Transcription contributed by Laura Drake 1 March 2005

Page
874

BENJAMIN MORRIS, farmer; P 0. Waynesville; born in New Jersey, July 28, 1814; is a son of Adam and Lydia (Mathers) [Should be Matthews, transcribers note] Morris, natives of New Jersey. The grandfather was Benjamin Morris, who, it is believed, was born in New Jersey and lived and died in his native state. Adam with his family emigrated to Ohio and located in Warren County in the fall of 1817, and here resided till his death. They had three sons and one daughter; William, Benjamin, John and Abigail. The latter married William Lewis of Lebanon. She died in July, 1881, aged about 60 years. Mr. Morris, when he came to this county, started out as a poor man, but was a man of energy, and by his own industry and by applying his hands to all kinds of work, he being a natural mechanic, was able to make most of the articles of utility of those days, and by economy he become possessed of about 300 acres of land, and in his last days was able to enjoy all the general comforts of life. Benjamin, the subject of this sketch, was a little past 3 years of age when they came to this county, and here was raised and grew to manhood accustomed to the rough fare and hardships of those times; was married, July 2, 1840, to Cynthia, daughter of John and Catharine Clements, natives of Pennsylvania, whose history is further given in sketch of John D. Clements. Mr. Morris and wife have had three children; only one now living, William H., born March 26, 1847; the two deceased were Lydia and Susan; the latter married Engene Evans, by whom she had one child, Lydia Esther. William H. married Lucinda Davis on Sept. 30, 1879, and resides on the home place with his father. Mr. Morris after marriage, located on the place where he still lives, having made a continued residence here of forty-one years; he has erected all the buildings on the place, which are now good and substantial with good improvements; he now owns 225 acres of good land and is one of the substantial farmers of Wayne Township, and is one of the few pioneers still residing in this vicinity, and who experienced and remembers distinctly the rough fare and hardships of pioneer life of which the rising generations know so little about and of which by experience have no knowledge.