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Facts and Events
Maj. William Morris was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Records in Augusta County, VA
From Chalkley's:
- Vol. 2 - Vol. 2 - John Levecy and ____, his wife, only daughter and issue of James Campbell, vs. John Morris--O. S. 24; N. S. 8--Bill filed 7th October, 1800). In February, 1773, James Campbell, father of oratrix, went into the County now of Kenhawa County and made an improvement on the Kenhawa, sowing a large quantity of apple seed. The same year John Morris cleared a tract opposite James on a creek called Napper's Creek, which he sold to a person of the same name. The Indian War of 1774 prevented James from making any further improvements, and in 1775 John claimed James' improvement. James died intestate previous to 1779 and John got a patent from the Commissioners and has sold a part to William Droddy, who has sold to John Reynoids. Peter Shoemaker deposes, 18th January, 1804, in Adams County, Ohio. In February, 1773, he started from Muddy Creek in Greenbrier County for the Kenawha in company with James Campbell, James Pauley, and Walter Kelly, and went as far as Gauley River, where Walter Kelly turned back. The others went on to what is now the mouth of Campbell's Creek, where Campbell made a tomahawk improvement. John and William Morris were brothers. The Indians shot deponent at Powell's Valley. Deposition of John Jones, a settler, as to Walter Kelley, Knapper (Napper), Thomas Alsberry, William Feamster. Thomas Alsberry says he forted (fought?) with John Morris all during the Indian War. They were greatly harassed by the Indians. About Conrad Yoacum. George Lee (See?) deposes in Kenawha, that he came to the country in 1774. John Morris was then with him as a soldier under Mathew Arbuckle. Curtis Alderson testifies in Botetourt, 20th May, 1802. In 1713 John Alderson, Joseph Carroll, William Morris, John Herd and deponent set out from Shenandoah County for New River below the falls, in search of vacant land, and went down as far as James Burnsides's on Greenbrier, when they were joined by Archd. Taylor, Philip Cooper and Walter Kelly, and all together arrived at New River 6th April, and made improvements and set out to return home, and at Gauley they met James Campbell, Peter Shoemaker and James Polly; William Morris and deponent went back with them. James Campbell died in fall of 1777.
- Vol. 2 - Clarke & Slaughter vs. Morris's Heirs--O. S. 96; N. S. 32--Bill, 25th July, 1804. Orators are Robert Clark and Reuben Slaughter, assignees of John Morris, Jr. They claim a tract in Kenhawa County. William, Carroll, and John Morris are sons and heirs of William Morris, deceased. John Hansford and Jane, his wife, Charles Venable and Caty, his wife, and Cynthia Morris, which women are daughters and heirs of William Morris, deceased. David Melburn, guardian of John Harman (Harriman), son and heir of Shadrack Harman, deceased. Thomas Tease and William Neal (defendants) have a counter-claim. The land lay in Tease's Valley and was patented by William Morris. Shadrack Herrman, Thomas Tease and William Neel. Answer of Wm. Neel sworn to in Wythe County. Deed 4th October, 1802, John Morris and Mary Anne, his wife, to Ruben Slaughter (all of Kenawha). Recorded in Kenawha County, September, 1804. Lewis Tackett deposes in Kenawha, where the "Kentucky Trace" ran up the Great Hurricane Creek.
- VOl. 2 - John Young's Declaration: Age 73; Born in Lancaster County, Penna., in 1760, and moved to Augusta when four; enlisted under Capt. All, who raised a Company of Volunteers in Augusta to repell the Indians; Lieutenant Jacob Pence; marched to the South Fork of the Potomac, thence over the waters of the Monongalia; built a fort on Hacker Creek; volunteered May 1, 1778, under Capt. William Cravens to succor Tigart's Valley, in which inroads and massacres had been made the preceding fall; marched to the head of Greenbrier, thence to the head of Tygart's; volunteered September 1, 1778, under Capt. Robert Cravens, Col. Benj. Harrison, Gen. McIntosh, against the Indians; volunteered in September. 1780, under Capt. Robert Cravens of the Virginia Militia as a volunteer rifleman; Gen. Green, Gen. Morgan; in March, 1783, moved to Kanawha; Capt. William Morris; declarant served as spy; Col. George Clendenning, Capt. William Clendenning; David Robert was a spy; in August, 1790, Cale Fort was captured by the Indians; Thomas Allbury, Michael See, Fleming Cobb; 1793 was the last year of Indian hostilities in Kentucky.
- Vol. 2 - John Jones' Declaration, January 15th, 1833: Age 77 years, eleven months and thirteen days; in 1773 he and two others commenced an improvement, or settlement, on the Great Kanawha in Greenbrier County now Kanawha County, seventy miles west of the frontier inhabitants; they were driven back in the spring of 1774 by the Indians to the settlements on Muddy Creek; volunteered in 1774 under Capt. Mathew Arbuckle to build a fort on Muddy Creek; in the fall of 1774 he volunteered under Captain Arbuckle, who raised a company to go with Lord Dunmore against the Indians; the company joined the division of the army under General Lewis; was in the whole of the battle of Point Pleasant, October 10th, 1774. In September, 1776, enlisted as a regular soldier under Capt. M. Arbuckle; marched to the mouth of the Great Kanawha, about 150 miles west of the inhabited country; other officers were First Lieut. Andrew Wallace, Second Lieut. William Woods, Ensign John Gallegher; they erected a fort at the mouth of the Great Kanawha (point Pleasant); here they were reinforced by Capt. McKee of Botetourt, First Lieut. William Moore, Ensign James Gilmore; Indians attacked and were repulsed and turned towards Donally's Fort in Greenbrier; in 1778 declarant was employed as an Indian spy; William and Leonard Morris, deceased, were spies with him; William Arbuckle (then of Mason County) was also in Dunmore's campaign.
Information on Maj. William Morris, Jr.
William Morris, Jr. came to Kanawha with his father, father's family and his own wife and children.
When his father became old, he took care of the farm from his father. He became possessed of
many tracts of choice lands.
When the new county of Kanawha was formed, he became one of it's justices. He was appointed
trustee for the towns of Charleston and Point Pleasant as well. He was in the legislature for
Kanawha from 1792-1794, 1796-1798 and 1800. He was sheriff in 1801. There was no more
important person in the settlement than he who was known in later years as Major William Morris.
He lived at Kelly's Creek and is buried under the small brick church later erected there; and, first
known as Virginia's Chapel at Cedar Grove. A bronze tablet is placed on the outer wall of the church
in his memory.
Source: http://www.genealogy.com/users/d/e/r/Dee-Derrico/FILE/0020text.txt
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