Person:James Morrow (70)

There is a story among the family that James Morrow left Mooresville with a load of wheat or cotton and was never heard from again, though it is not substantiated by fact.

from Tina Brown: "The James McKnight Morrow that Morrow Mountain was named for is the one Jay claimed was a brother of Joseph M.V.B. Morrow. And, a James McKnight Morrow did live in the Mooresville-North Mecklenburg area and he did disappear during the Civil War. He went to Charlotte with a load of wheat. I have not been able to verify him as a son of George McKnight Morrow. The James McKnight of Mooresville married Ester Gibb and left her and children in Mooresville. Their descendants still live in the area. So, I know he existed. Whether he is the James McKnight of Southern Mecklenburg and Albemarle, who knows. We sometimes hear the cleaned up version of family history. Jay got his story by piecing together what he was told by the niece of Mayhew Town James McKnight Morrow and the son of Morrow Mountain James McKnight Morrow when he was 93. Also someone from Iredell County was supposed to have been in Albemarle and saw James McKnight Morrow and recognized him as the neighbor who disappeared during the War but the man denied it."

Comments; The family that Jay listed for James Morrow and Esther Gibbs is the family of John Morrow and Ellen Gibbs, and their records continue in the Mooresville area, including an 1880 census entry. The James McKnight Morrow that moved to Albemarle Co. and founded Morrow Mountain has been documented by Louise Pettus, historian, as a descendant of James McKnight Morrow and Susannah Watson. He was born in 1864.

The fact that Jay got part of his story from family associated with the Mayhews is a strong indication that this is the James that disappeared. He is also not listed in any later Iredell census records. So, he definately seems to have disappeared. He may have been in Albemarle. But, he wasn't the one who named the mountain.

It is possible that he is the father of Leroy Morrow, grandson of George McKnight Morrow and named as Leroy McCrary in George's will. A marriage record for Leroy lists the father of Leroy as James, but with no mother named. In the 1860 Iredell Census, an 11 year old Leroy Morrow is living with George McKnight Morrow and Elizabeth Powers family.

1850 Iredell Co, NC: James L. Morrow, 26, M, farmer, 400 Real Estate, NC; Sarah, 37; J. L. Mayhew, 16; Louisa R. Mayhew, 15; Nancy Mayhew, 13; Julia A. E. Mayhew, 10; Sarah Mayhew, 8 (Mt. Mourne, p. 103, 11/9/1850)