Edward John MORRIS

Notes:

Edward was born while the family was living on a homestead just north of Medicine Hat. The family was still living on the homestead when he started school in 1905. His father passed away in late 1906. The last of that generation of Morris's (Eva) was born after her father died. Edward's mother (Lillie) remarried in 1908 to Thomas Louden and presumably this new spouse lived on the homestead with the family until 1913, when the new house on Riverside in Medicine Hat was ready for occupancy. In the meanwhile a son was born to Thomas and Lillie in 1908 (Ralph).

Edward took all his schooling in Medicine Hat and completed grade 11 at Alexandra High School. Unfortunately a dispute took place between Edward and his mother about going to university. The family was prepared to send all of the children to university for further education and apparently had sufficient money to do so. Lillie wanted Edward to be a professional such as a teacher, doctor or lawyer. Edward wanted to be a veterinarian ( a horse doctor, in his words). Lillie would not accept that a veterinarian was a professional occupation and would not pay for Edward's education in that regard. He quit high school as a result.

At about that time Edward "took off", probably in anger, for California. It may have been as late as sometime in 1919 to see his elder brother Earl. Earl had returned from WWI in early 1919 to Medicine Hat and almost immediately headed for California, never to return. It is quite likely, therefore, that Edward went to California to see his brother in 1919, where he looked for and found work for some time.

However, Edward came back to Medicine Hat and started working for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1921. Over the next few years, between stints of working for the CPR, he made the odd trip back to California. It is presumed that it is during those visits to his brother Earl that the prisoner of war stories were elicited from Earl that this author (Earl E. Morris) has put into the biography of Earl D., as Earl was very reluctant to tell of those experiences during WWI.

Eventually, Edward settled down into more or less permanent employment with the CPR, given the difficulties of most men to be continuously employed during the years of the Great Depression in the 1930's. He stared out as a wiper, working in the roundhouse in Medicine Hat, wiping down steam locomotives and firing them up. Eventually he became part of a running crew as a firement and finally a locomotive engineer (hoghead). As his seniority increased he was able to take runs on both freight and passenger to and from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and did so until his retirement in 1964.

In 1932, Edward married Lydia Hehter, but it wasn't until 1940 that the one and only child was born (me, Earl E.). In the early years of that marriage they lived in a tiny house that was located just up 4th Avenue S.E., from the intersection of 4th Avenue and 4th Street. Sometime before 1940 they had moved into a slightly larger house located at 338 4th Street S.E. It was not really large enough to accommodate the new addition, so in about 1943 or 1944 they moved to a house located at the very east end of 11th Street S.E. This was a barn-like structure, which may have been a converted barn, in fact, as it was very close to a house that remains there today. The barn-like house no longer exists, but is known to have been occupied by the Roan family subsequent to the Morris departure from it, which was about 1945. The next house occupied by Edward, Lydia and Earl was at 527 Eighth Street S.E., where Edward and Lydia remained until the early 1960's when Edward and Lydia moved into an apartment in their retirement.

In retirement, Edward took up fishing. He purchased a small aluminum boat and some fishing gear and he and Lydia spent quite a bit of time at various lakes around Medicine Hat. This activity probably helped extend Edward's life, as his keeping active provided rewarding times up until his passing in 1975.

Edward married Lydia HEHTER on 5 May 1932 in Medicine Hat, AB. Lydia was born on 23 Feb 1909 in Norton, AB, CAN; died on 12 Aug 1994 in Calgary, AB, CAN; was buried on 17 Aug 1994 in Calgary, AB, CAN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Earl Edward MORRIS was born on 15 Sep 1940 in Medicine Hat, AB, CAN.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Biography: Wiki: John Luther Morris (1869-1906)

Notes:

addiction; It is believed that John died at the early age of 37 due to exc essive consumption of alcohol - possibly an addiction. He was released from the Medicine Hat General Hospital Dec 21, 1906. The hospital records as obtained by me at the Medicine Hat Museum and Archives indicate that he was admited suffering from dipsomania.

John married Lillie Eva CANTELON in Jun 1891 in Clinton, ON. Lillie (daughter of David CANTELON and Alice Matilda SPARLING) was born in 1869 in Clinton, ON, CAN; died on 14 Jun 1942 in Calgary, AB, CAN; was buried on 16 Jun 1942 in Medicine Hat, AB, CAN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The information regarding William's wife Mary A. and their children Elizabeth to Joseph came from the Canadian Census 1852 / Canada West / Peel County / 269 Caledon Township / p. 22d, 23a and p. 23d, 24a. The census shows his age as 38, which would indicate a birth date of 1814, which does match the information from Wales.

(Research):The information for the name of William's wife and their children from Elizabeth to Joseph comes from the census from 1852 / Peel County / 269 Calendon township / p. 22d, 23a, (125) and p, 23d, 24a, (127)

William married Mary Anne MCSPADDEN on 31 Oct 1838 in York County, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of William MCSPADDEN and Peggy-Ann MCCREEDY) was born about 1819 in Ireland; died about 1871 in Caledon, ON. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Information from the LDS database shows her as being born in 1821 REF A FN 17Z6-THQ.
The information regarding William's wife Mary A. and their children Elizabeth to Joseph came from the Canadian Census 1852 / Canada West / Peel County / 269 Caledon Township / p. 22d, 23a and p. 23d, 24a. The census shows her age as 33, which would indicate a birth date of 1819, which has yet to be confirmed otherwise.

David married Alice Matilda SPARLING in 1868 in Clinton, ON?. Alice was born on 29 Dec 1848 in Clinton, ON; died on 16 Aug 1933 in Medicine Hat, AB; was buried on 18 Aug 1933 in Medicine Hat, AB. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Alice was married three times, first of all to David Cantelon in Ontario, then to Samuel Porter in Medicine Hat, and then to Murdock McCleod in Medicine Hat. Thus she is buried with MurDock in Hillside Cemetery, Medcine Hat.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Biography: Wiki: http://wiki.familygenes.ca/index.php/Morris/Earl_David_Morris_(1893-1958)

Edward married Elizabeth HUGHES on 6 Mar 1810 in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales. Elizabeth was born on 6 Sep 1773 in Wales; was christened on 16 Sep 1773 in Tremeirchion, Flintshire, Wales; died on 10 Oct 1870 in Caledon Twp., Peel, Ontario, Canada; was buried in Alton Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From: findagrave.com

Elizabeth Hughs Morris is shown as born September 9, 1773 (10 years before husband Edward), died October 10, 1870 and is buried in Alton Wesleyan Methodist Cemetery, Alton, Ontario

(Research):My Aunt Eva Davison (nee Morris) did a small family tree with pencil and paper. Besides Elizabeth's name she very faintly scribbled "Birmingham". Possibly Elizabeth moved with Edward to Birmingham before coming to Canada?

Notes:

Married:
The marriage information is as found on famiysearch.org.

William married Peggy-Ann MCCREEDY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Rebecca TWISS. Rebecca was born in 1804; died in 1881. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]