William Morris (1786 - abt. 1858)

Born 31 Oct 1786 in Low Paisley (Paisley), Renfrewshire, Scotland

Husband of Elizabeth Agnes (Cochrane) Morris — married 15 Aug 1823 in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Died about 29 Jun 1858 at about age 71 in Montreal, Canada East (Quebec)

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William Morris served for Canada in the War of 1812
Service started:
Unit(s): 1st Regiment of Leeds Militia, Canada
Service ended:

Biography

WORK IN PROGRESS

William Morris (October 31, 1786–June 29, 1858) was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.

His parents were Alexander Morris, a Scottish manufacturer. and Janet Lang.

He was born in Paisley, Scotland on 31 October 1786, and was baptised, 2 November 1786, at Low Church, Paisley.^[1] He had an older brother, Alexander (1782-1851), and sister Margaret (1796-1828); and a younger brother, James (1798-1865)

His family came to Upper Canada in 1801, where his father set up an import-export business. It seems the rest of the family returned to Scotland. The business failed and his father retired to a farm near Elizabethtown (Brockville). In 1806 he returned, and with his brother Alexander opened a general store in Elizabethtown. In 1809 his father died.

War of 1812

At the beginning of the war, He was an ensign in Captain John Stuart’s Flank Company, First Leeds Militia (30 June 1812). There is a reference to him doing duty at Elizabethtown, and conducting daily drills. His older brother, Alexander was a lieutenant in Captain Reuben Sherwood’s, Rifle Company, First Leeds. ^[2]

William volunteered to take part in Colonel Lethbridge’s ill-planned and unsuccessful attack on Ogdensburg on 4 October 1812. He was in charge of one of the boats that came under cannon and rifle fire from the shore. One man in that boat was killed and eight others injured. ^[3]

William took part in the successful attack on Ogdensburg, N.Y., 22 February 1813.^[4] In 1832 he wrote to the editor of the “Freeman” in response to a recently published book.^[5] In it he provides some interesting details (if, as he says, his memory was correct) such as their organization^[6] He adds, that near the close (after a flag of truce with an offer of surrender was rebuffed, and the Americans used the opportunity to slip out a back way), it was noticed how silent the enemy appeared. An [unnamed] militia ensign with a sergeant and twelve men cautiously approached the fort. At the same time the column of troops was faced to the rear, should an explosion (from a mine [booby-trap]) occur.^[7]

He recruited for a captaincy in the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, Eastern & Johnstown District, which required him to obtain twenty volunteers. A Return for 25 May 1813 lists six companies of the I.M. at Prescott; William was with Captain Jonas Jones (who also served in the First Leeds) and Ensign John Macdonell. His brother, Alexander Morris, likewise joined the I.M., and was appointed Adjutant for the Eastern & Johnstown units. However, in early June, Jones’ command was handed over to Captain Archibald McLean (who had gained his quota) with Jones instructed to continue recruiting. (However, Morris and the others continue to be listed under Jones, in Pay Lists and other documents up to 24 November 1813.) ^[8] Late in the year, William Morris, along with Jonas Jones, Alpheus Jones, and A. McLean, submitted requests to resign. These were officially accepted on 20 January 1814, “agreeably to the tenor of their application." ^[9]

Post War

In 1816, he opened a second store in the new settlement at Perth. He was successful (and cautious) and with brother James expanded their land holdings.In 1818, he was appointed justice of the peace in the area and, in 1820, he was elected to the 8th Parliament of Upper Canada representing Carleton. He represented Carleton and then Lanark until 1836, when he was appointed to the Legislative Council. (James was also an active politician.)

On 15 August 1823, he married Elizabeth Agnes Cochrane (1784-1857), in Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland.^[10] She was born in Wingtownshire, Scotland; daughter of John Cochrane.

They had four children, all born in Perth;

-- Hon. Alexander Morris, born 17 Mar 1826; married Margaret Cline; died 1889

-- Margaret Jones Morris, born 1 July 1828; m. William Busby Lambe; died 1896

-- William John Morris, born 17 Oct 1832; m. Sarah Louisa Morris; died 1907

-- John Lang Morris, KC, born 24 March 1835; m. Agnes McCulloch; died 1906

He was involved in setting up the first canal connecting the Tay River to Lower Rideau Lake in 1834; this venture failed in part due to lack of funding, and the canal fell into decay..

He continued to be active in the local militia, rising to lieutenant-colonel in 1822. he was appointed senior colonel for Lanark Count, 1837. In that capacity he twice sent his detachment out to suppress rebellion or invasion, leading them on one occasion.

Although conservative, he was not part of the elite Family Compact, due in part to his strong affiliation with the Church of Scotland. His efforts to have the church recognized as one of the two national churches in the British Empire resulted in the creation of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. He also played a major role in establishing Queen's College, later Queen's University and was the first chairman of the board of trustees. He was appointed to the Legislative Council when Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841.

In 1842, he was appointed warden for the Johnstown District. In 1844, he became receiver general for the United Canadas. He became president of the Executive Council, 1846-47.

He suffered a stroke in 1853, at which point, he retired from active public life.

His wife, Elizabeth Agnes, passed away 7 Jan 1857, in Montreal, Quebec at the age of 73. They had been married 33 years.

He died at Montreal on 29 June 1858, and was buried 8 Jly 1858, in the Mount Royal Cemetery there.^[11]

Listed as a Presbyterian, Saint Andrew Church, The Honourable William Jarvis, Member of Her Majesty's Legislative Council for the Province of Canada & aged about seventy one years old on the eight day of July One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Eight.^[12]

[This page was created as part of the WikiTree War of 1812 Project. Profile Manager is not related.]

• Fact: Residence (1786) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
• Fact: Christening (2 November 1786) Low Church, Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland
• Fact: Residence Perth, Drummond, Lanark, Ontario, Canada
• Fact: Residence Brockville, Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada
• Fact: Burial Cimetière Mont-Royal, Outremont, Montreal Region, Quebec, Canada

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. FHL Film 1041285
2. ↑ Gray, Soldiers of the King, 61, 89; Irving, British Officer in Canada in the War of 1812; 50-51; also see profile for John Kilborn.
3. ↑ Ogdensburg, N.Y., across the river from Elizabethtown had often fired cannon on brigades of boats moving men and supplies up the St. Lawrence River. It was also the base for Major Fosyth, First U.S. Rifles, to make raids and incursions on settlements along the Canadian shore. Colonel Lethbridge, commanding at Prescott made a plan to attack Ogdensburg on Sunday, 4 October 1812. He took about 150 from the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles, and about 600 militia drawn from the Flank Companies of three counties, plus two gunboats. Kilborn was in the boat commanded by William Morris and left an account; a man was named Jerimiah Mott. Other sources: Thad Leavitt, History of Leeds and Grenville; R. Jason Everett, “War on the St. Lawrence” (unpublished paper).
4. ↑ American raids across the St. Lawrence River, especially those led by Captain Benjamin Forsythe of the 1st U.S. Rifles based at Ogdensburg had become an increasing annoyance on the Canadian shore. This prompted Lt.-Col. MacDonell at Prescott to remove them. A two prong attack was made over the ice. The left hand column, led by selected militia light infantry, followed by regulars, then militia, advanced and after some skirmishing cleared the village. They then turned their attention to the stone fort which dated back to the French regime.
5. ↑ A “small work” by “A Backwoodsman” had claimed the Catholics of Glengarry, led by Rev. Alexander Macdonell, were the victors. William pointed out they (in the right hand column) had been driven back, and it was the main body (and many militia) that took the town; also that the priest did not accompany them.
6. ↑ e.g. that the militia units were, in order of placement: Grenville, Leeds, Dundas, Stormont and Glengarry.
7. ↑ Transcript of the newspaper, Toronto Public Library, Baldwin Room, manuscripts of Wm. Morris.
8. ↑ Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) RG9 1B7 v 3.; Richard Feltoe, Redcoated Ploughboys, 155, 159.
9. ↑ On 3 January 1814, brother Alexander Morris, likewise resigned as Adjutant to the Incorporated Militia, as it had been much to the prejudice of my private concerns”, and he felt his position was no longer necessary. Feltoe; Duncan Clark Order Book
10. ↑ Ancestry.com. Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
11. ↑ Find a Grave:https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=108943798
12. ↑ Ancestry.com. Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008.

"Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 21 December 2020, 02:49), entry for Honorable William Morris (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:MHJF-DTB ); contributed by various users. Birdgman, H.J. “Morris, William’’ in Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. VIII (1851-1860) http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/morris_william_8E.html

Cruikshank, Ernest A. ‘’Record of the Services of Canadian Regiments in the War of 1812: XIII, The Militia of the Eastern District’’ ’Selected Papers, Canadian Military Institute’’. 21 (1913-15), 69-98.

Feltoe, Richard. ‘’Red Coated Ploughboys: The Volunteer Battalion of Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada, 1812-15’’. Toronto: Dundurn, 2012.

Gray, William.’’Soldiers of the King: The Upper Canadian Militia, 1812-1815’’. Toronto: Stoddart, 1995.

Irving, L.H. ‘’Officers of the British Forces in Canada during the War of 1812’’. Toronto: Canadian Military Institute, 1908.

Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) [Hand-written notes from original documents made by J. Everett, Ottawa, c. 1992)]

• MG19/A39: Duncan Clark Papers
• RG9-1B7, v. 3: Pre-Confederation Records, Military, Upper Canada. Reel t-10379 is available online: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-119.01-e.php?q2=35&q3=2840&tt=1244&sqn=908

• https://www.ancestry.ca/family-tree/person/tree/55040784/person/13757694132/facts - Richard Tottenham