Elizabeth Henry (Fagan) Morrison (1841 - 1928)

Born May 1841 in Huntingdon Co, PA, USA

Ancestors

Died 24 Oct 1928 at age 87 in Kingsbury County South Dakota, USA

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Biography of Elizabeth Henry Fagan Morrison

Elizabeth Henry Fagan was born in May 1841. She was the daughter of Henry Fagan and Nancy Ann Evans. ^[1]

Moving Westward

When Elizabeth was eleven years old the Fagan family traveled from Pennsylvania to Ohio in October 1852. The travelers included her parents, Henry and Nancy, brothers Evans and Walker, and sisters, Amy Ann and Catherine. Catherine was married to John Gahagan and they had a daughter, one-year-old Anna. The journey took ten days in a covered wagon. The October weather was good until they reached Bucyrus, Ohio. The road from Bucyrus to Oceola, Ohio was a corduroy road, logs laid side by side, making it almost impossible to navigate. Several of the family members had ague, an illness involving high fever and chills. Nancy and Amy Ann walked most of the way from Pennsylvania to Bucyrus because there was not enough room in the wagon for everyone.^[2]

Marriage and Family

Elizabeth married John Benton Morrison in 1857 when she was 26 years old. ^[3] She and John had the following children:

• Herbert Benton Morrison (1868-1952) ^[4]
• Harriet Morrison Warner (1871-1951) ^[5]
• John Benton Morrison, Jr. (1879-1960) ^[6]

Moving to DeSmet, South Dakota

Elizabeth and John relocated their family from Ohio to DeSmet, South Dakota sometime between 1880 and 1900. Also in the 1900 Census, it says that Elizabeth gave birth to five children, but only three were living. I did not find any records for the two deceased children. ^[7]

Death

Elizabeth passed away on 24 October 1928 in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, USA. She is buried in De Smet Cemetery, De Smet, South Dakota. An interesting side note is that Elizabeth died four days after Mary Amelia Ingalls, sister of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House books. They are buried in the same cemetery. ^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #154930590
2. ↑ Obituary of Amy Ann Frazee, Elizabeth's sister
3. ↑ 1900 United States Federal Census
4. ↑ Washington, Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #154930806
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #154930528
7. ↑ 1900 United States Federal Census
8. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #154930590
9. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #3952

• United States Census, 1850 database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HV-QH7 : 12 April 2016), Elizabeth Fagen in household of Henry Fagen, Jackson, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family 252, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962 database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDTY-QMY : 8 December 2014), Elizabeth Fagan in entry for John Benton Morrison, 10 May 1879; citing Todd, Crawford, Ohio, reference v 2 p 29; FHL microfilm 840,026.
• 1870 United States Federal Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Todd, Crawford, Ohio; Roll: M593_1186; Page: 600A; Family History Library Film: 552685
• 1900 United States Federal Census Year: 1900; Census Place: Spirit Lake, Kingsbury, South Dakota; Roll: 1550; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0210; FHL microfilm: 1241550
• 1910 United States Federal Census Year: 1910; Census Place: De Smet Ward 2, Kingsbury, South Dakota; Roll: T624_1483; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0257; FHL microfilm: 1375496
• 1920 United States Federal Census Year: 1920; Census Place: De Smet, Kingsbury, South Dakota; Roll: T625_1722; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 203
• South Dakota, Death Index, 1879-1955
  • Name Elizabeth H Morrison
  • Death Date 24 Oct 1928
  • Death Place Kingsbury, South Dakota, USA
  • Certificate Number 118437
  • Page number 659
• Find A Grave: Memorial #154930590