John McGregor Morison (abt. 1852 - 1922)

Born about 30 Nov 1852 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Levy) Morison — married 19 May 1877 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 6 Nov 1922 at about age 69 in Nowra, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

John Morison was born in Scotland.

John McGregor Morison was born in Glasgow in 1852. He was the son of William Morison and Janet Inglis.

The family came to Australia as unassisted immigrants on the Hugh Walker, 7 October 1853.^[1]

He married Sarah Levy at his parents' residence, 523 George St, Sydney on the 19th of May, 1877.^[2]

John carried on a butchery business with his brother James. Morisons Arcade in Nowra was built in the location of their shop.

He passed away on the 6th of November, 1922.^[3] and was buried at the Nowra Cemetery.^[4]

Obituary

Mr. James McGregor Morison.^[5]

The sad news of the sudden demise of Mr. James McGregor Morison at his home " Hillcrest," Nowra, on Monday evening came as another shock to the community. The late Mr Morison had not been in the best of health for some years past, being subject to a weak heart, although it was his custom to attend daily at the business premises where in ??? spirit he always had pleasure in cracking a joke with his numerous friends. Early on Monday afternoon he was seized with a heart attack, when his medical adviser was called in, and seemed to recover somewhat, but when resting in the arm chair soon after dinner at about 7.30 p.m. he passed peacefully away in his sleep as it were.

The late Mr. Morison was native of Scotland, born in Glasgow in the year 1852, and celebrated his 70th birthday in September last; He came to Australia a child in arms with his parents, who, after spending about three years in Sydney came to Shoalhaven to take up residence where they joined the pioneers in opening up and developing the district. Early in life the late Mr. Morison launched out on his own account, accepting the position as agent for the Illawarra and South Coast Company. Some time later, soon after the '70 flood, he and his brother, the late James Morison, established the butchering business which has been most successfully carried on ever since. In the year 1877 he married Miss Levy, daughter of the late Mr. Levy who carried on a carcass butchering business on an extensive scale in the City, and niece of the late Mrs. Isaacs who conducted the Victoria Hotel at Terara — the principal town of the district at that period — who pre-deceased him some three years concluding the happiest union that a lengthy married life could bestow. He was an ideal husband, loving father, one who helped make home life all that it should be — kind, considerate and affectionate. In former years the late Mr. Morison took an active part in public matters, one of the leading sportsmen, a foot-runner himself, and assisted in founding the old Shoalhaven Turf Club, and many other institutions. He was a member of Presbyterian Church of which he was a regular attendant and liberal giver. During his business career — from which he practically retired on the death of his wife — he employed a large number of hands and proved himself a worthy master as evidenced by so many men remaining in his service for long periods ; it was with pride he recounted the fact of having in his employ one man for almost 40 years. In family there were 11 children of whom survive him five daughters and two sons, namely, Mesdames C. R. Woodhill, B. Cox, J. Shepherd, and Misses Ruby and Allie, and Messrs Jack and Fred. On the evening of his death members of the family were away in the City at the wedding festivities of a relative ; on receipt of the sad news by telephone of his death a motor car was requisitioned and they immediately set out for home but did not reach Nowra till long after daylight had appeared.

The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, just prior to which religious service was held at the residence when words of consolation were very nicely spoken by the Rev. J. H. G. Auhl, B.A., and the Rev. Jamieson-Williams — friend of the family, now Minister of the Manly Charge — the last mentioned conducting the last sad rites at the graveside where he paid special tribute to the admirable life deceased had led. The interment was made in the Presbyterian portion of Nowra public cemetery. The large concourse of people — the cortege was one of the longest ever witnessed in Shoalhaven — assembled at the graveside to pay their last respect told of the high regard in which the deceased was held.

Research Notes

Not sure where birth date 30 Nov 1852 came from.

Alternative birth: 28 August 1852 - At Chapel Cottage, Cambuslang, on the 28th instant, Mrs WC Morison, a son. (Glasgow Herald 30th August 1852, retrieved 10 Apr 2020 from http://www.happyhaggis.co.uk/1852aug.htm)

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922. Retrieved from Ancestry.com.au
2. ↑ Family Notices (1877, May 23). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13386820
   MORISON — LEVY. —May 19, at his parent's residence, 523, George-street, by the Rev. Henry Macready, John McGregor, fifth son of W. C. Morison, to Sarah, youngest daughter of Henry Levy, Esq., Sydney.
3. ↑ NSW BDM: Death 18074/1922 MORISON JOHN M father WILLIAM C, mother JANET, NOWRA
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152919468/john-mcgregor-morison: accessed 14 May 2023), memorial page for John McGregor Morison (1852–6 Nov 1922), Find A Grave: Memorial #152919468, citing Nowra General Cemetery, Nowra, Shoalhaven City, New South Wales, Australia; Maintained by Brett Beattie (contributor 49391999).
5. ↑ Obituary. (1922, November 10). The Nowra Leader (NSW : 1909 - 1939), p. 4. Retrieved June 12, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article217757613

DNA

• Maternal and Paternal relationship is confirmed with an AncestryDNA test match between Nerida Morison and her second cousin 1 x removed GM (descendant of John McGregor Morison). Their most recent common ancestors are William Cuthbert Morison and Janet Inglis. Predicted relationship reported by AncestryDNA: 2nd Cousins based on sharing 246 centimorgans across 17 DNA segments; Confidence: Extremely High.