Ethel Morris

Notes:

San Augustine Tribune
Thursday, August 24, 2006

Ethel Greer

Funeral services for Ethel Greer, 99 of San Augustine were held at 2:00 p.m. August 19, 2006 at New Hope Baptist Church in Milam. Burial followed at New Hope Cemetery in Milam. Bro. Rick Martinez officiated. She died August 16 in San Augustine. Ethel Greer was born in Sabine County on May 30, 1907 to William Aiken Morris and Della Neal Morris. She was a homemaker, a master quilter and seamstress. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Milam, was the oldest living member of New Hope Baptist Church and her family were charter members. She is survived by four grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, great-great granchildren and a nost of nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the New Hope Baptist Church. Wyman Roberts Funeral Home in San Augustine was in charge of arrangements.

A similar obituary was in the August 23, 2006 SABINE COUNTY REPORTER

Notes:

He was an attendant at the 1898 wedding of his sister, Rosie Rebecca Morris, to Giles Edward "Ned" Smith, which was held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gram Ferguson near Hemphill. (Speights, Old Timers of Sabine County, p. 12).

William married Della Neal on 6 Jul 1902 in Sabine County, Texas. Della was born before 1892. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Virgie Speights, in OLDTIMES OF SABINE COUNTY, TEXAS wrote that "On Sunday, October 13, 1963 at Martin's Chapel cemetery, dedication services were held for two of Sabine County's illustrous Confederate Veterans, Moses Aiken Morris and his son Jacob Dickens Morris...the family moved to Sabine County in 1853. The father and son enlisting into the C.S.A. together on July 2, 1862. She also noted that Jacob and his wife, Theodocia White, raised a total of nine children, two of whom were still living (as of October, 1963)."

In her annotated transcription of the Martin's Chapel Cemetery, Kay Parker McCary notes that he has a military marker: Texas Pvt Co D First Texas Hv Arty Conferderate States of America

She adds that his wife, Theodocia "Docia" J. White is buried in the Halbert Cemetery

Jacob married Theodocia J. White between 1866 and 1868 in Sabine County, Texas. Theodocia (daughter of James White and Drucilla C. Watkins) was born in Apr 1849 in Louisiana; was buried in Halbert Cemetery (Joel Halbert Cemetery / Fox Hill Cemetery), Milam, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):Census Listings:

Household:

1870 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Beat 3
Enumerated 1 August 1870
Page 5, Stamped 21
533-533
Morris, Jacob 25 M W Farmer Ky
Morris, Doshia 20 F W Keeping House La
Morris, Mary J 4 F W Tx
Morris, Cordelia 2 F W Tx

1880 Census
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Oc
cupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Jacob MORRIS Self M Male W 35 KY Farmer KY KY
Theodosia MORRIS Wife M Female W 31 LA MS GA
Cordilia MORRIS Dau S Female W 11 TX KY LA
Charls Th. MORRIS Son S Male W 9 TX KY LA
George MORRIS Son S Male W 6 TX KY LA
Martha E. MORRIS Dau S Female W 4 TX KY LA
Wm. A. MORRIS Son S Male W 3 TX KY LA
Aron B. MORRIS Son S Male W 1 TX KY LA
Felix REAGAN Other S Male W 21 LA Wks On Farm GA MS

Source Information:
Census Place Sabine, Texas
Family History Library Film 1255325 NA Film Number T9-1325 Page Number 218A

1900 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Precinct No. 8
Enumerated 5 June 1900
SD 8 ED 72 Sheet 5A Stamped 145
62-62
Morris, Theodocia Hd W F Apr 1849 51 Wd 11/9 La Miss NC Farmer
Morris, William A Son W M Jun 1876 23 S Tx Ky La Farm Laborer
Morris, Aaron B. Son W M May 1879 21 S Tx Ky La Farm Laborer
Morris, Fountain L Son W M Apr 1885 15 S Tx Ky La Farm Laborer
Morris, Van J. Son W M Feb 1887 12 S Tx Ky La Farm Laborer

Notes:

Presumably the trailblazer in the family. He was the only family member living in Sabine County in 1850. All the other family members migrated from Mississippi at a later date. His two oldest daughters were born in Louisiana circa 1848 and 1849, so he had not been in Texas long. His middle initial is sometimes shown as C and other times as E.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Texas, Sabine County
Enumerated 20 Nov 1850
Stamped 327
257-257
Morris, Amon P 25 M Farmer Miss
Morris, Mary A 21 F La
Morris, Mary C. F. 3 F La
Morris, Alfred W 1 m La
Watkins, Mary 45 F NC*
258-258
White, John C 24 M Farmer Miss
White, Drucilla C 21 F Tx
White, Mary E 2 F La
White, Theodotia 1 F La
White, Drucilla 1/12 F Tx
(Courtesy of Scott Watkins)

*Schluter and Toole, in their annotated transcription of the 1850 Sabine County, Texas census, show her as "dau of John and Mary Smith and widow of ---- Watkins." Scott Watkins points out that she is actually Mary Kemp Watkins, mother of Mary Morris and Drucilla White. A daughter of John and Mary Smith, namely Elizabeth, was married to Green Berry Watkins, thus causing the confusion.

James married Drucilla C. Watkins on 29 Oct 1846 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Drucilla (daughter of Alfred L. Watkins and Mary Drucilla Kemp) was born on 30 Jul 1829 in Ayish Bayou, Texas And Coahuila, Mexico; died after Jun 1860. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Joseph William Watkins was born in Georgia and died in Sabine County ca 1838. He and his wife Drucilla were the parents of Drucilla Watkins, b 30 July 1829, in Coahuila-Texas and d after 1860, m James E. White ca 1847. (White and Toole, p 67). However, Scott Watkins doesn't think this is correct. In December, 2010 he emailed that:

"Green Berry's younger brother Alfred L, only had two daughters and no sons. The oldest daughter was Mary Ann, who married Amon P. Morris and her younger sister Drucilla Cordelia who married 1) White and 2) Partin. Both Mary Ann(s) are used back in forth between the family lines as well as William W. and Nancy. I started out to prove I was a descendant of Alfred L., only to find out I belong with Green Berry instead."

The 1840 Natchitoches Parish census shows:
J. B. Watkins 0111001000000 222001000000 1 3 1
A. L. Watkins 0000010000000 002001000000
The J. is a G. (census writers?) Both brothers are on the same page, just 10 lines apart. J. B. has 4 males and 7 females. A. L. has 1 male and 3 females. Later census shows Alfred with the same numbers and Green Berry with another daughter.