Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-John A. Morrison
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
JOHN A. MORRISON, loan agent, Clay Center, occupies an office centrally located, on the corner of Lincoln avenue and Fifth street. He has been a resident of Clay County since the spring of 1883, spending all that time in this city engaged in his present business, making first mortgage loans only for Eastern parties and doing a fine business.
William B. Morrison, the father of our subject, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1829, going thence to Chester County, where he married Miss Rebecca J. Scott. His occupation was that of a general merchant, and he was Sheriff of Chester County, and Postmaster of the Pennsylvania Senate. He was a man of considerable prominence politically. He reared a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters. The parents came West in 1887 and are now living in this city.
The subject of this sketch was born in Chester County, Pa., Jan. 5, 1850, and grew to maturity at Coatsville, where he finished his education, after which he became a machinist, following the trade four years, during his apprenticeship. At the time of the Cook failure, when everything in that line was dull, he became interested in lumber and coal dealing, at which he continued for about three years. He then served as Deputy Sheriff under his father for a time, and subsequently engaged as book-keeper for a firm in Westchester, Chester Co., Pa. He continued acting in that capacity for five years, and is still in the employ of Smedley & Darlington, being their general agent for this section. The second member of the firm is now Congressman for his district. A continued service of twelve years for the same men, shows that the trust reposed in Mr. Morrison has been faithfully met.
Mr. Morrison is a member of the Knights of Pythias, being Chancellor Commander of Custer Lodge No. 19 at Clay Center; and is Fellow-Craftsman in the Masonic Lodge. He is much interested in local politics, but is not an aspirant for political honors, though he served as City Assessor in 1888. Mr. Morrison is highly spoken of by all who know him as a man of strict integrity in his business transactions, and honorable in all his dealings. Since writing the above the father has passed away, his death occurring Oct. 14, 1889. in Clay Center, and his remains were laid to rest in Clay Center Cemetery.