William Franklin Morrison

WILLIAM FRANKLIN MORRISON. The family of which William Franklin Morrison is a representative is one well known throughout Westmoreland county. Charles E. Morrison, the father of Mr. Morrison, was born in 1830, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and from 1860 to 1863 engaged in mercantile business in Mount Pleasant township. He established a branch store at Ruffsdale in 1863, and for several years conducted the two. He then went to Donegal where he engaged in the same line of business with his brother, Dr. Morrison, subsequently moving to Port Royal. In consequence of failing health he withdrew for a time from business and retired to his farm, afterward returning for a few years to commercial life. He was active in local politics and held several township offices. He was one of the charter members of the Mount Pleasant council of the R. A., and belonged to the K. P. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church.

Charles E. Morrison married Sarah E.. daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Corer) Hays. The former was a native of Westmoreland county, and spent his life in -fount Pleasant township with the exception of a few years passed in East Huntingdon township. His farm consisted of two hundred and fifty-eight acres. He was county commissioner in 1853-54-55. and later served as poor director. In politics he was a staunch Democrat. He and his wife were the parents of children: Sarah E.. married Charles E. Morrison. as mentioned above; Kate and Mollie, died unmarried: Lucinda, married C. R. Booker: Susan, married Anthony Leightey; a daughter died in childhood; Abraham was killed in one of the battles of the Civil War; John; Peter: and Israel, an attorney-at-law, died in Pittsburg. Mr. Hays lived to the advanced age of ninety-three. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison had children: Della, married John A. Ray, of Pittsburg, president of the Burgettstown National Bank, and of the First National Bank, of Hickory, Washington county, Pa., who is also agent and real estate manager for the Pittsburg and Buffalo Coal Company; Charles Oscar, machinist in the Armor Steel Plate works, at Homestead, Pa.; and William Franklin, of whom later. Mr. Morrison died in '885, in Ruffsdale where he had resided for a year previous to that event.

William Franklin Morrison, son of Charles E. and Sarah E. (Hays) Morrison, was born December 8, 1863, at Weaver's Old Stand, Mount Pleasant township, and was educated in the public schools and at Duff's Business College from which he graduated April 24, 1882. He then became his father's assistant in the latter's business, and continued to serve in that capacity until the death of the elder Mr. Morrison, when he closed the business and went to Johnstown. After remaining there one year as clerk lie returned to his old home and entered the service of the United Coal and Coke Company, as bookkeeper, but at the end of a year resigned in order to take a position as chief clerk and manager with the J. D. Boyd Coal Company, at Uniontown, Fayette county. This position he retained for nearly ten years when he resigned in order to enter the service of the Armor Beef Company, also at Uniontown. After remaining with them one year he tendered his resignation, accepting the position of secretary and treasurer with the Thompson Glass Company, of Uniontown, and continued to discharge the duties of his office for three years. He then went to Mount Pleasant where he engaged as district manager with the Mutual Life Insurance Company, of New York. He has had an eventful political career. In 1886 he was elected a member of the town council, and in 1888 was re-elected in Uniontown. He was chosen to serve on the board of education at Mount Pleasant in 1902, the same year was elected president of the board, and in 1905 was re-elected. He has been active in both local and state politics since 1887, and in 1902 was elected to the state legislature, being re-elected in 19o4. During his first term he served on the committee of ways and means, law and order, mines and mining, iron and coal and manufactures. He is now serving his second term, and is chairman of the committee on manufactures, and secretary of the committee on mines and mining. He also belongs to the committee on law and order, iron and coal, pensions and gratuities and insurance. He is identified with the following fraternal orders: Fayette Ledge. No. 228, F. and A. M. Uniontown Chapter No. 65; Uniontown Commander , No. 49; Pittsburg Consistory; Syria Temple. Pittsburg; Olivett Council, Greensburg.

Mr. Morrison married (first) in 1884. Anna B. Weineman, of Greensburg. Pennsylvania. In 1890 she lost her life through the explosion of a lamp which ignited her clothing, and burned her so badly she died the next morning. Their children were: 1. Charles Clyde. graduate from the Mount Pleasant High school, and then took a two years course at Bucknell. He is now a student in the law department of the University of Pennsylvania. 2. Verna Mabel was drowned while in bathing in the Allegheny river, near Summer Camp. at Godfrey. Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of August 19. 1905. The accident was caused by stepping- into a deep sinkhole, the presence of which was unknown to the bathers. She lost her footing and was carried down to her death. Her body was recovered twenty minutes later, and medical skill exhausted in an effort to save her life, but too late, the silver cord had been broken. Miss Morrison was twenty years of age and had graduated at the Greensburg High school with honors in June. 1905. about thirty days before her untimely departure. She was an exceedingly bright and amiable young lady with a large circle of friends. who most sincerely mourn her death. Mr. Morrison married (second), April 1892, Sarah R., daughter of Dr. B. A. Pichtner, of Somerset county, Pennsylvania.  

Source: Page(s) 212-214, History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed August 2008 by Nathan Zipfel for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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