Co. He married Lucinda Leach. They had about eleven children; the first, William H., died on November 8, 1861, at age 20 as the result of bleeding in the lungs.

[4] Rosannah married Leonard Washington Leach on October 10, 1841. Rosannah died on February 11, 1908.

[5] Benjamin married a KY born woman named Sally A. Holland. She appears in the 1830 Edwards Co., IL as ‘Hollin’. There are six children at home. There is an Isaac Morris (70-80) on the preceding census page. When Edwards Co. was formed in 1814, it comprised almost half of the state of IL. It assumed its current size and boundaries in 1824, well before the arrival of the Morris family. The county is in southeast IL. Its eastern border is formed by Bonpas Creek, a tributary of the Wabash River. I thought that the move might have been the result of the purchase of previously untitled acreage from the General Land Office, but I have not found any corresponding records.

[6] Census data, Ohio Co., KY, 1850, sheet ____, _____ district.

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Ewing (Ewen) Morris, his wife Lucinda and their five children (including a Holland, Amos and a Sarah) and the family of 52-year-old John English and his family. Like Sarah (English) Morris, John was born in VA.

The 1850 non-population census (also known as the agricultural census) provided the earliest detailed look at the Morris farm and its productivity. That document shows that Holland had 90 acres cleared and under cultivation and an additional 310 acres of woodland. The cash value of the farm was estimated at $1600. He owned $120 worth of farm implements. Holland had eight horses, nine milk cows, 30 other cattle, 16 sheep, and 100 hogs. The animals were valued at $650. In the past year, the farm produced 1,000 bushels of Indian corn, 30 bushels of oats, 2,500 pounds of tobacco, 25 bushels of peas and beans, 30 bushels of Irish potatoes, 10 bushels of sweet potatoes, 150 pounds of butter, 30 pounds of flax and 5 bushels of flaxseed. The value of home-manufactured goods was $15, while the value of animals slaughtered was $90. Compared to nearby farms in the same reporting district, Holland’s operation was large, very productive, and with room for expansion.[7]

By the 1860 census, Holland, 72, lived alone in the Cromwell community in Ohio Co.[8] He reported having no real estate or personal estate of value. Sarah likely died during the preceding decade, and probably during 1850. Despite that loss, Holland was surrounded by family. Leonard and Rosannah Leach lived next door, and Amos Morris was just one house away. Holland Morris J. and Ewen Morris were on the preceding page, and James V. Morris was on the page before that.

With his health failing, the Ohio Co. Court, in session on January 5, 1863, exempted Holland from paying the county levy in recognition of his advanced age and infirmities.[9] Holland likely died sometime in the 1860s.

In the summer of 1864, news came that the couple’s third known child, Holland Jr., had died of wounds in a field hospital in Kingston, GA.[10] He had been shot in the right knee while on picket duty. Holland had been an active farmer like his father.[11] His widow, Mary, filed for and received Widow’s Pension certificate number 127853.

Holland Morris, Jr. Marietta, GA

Notes and References

1. 1820 Grayson Co., KY census, page 145, page 147 has a Rubin B. Morris, who is over 45.

Head of Household	Males	Females	No. in Agriculture
Holen Morris	3 - 0 to 10 years 1 - 26 to 45 years	2 - 0 to 10 years 1 - 26 to 45 years	2

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[7] U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, District 55, 1850 data.

[8] Census data, Ohio Co., KY, 1860, sheet ____, Cromwell district.

[9] Ohio Co., KY Court Orders, Volume 9, 1858-1863, page 506.

[10] Holland joined the 17^th KY Voluntary Infantry Regiment, Co. C, in October 1861. They had been mustered into Federal service on January 1, 1862. The 17^th was eventually reorganized and merged with the 25^th KY, where he became part of Co. H. Holland was wounded in Sherman’s Atlanta campaign. He was wounded on picket duty, taken to a field hospital near Kingston, GA, and succumbed to those wounds.  Kingston is a small town, midway between Rome and Cassville in north GA. He was initially buried in Kingston but subsequently relocated to the Marietta National Cemetery. He rests in Section A, plot 629, in Marietta, GA.

[11] U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880, District 55, 1860 data for Holland Morris Jr. The younger Holland likely inherited his farm from his father, as he had not appeared in the 1850 agricultural census. He had 50 acres under cultivation and another 145 undeveloped acres.

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2. 1830 Edwards Co., IL census, page 46b: The move of the family to Illinois is of particular interest since this state was one of several that were used for land grants for early military service. No evidence of military service has been identified, and a search of the Land Patents for IL on the Bureau of Land Management website http://www.blm.gov/ failed to locate the Holland Morris family. Those early patents were also granted in exchange for monetary considerations (as opposed to military service). BLM records for Edwards Co. do indicate that a George Morris had held a patent until 1824, when the 156 acres were transferred to a Francis Rotch (BLM accession number CV-0093-314). It is not known if George Morris is a relative.

3. 1840 Grayson Co. KY census, page 148. The same page has Amos Morris (20-30) with his family. On page 153 there is a Bracstone Morris and his family and a Marshall Morris and family, both 20-30.

Head of Household	Males	Females	Comments
Holland Morris	2 males, 5-10 years 1 male, 10-15 years 1 male, 15-20 years 1 male, 50-60 years	1 female, under 5 years 1 female, 10-15 years 1 female, 15-20 years 1 female, 50-60 years	2 employed in agriculture, 1 over 20 who can't read or write

4. 1850 Ohio Co., KY census, page 59/30. There is an Amos Morris on the same page, aged 32, with wife Catherine and their four children.

Name	Age	Occupation	Worth	State of Birth
Holland Morris	67	Farmer	$1600	VA
Sarah	62			VA
Holland	23			KY
Benjamin	19			IL
James	16			KY
Sarah	12			KY

5. 1860 census, Ohio Co, KY, page 124. Holland lives next door to his daughter, Rosannah Morris Leach, and her husband Leonard and seven children. Two doors away is Amos Morris, age 43.

Name	Age	Comments
Holland Morris	72	farmer, can't read or write

6. Ohio Co., KY, Will Book D, page 154. In the will of William Arnold, 102 acres are given to his kids. The land is said to be that which was bought from Holland Morris, Sr. The will had been dated August 31, 1878, and probated on October 7, 1878. There was another block of land that was distributed that had belonged to Holland Morris, Jr.

Work Items

1. Tax data for Grayson Co. and Ohio Co. KY.
2. Tax data for Edwards Co., IL.
3. Real estate data for Grayson and Ohio Counties in KY and Edwards Co. in IL. See the above note regarding the 102 acres which he had sold to William Arnold (search both ways).