"A Brief Biography of
The William Morrison Family

By Lloyd Jean Morrison, Great Grandson,
15 February, 1976

William Morrison was born 15th February, 1786 in County Down, Ireland. [The majority of the capital city of Northern Ireland, Belfast, is in County Antrim, with the remainder being in County Down.]

William was one of eight children, five sons and three daughters. The sons were William, John, Robert, James and David. The daughters were Ann, Mary, and Nancy. Their order of birth is not known at this date, 1976.

Mary Steward was born in March, 1786 in County Antrim, Ireland. Mary was one of four children, one son and three daughters. The son was Charles and the daughters were Mary, Rose and Margret. Their order of birth also is not known at this date.

Mary immigrated to the United States of America in 1808. William immigrated to the United States of America in 1810. It is not known whether William and Mary immigrated with other members of their families, the name of their ship or port of entry.

Apparently William and Mary both migrated to Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. William Morrison and Mary Steward were married the 10th of March, 1815 near Harrisburg. Their first son, James Morrison was born 9 December, 1816 in their home near Harrisburg. The family migrated west into Ohio in 19817 or early 1818 settling near Dayton, in Clark County, Springfield Township. Their second child, a girl, Jane Morrison was born 1st of November, 1818 at their home there. Their third child, a son, John Morrison, was born the 10th of March, 1820 at the same place. Their fourth child, a son, Robert Barton Morrison, was born the 25th of December, 1821 at the same place. He became my grandfather.

In the fall of 1841, the family moved to a farm, three miles north and one mile east of Rushville, Schuyler County, Illinois. Probably near the Chadseys'. William Morrison lived there until his death on 15th October, 1846. Mary Steward Morrison died the 11th March, 1852. These dates were taken from their headstone in the Chadsey Family Cemetery, located on the farm. Mary continued to live on the farm until her death, with Robert and Jane.

James and John moved to Iowa as early as 1841. James Morrison married Rebecca Gray the 9th November 1841 in Rushville. John Morrison married Sarah Gorsuch the 3rd November, 1845 near Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. Robert Barton Morrison Married Emily Chadsey the 16th December, 1852, near Rushville, Illinois. Perhaps in their farm home. Jane Morrison married David Kirk the 11th November, 1860 at Montezuma, Poweshiek County, Iowa.

The marriage certificates for James and Robert are in my (Lloyd Jean Morrison) possession."

*******************************************************

Gravemarker listing:

"The Chadsey or Gay Family Cemetery . . .
is located in the SE 1/4 section 6 in Rushville.
The land was given by the Chadsey family. . .

MORRISON, William d. Oct 15, 1846
{Infant son of R and E Morrison}(Probably Robert & Emily?)
{The CHADSEY Plot at one time has been completely surrounded by a wall made of stones 4-5' high}
CHADSEY, Robert N-1801-1885
CHADSEY, Rachel, wife of R N -3/12/1810-1886
{Discovered a smaller walled-in plot(attached) east of the larger area. Found three small markers (probably for children). No inscriptions on two, but the third one: Mary E, Dau of W M Dela........(indistinct)}
CHADSEY, Jaqmes ?
CHADSEY, Mary Ann ?
CHADSEY, Benjamin ?
CHADSEY, Rachel, dau of R N and R d. 1/28/1861 23y3m28d
CHADSEY, Hobart G, son of R N and R d. 5-14-1872-24y6m19d"


*******************************************************

I got this listing above, from a person who said they got it from "a book", but could not recall the name. The book was probably:
Rural Cemeteries of Schuyler County, Illinois: Rushville Township, by Schuyler County Historical Museum, 1992. [R.S.M.]
(Available in the Denver Public (central) Library, Denver, CO.)