The Father of Robert Morris of Waynesburg,

Pennsylvania: Evidence Analysis

Copyright 2014 by Keith Riggle
Robert Morris of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, was born on
March 26, 1816, in Morris Township, Greene County,
Pennsylvania. He married Emaline Mills and they had
three children together between 1840 and 1844. He then
married Catherine Brown and they had three children
together between 1855 and 1861. He died on August 7,
1891, in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, and was buried
there.
Robert did not know who his parents were. He explained
the circumstances in a letter to his son, David, in a
letter dated 13 Dec 1885 (the spelling and punctuation
are his):
"I can't give you very much information about your
Grandfather Morris. I was small when I saw him not more
than 8 or 9 years old. From what I learned later in
life he was born in New Jersy [sic] but in month or
year I can't tell. From what parentage I can't tell he
came from it was often told to me that he was close
related Robert Morris of Philadelphia who in time of
the revolutionary war borrowed money on his account to
carry on the revolutionary war. Whether we are related
to him or not he was a great man in the time of the war
but became involved and was imprisoned in jail for debt
and it has been stated that he died in jail and that
debt was for the money borrowed. You will find in the
history of the revolutionary war more than I can tell
you. You [sic] Grandfather Morris died about 1846 or 7
about 90 year of age. He left Pennsylvania about 64
years ago and never was back out one time and was 3 or
4 years after he went to Ohio.
Your Grandmother Morris her name before she was
married was Fisher. She was of New Jersy [sic] stock
but they lived in this county [?]. She died Febuary
[sic] the 14 1820. As to age I don't now [sic] any
thing of it. Ther [sic] is record of it as I now of at
I never saw any and she died with the consumtion
[sic]."
In another letter, dated 21 Jan 1886, Robert explained
further: I will try to answer some of your requests
but there is some that I can't give much information on
but will do the best I can. First I will give you a
record of our ages. I was born on March the 26 1816 in
Morris township Greene County 8 miles West of
Waynesburg. I was bound to Robert Millikin before I was
four years old in till [sic] I was 21 and served my
time out.
Robert had a daughter named Evaline (Eva), born 1861,
who married George Harvey Elms (1863-1947). Georges
niece, Laura Elms Morris (she married Thomas Henry
Morris, son of Andrew Jacson Morris, who was not
related to Robert Morris) wrote the following in her
family history, The Story of George and Sarah (Jones)
Elms: Uncle Harvey told me that his father-in-law's
father was Dennis Morris. He was much older than his
wife. He never cared for children and Robert Morris was
reared by the Millikens who lived between Sycamore and
Nineveh. Dr. Milliken always considered Robert Morris
as being one of the Milliken family. Although Uncle
Harvey did state that Milliken told him when Robert
Morris was a boy, he would get angry and would visit
his Morris relatives at Blacksville, W. Va. This is a
clue to his family. He also stated Dennis lived in Ohio
until he reached the age of in his 90s.
Some people have speculated that Robert Morris was a
descendant of Robert Morris the Financier of the
American Revolution, but, of course, this is not true.
Others have tried connecting our Robert Morris to
Robert Morris & Salome Renner. I have studied this
family before but have never found any evidence that
they had sons named Robert and Jesse (Roberts one
known brother). Robert & Salome were married about
1818, two years after our Roberts birth. In addition,
Robert & Salome were residing in Jackson Township in
the 1850 US census. We know that our Roberts mother
died in 1820, and his father, unable or unwilling to
care for his young son, bound him over to Robert
Milliken as an apprentice. Robert Morris of Jackson
Township was the son of John Franklin Morris, who was
the son of Robert Morris of Monmouth Co, NJ. <http://
wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?
op=GET&db=robertmorris&id=I1012>. William (Bill)
Muller has an extensive database on this family (he is
married to a Morris). His information is well-sourced.
So the best evidence we have is that Robert Morris
father was Dennis Morris. There was, indeed, a Dennis
Morris in the 1820 US census living by himself in
Morris Township, Greene County. The census was taken
after Mrs. Morris had died. As of the date of writing,
this is the best evidence we have.