JAMES S. MORRIS, farmer, P. O. Ullin, whose portrait appears elsewhere in this work, and who is one of the foremost men of the county, was born in Chester County, Penn., January 15, 1835. He was a son of Enos and Jane (Cadwallader) Morris, and the ninth of eleven children. The mother was a direct descendant of old Gen. Cadwallader, of Revolutionary fame. He received the education that the schools of his native county afforded at that time, and at the age of seventeen he made his start in life. He first went to Philadelphia, where he learned to be a bricklayer. This trade he followed for about eight years, first under his instructor, then at Bloomington, Ill., next at Memphis, Tenn., and then at Cairo, Ill., where he continued at this occupation until 1862, when he opened a lumber yard and did business there for a number of years, under the firm name of Kensey & Morris. In 1870, he came to Ullin Precinct, and purchased the interest of Mr. St. Leger, in the large saw mill at Poletown. The firm was then known as Morris, Rood & Co., and consisted of our subject, E. N. Rood, of Bloomington, and J. A. P. TenEyck, of Williamsport, Penn. The mill is located about a mile west of Ullin, and is one of the largest in the county. This mill continued in operation until May, 1883, when, owing to the scarcity of timber it was compelled to shut down. Mr. Morris now confines himself principally to farming, owning 2,800 acres lying in Sections 9, 19, 20, 22, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, of Town 14 south, Range 1 west, and in Sections 5 and 6 of Town 15 south. Range 1 west. Of this about 300 acres are in cultivation. In 1876, he erected a store room on his place, and now carries a stock of $4,000 for the accommodation of his employees. Our subject was married, April 9, 1862, to Mary Jane Starr, a native of Mt. Pulaski, Logan Co., Ill., and the daughter of Barton and Rebecca (Patterson) Starr, the mother a native of Virginia, and the father of Kentucky. She was the mother of four children, three of whom are now living — Enos, Mary and Robert. This lady died February 26, 1876. Mr. Morris is a member of Alexander Lodge, No. 224, I. O. O. F., of Cairo, Ill., and of the Presbyterian Church. While a resident in Cairo, he was a member of the Common Council, and since his advent in this county has served as County Commissioner.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, pages 328-329.
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