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CLARENCE O. MORRIS
CLARENCE O. MORRIS, present district attorney at Kittanning, was born
near Punxsutawney, Jefferson Co., Pa., June 15, 1873, son of Joseph B. Morris,
grandson of Obed Morris and great-grandson of Thomas Morris. The interesting
family record follows.Thomas Morris was born in Wales Nov. 8, 1745, and his wife Ann Butler, in
the same country, July 5, 1750. They came to the American Colonies prior to
the Revolutionary War and settled first in Bucks County, Pa. Some years
afterward they moved to Martins Creek, in Lower M. Bethel township,
Northumberland Co., Pa., and their farm was land upon which the present busy
city of Easton stands. Here they lived out their worthy and useful lives. Many
of their descendants still live in Pennsylvania and others may be found in
almost every other section of the Union. Thomas Morris was married in 1766 and
died April 14, 1814, survived for many years by his wife, whose death occurred
June 26, 1834. The following is a record of their seventeen children:
Benjamin, born Feb. 18, 1767; Elizabeth, Dec. 24, 1767;John Sept. 3, 1769;
Phebe, March 31, 1771; Isaac, March 13, 1773; Rachel, March 30, 1776; Mary,
March 6, 1778; Margaret, Feb. 7, 1780; Ann, Dec. 2, 1781; Susanna, Oct. 18,
1783; Thomas, March 30, 1785; Morris, April 9, 1787; Benjamin (2), Feb. 18,
1789; Butler, April 19, 1791; Obed, Dec. 8, 1792; Lacy, May 1, 1795; and
Moses, Aug. 7, 1799, the first and last named dying in infancy. Of the above
family Thomas married and removed to Beaver County, Pa. Morris married and
lived in Northampton County. Benjamin (2) married and lived in Beaver County.
Butler settled in Northampton County after marriage and Obed in Jefferson
County. Lacy married a Mr. Benward and they lived in Beaver County.Obed Morris, son of Thomas and Ann Morris, was born in Northampton County,
Pa., and from there moved to Indiana County, Pa., but only for a short time,
settling permanently in Jefferson County, where he was a pioneer. He engaged
in farming was a substantial and respected citizen. On Feb. 11, 1814, he
married Mary Bowman, who was born Sept. 25, 1791, and died Feb. 2, 1859,
survived many years by her husband who died Sept. 14, 1882. They had seven
children born to them, as follows: James Madison, born Feb. 14, 1815, married
Phebe Jane Williams; Elizabeth, born Jan. 16, 1817, married Hiram P. Williams
and died Oct. 19, 1841; Theodore, born March 30, 1819, married Matilda Gibson
and (second) Nancy Reed; Mary B., born June 2, 1824, died in infancy; Joseph
B. is mentioned below; Moses A., born Jan. 28, 1830, married Jane Means.Joseph B. Morris, sixth child of Obed and Marry Morris and father of
Clarence O. Morris, born Aug. 11, 1827, died at Punxsutawney, Jefferson Co.,
Pa. July 17, 1909. He followed farming and also lumbering and was a well-known
businessman and much respected citizen. For thirty-five years continuously he
served in the office of justice of the peace, and many other local offices
were tendered him by the Republican Party, with which he was associated. He
was thrice married. His first wife, Julia L. Murray, left no issue. His second
marriage was to Catherine Crissman, daughter of Enoch Crissman, and nine
children were born to them, five of whom reached maturity, namely: Malvern H.,
Ida L. (now deceased), Joseph L., Clarence O. and Lucy. To the third marriage,
with Margaret Brewer, no children were born. The old Morris farm in Jefferson
county was richly underlaid with coal and the Walston Coal company operated
there when there had, as yet been little coal development in that district.Clarence O. Morris attended the local schools through boyhood and gave his
father assistance on the farm, after which he entered Waynesburg College,
where he was graduated in 1892. For some four years afterward he taught
school, for two years in the country and two more at Punxsutawney, and during
this time devoted as much attention as possible to his law studies, first
under the supervision of the firm of Wylie, Buchanan & Walton of
Waynesburg, Pa., and later with W.M. Gillispie, of Punxsutawney, Pa. He was
admitted to the bar of Jefferson County in 1897 and continued his association
with Mr. Gillispie for four years. In 1901 he was admitted to the bar of
Armstrong County and subsequently was admitted to practice in the Supreme and
Superior courts and in the U.S. District courts. In 1901 he moved to Leechburg
and established his office in the Farmers’ National Bank building. While there
he acted as solicitor for the boroughs of Leechburg, Apollo and Vandergrift,
and continues in such position for Leechburg borough. He was appointed
district attorney April 17, 1913 to fill a vacancy, and was elected for the
full term of four years at the November (1913) elections. He moved to
Kittanning Jan. 20, 1914.Mr. Morris married Deborah Gump, daughter of Abraham Gump of Waynesburg,
Pa., and they have one son, Edward Eugene. They attend the Presbyterian
Church. He is associated with the Elks and is Past Exalted Ruler of Leechburg
Lodge, No. 377.Source: Pages 369-370, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed March 2002 by Helen B. Miller for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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