Elijah Morris; Citizen of the Republic of Texas

May 29, 2015 - Elijah Morris was born to Mary Rayburn Morris and William Morris, Sr. of Burk County, North Carolina in 1791. Elijah grew up in a family of eight children. He married Nancy Allen on March 16, 1811.
Elijah, Nancy and their two children moved to Alabama in 1815. Four more children were born in Alabama. Nancy died sometime before the 1830 census was taken.

Elijah married Sarah Pope in Marango County, Alabama. Elijah had ten children in all, born in North Carolina and Alabama en route to his final destination, East Texas, where their last child, Elizabeth was born.

Elijah received a Mexican Land Grant in 1834, and a league and a labor of land from the Republic of Texas. He was very successful as a trader and farmer and at one time owned over nine thousand acres in Shelby, Panola and Rusk Counties.

Elijah’s children were William, Mary Smith Burns Porter, Margaret Ball, John, Isaac, James, Benjamin Franklin, Sarah Parker Kirkland, Louisiana Truitt, and Elizabeth Jane Dorman.

Elijah was the great-grandfather of Joaquin Morris and the onetime owner of the land the city of Joaquin covers. He died October 28, 1865. The 1860 census shows 70 year-old Elijah as the head of a household that included his wife Sarah, Daughter Elizabeth Dorman, her husband John, and their three young children.

Elijah’s burial site is unknown. Some descendants believe he might have been buried on his oldest son’s farm in Panola County, while others believe he was buried on Graveyard Hill (also known as Morris cemetery) in Joaquin. The latter seems more likely, as Elijah probably died on his own homestead in the care of his wife and his daughter Elizabeth who lived on and later inherited the home place that overlooked the area later to become the town of Joaquin. His will in 1862 stated he was still living at his home. Elijah’s son-in law, John Parker had already been buried on graveyard hill ten years earlier.

In later years a memorial marker for Elijah was placed in Joaquin Cemetery and The William Carroll Crawford Chapter of The Daughters of the Republic of Texas have attached a Citizen of the Republic of Texas Medallion to his marker.

Direct descendants of Elijah Morris are eligible to apply for membership in The Daughters of the Republic of Texas or The Sons of the Republic of Texas organizations. For information contact Maggie Casto at 936-248-3361.

The historic Joaquin Cemetery is located behind First Baptist Church of Joaquin. Homecomings are held annually the second Sunday of June. This year’s Homecoming on June 14th will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a slide show featuring people and places from Joaquin’s past followed by Homecoming services, and a covered dish dinner.

The William Carroll Crawford Chapter of The Daughters of the Republic of Texas will have the “Traveling Trunk” on display during the dinner hour. The “Traveling Trunk” is a collection of artifacts, replicas and items used in the daily life of an early Texas Homestead.

Sources:
http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Census/1860censusmor-mz.htm
http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Census/1850censusM.htm
http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Census/Page187.htm
History of Shelby County, Texas Published 2002 by Shelby County Historical Society.
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas Records
Personal files of the late Cynthia Cockrell Whiddon