Miami Union
19 Nov 1896
Joseph Henry Perrine Morris
We make the following extract from an obituary published in the Sebastopol Times (California), which will prove of interest to many of our readers:
Again has the grim visitor, death, been in our midst. This time he claimed as his own the founder of our little city, Joseph H. P. Morris. His death occurred on October 23, and was unexpected, being caused by heart trouble.
Joseph Henry Perrine Morris was born in Bethel Township, Miami County Ohio, January 19, 1828, and was one of a family of eleven children, only two of whom still survive. They are James F. Morris of Santa Barbara California, and Mrs. Priscilla Staley, of Columbus Ohio. He was a direct descendant of Robert Morris of Revolutionary fame and, his father David H. Morris, was a Revolutionary soldier. He had been a very active business man, but for the last few years, had taken life rather easy. He was the Vice President of the bank of Sebastopof since its origin. He served several terms as School Trustee and took a great interest in the cause of education. The beautiful lot on which our school house stands was donated by him to the district and it was during his trusteeship that the shade trees were planted around the lot. He was a charter member of Lafayette Lodge Number 126 F. and A.M. which was instituted in 1858 and he was its first secretary. With the exception of about four years, he was secretary ever since. He was buried under the auspices of his old lodge. He was married in 1859 and two children, a son and daughter survive. He was a great lover of Nature and, in his garden could be found rarest of flowers and he never was so happy as when among them. The great profusion of flowers which his grave was covered was a fitting tribute to one who admired them above all things else.
His place will be hard to fill. He had a cheerful greeting and hearty hand-shake for everybody. He was a public spirited man and, in his death Sebastopol has suffered a distinct loss. A close and intimate acquaintance of forty years has given the writer a chance to know him well and the great concourse of friends from far and near, who came to pay the last tribute of respect, will bear me out when I say that few men were held in higher esteem or enjoyed greater confidence by his fellow man. The world would be better off were there more like our departed friend.
The deceased was a brother of the late Judge David H. Morris Jr. of Troy, Ohio.
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