One of the prominent representatives of the journalistic profession is the gentleman whose name heads this brief notice, the well known proprietor and business manager of the Daily Call, of Piqua, Ohio, and also the present postmaster of this city. He is a native of this state, born in Eaton, Preble county, September 18, 1860, and is a son of Isaac S. Morris, one of the oldest newspaper men in the state, a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this work. The mother of our subject was in her maidenhood Miss Edith T. Jenkins.

John W. Morris passed his boyhood and youth in his native county until 1874, when he came with his father to Piqua. He attended the schools here until 1878-79, after which he attended Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. He then attended school at Newburg, New York, on the Hudson, in 1880-81. In 1883 he, established the Piqua Daily Call. Under the business management of Mr. Morris the paper has become equal to the metropolitan dailies of larger cities, having exclusively the Associated Press report.

In 1898 Mr. Morris was appointed postmaster of Piqua by President McKinley, and entered upon his official duties on the 1st of June of that year. He is connected with various important business enterprises. Socially he is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, a member of the blue lodge, chapter, Coleman Commandery, the Scottish rite and the Mystic Shrine. He also belongs to Miami Lodge, I.O.O.F.; Invincible Lodge, No. 176, K.P.; and Lodge No. 523, B.P.O.E. He ranks among the most honored counselors of the Republican party in his community, and his opinions and advice are often sought on questions of the greatest importance to the city. He is deeply interested in public affairs, and gives his support and influence to all enterprises which he believes calculated to advance the moral, educational or social interests of his town and county.

On the 8th of May, 1891, occurred his marriage to Miss Alina B. Stumm daughter of Dr. C. W. Stumm, of Piqua. They have two children, Mary Gretchen, born March 23, 1893, and Edith, born May 11, 1895.