Amon Perry Morris, Jr.

Notes:

Per the 1850 Sabine County, Texas census, Ammon Morris owned 4 slaves. The Amon Perry Morris is listed in the 1863-1864 Sabine County Roster of indigents families of CSA soldiers-enumerated in the 1850 (sic) census of Sabine County, Texas and it is indicated that he did not return after the war. (Casagranda, 1850 Census, 79).

Ann McElhaney writes that "Amon Perry Morris Sr. born in Mississippi in 1825/6. I believe his family was enroute to Texas then as he is the only one born in Miss. Now his siblings were born in LA or Texas. But I think they were really all in the same place as Texas borders were not set and at some point Sabine was considered a parish of Louisanna. I believe Ammon Sr was killed in the battle in San Jacinto in 1866ish. But his son Amon Jr never knew Amon Sr. Amon Jr. is my maternal great grandad.

Siblings for Amon Jr. :

Mary C.F. Morris DOB 1847/48 in LA
Alfred W. Morris 1849/50 La.
Drucilla 1852
Sarah E or G 1854
Shadric 1857
John June 1860
Amon (one 'n') 25 March 1864 in Sabinetown Texas. . .this is far east Texas and there is a little town called Hemphill there where I believe his dad is buried.

Shadrach who was Amon Srs. dad fought in the US army in the War of 1812 and was in the Battle of New Orleans led by Andrew Jackson. This was a battle that firmly established our nation's independence from England and it was a magnificent defeat of the most powerful navy in the world coming on the heels of the defeat by the English of Napoleon in France. Shadrach obtained a land grant in southeast Texas from Mexico prior to the Texas Revolution. The family story is that somehow the land was taken from him and was a very significant loss as the spindletop oil discovery (hence Exxon) was built on that land. We do know there is some truth to that as in the 1930's Exxons lawyers came to Sherman Texas where many of the Morris family lived and tried to get them to sign some kind of release. Everyone in the family knew to never sign anything!

ann mcelhaney
annmclpc@aol.com

(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.

1860 Census
Texas, Sabine, Bare Creek Beat No. 6
Page 33, Stamped 3335
249-249
Amon Morris 34 M Farmer $400 $400 Miss
Mary A Morris 32 F La
Mary C Morris 12 F La
Alfred Morris 10 M La
Drucilla Morris 8 F La/Texas
Sarah E. Morris 6 F Texas
Shadric Morris 3 M Texas
John Morris 1 M Texas

Amon married Mary Ann Watkins on 18 Apr 1846 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Mary (daughter of Alfred L. Watkins and Mary Drucilla Kemp) was born about 1828 in Louisiana; died on 21 Nov 1892; was buried in Groesbeck, Limestone County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In Kathy Casagranda's 1850 Sabine Parish Census, she cites Mary Watkins as being the daughter of Joseph W. Watkins and Mary Smith of Sabine County, Texas on page 79 of her book. Later, on page 87, she indicates that she was likely a daughter of G. B. Watkins and his wife, Elizabeth, and that Mary Ann later married into the Constable family (sic).

Tim Willingham and Bettye Wagstaff don't think this is correct, nor does Scott Watkins (firedogger@gmail.com). 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.

Ann McElhaney emailed, in March 2014, that "Mary Ann Watkins Morris died on November 21, 1892 and is buried on private land in Grosebeck, Limestone Co, Tx where it appears there was a small cemetery that has been hit by a small tornado. Mary Ann's grave was the only one with the stone intact and standing, I had to stoop down under trees and step over brush to get there and as I lifted my head, she was facing me as if to say, 'I'm here, I've been waiting for you to find me.' Truly there was great rejoicing on my part. "

Notes:

Married:
Where were they at the time of the 1850 census?

Notes:

White and Toole write that he "Rec'd a large Mexican grant of land in 1835, and gave 200 acres upon which Sabinetown was built, but in 1850 he is listed on the Sabine Parish (Many), Louisiana U.S. Census. Served in the War of 1812 from Louisiana." (White and Toole, p 63).

The Sabinetown Cemetery index lists his service as taking place with the Kentucky Pvt 10 Regt LA Militia War of 1812.

Kathy Casagranda notes that he is believed by some to be the son of Gideon Morris. He received 2,915 acres of land from a Mexican Land Grant on June 17, 1835. The Historical Marker in Sabinetown names him among the earliest settlers. (1850 Sabine Parish Census, p 78). Ann McElhaney does not think that he a son of Gideon Morris, as detailed in her notes below.

Ann McElhaney,annmclpc@aol.com, a descendant of Shadrach's son Amon Perry Morris, supplied the following biographical notes about Shadrach and Mary Morris:

Shadrach H Morris says on the census register that he was born in Kentucky. We know he was in Louisiana during the War of 1812.

Bettye Wagstaff has a census note of a census in LA in 1810 that is handwritten which she may have had for many years which lists: Shadrack Morris, 1-male under 5, 1-male 5-10, 1 male 30-40, 2 females under 5, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 20-30 Other information says Bib Creek, waters of the Tangipoha River, now Tangipahoa Parish, LA

84 Washington Parish 1810:
Shadrack Morris: 1 male 10-15, 1 male 80-90; 1 femail 10-15; 1 female 40-50 lived in the area of Sunny Hill and present day Mt. Herman, LA Shadrach H Morris is likely out of the house as he was old enough to fight shortly thereafter in the War of 1812.

We are told that he married Mary Sarah Nelson in Mississippi in 1822.

In 1820 Washington Parish, LA:
W.H. Morris: between the ages of 16-26 has a wife and two sons and a daughter
Wm Wadkins(Watkins)-father of Alfred J L Watkins who marries Mary Drucilla Kemp(parents of Mary Ann Watkins who will marry Amon Morris
Berry Wadkins(Watkins) brother to Alfred

In 1820 on the East Baton Rouge, LA census: Shadrach Morris _ _ _ 2 1 /no females. This would be Shad Sr, then Shad jr either lives with him at this time with one other 26-45 male or Shad jr is somewhere else and two brothers are at home. The following is possible: In the county next to Baton Rouge is Iberville Parish. In Iberville there is a Martin Nelson with a daughter the age of Mary Sarah Nelson. There are no other Nelsons in the area, that possibly this is how they met. Perhaps our information is incorrect and they married in LA or perhaps these Nelsons moved to Mississippi and Shad followed in hot pursuit to marry Sarah Nelson.

In 1830 I believe this is our Shadrach in Washington Parish, LA. The other Morris listed nearby are likely brothers as well as the Shadrach Sr who could be our Shad's father:

Shadrack Morris 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shad is 30-40; wife is between 20-30

Bradford Kemp 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Kemp is 60-70

William Morris 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Will is 20-30

Whittenhall U.Morris 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Whitten is 30-39

Thomas Morris 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Thomas is 20-30


Shadrack Morris Sr. 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Shadrack M Sr is between 80-90-which does exactly jive with the info on the 1810 census

I am not certain that this completely demonstrates that Shad is not the son of Gideon Morris of Morristown, Tenn, but it is better evidence than anything else I am aware of us having. Gideon had a son named Shadrach, but we know he did not come south. Furthermore, the Morrisville folks deny there is any evidence that our Shad belongs to Gideon's group. There is some indication that there may be a connection between our Shad and Hamon Morris of Hamblen County, Tenn. Nevertheless if Shad said he was from Kentucky, that is all we have to go on for now. Our Shad could write and his signature is distinct so finding his signature anywhere is helpful.

The Bradford Kemp (1764-1838) listed in this census is most likely the father of Mary Drucilla Kemp who married Alfred J L Watkins.

1840 Natchitoches, LA: Shad and Mary Ann and 9 children. Also close in proximity and in the same Parish: G B(Green Berry) Watkins; A L(Alfred, Mary Ann's father)Watkins. Possible relations also present: Benjamin Morris-perhaps Shadrach's younger brother; John Nelson-perhaps Mary Sarah Nelson's brother.

In 1850 in Sabine County, Texas: William W. Watkins(who is Green Berry Watkins' son); Amon and family including his mother-in-law, Mary Drucilla Kemp Watkins; Shad and Sarah and family.

The 4 Smith girls who are living with Shad and Mary Sarah Morris are the daughters of Sarah's sister, Elizabeth Nelson who married John D. Smith. Both parents died. Shadrach and Sarah became the court-ordered guardians for the girls.

SMITH Sarah 12 F Texas
SMITH Elizabeth 10 F Texas
SMITH Emaline 8 F Texas
SMITH Lydia 6 F Texas

Shadrach married Mary "Polly" Sarah Nelson about 1820. Mary was born about 1807 in South Carolina; died about 1866 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Sabinetown, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):

Ann McElhaney,annmclpc@aol.com, a descendant of Shadrach's son Amon Perry Morris, supplied the following information:

In case you want to help find Mary Sarah Nelson's parents, in Mississippi the following Nelsons are listed as in Mississippi:
1805 Mississippi Washington Dist: Christian Nelson
1810 Mississippi (territory) census: Ichabod Nelson
Amite County: David Nelson; Christian Nelson; Thomas Nelson
Lawrence Co: Eleazar Nelson; William Nelson
1820 Mississippi census: Lawrence County: William Nelson, Elisea Nelson
Warren County: Peter Nelson
1822, 1823, 1825 Mississippi: Wilkinson County: Hugh Nelson
1823 Mississippi: Claiborne County: William Nelson; James Nelson
?b?rdrbrdrsrdrw30rsp20 1824 Mississippi: Lawrence County: James Nelson?/b?

Alfred married Mary Drucilla Kemp before 1828. Mary was born about 1805 in North Carolina; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1850 Sabine County Census, she was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Amon Morris. Next door was daughter Drucilla with her husband, James White.

Notes:

Married:
Dale Rubel shows that he married Mary Drucilla KEMP, daughter of John Bradford CAMP/KEMP and Mary Drucilla CAMPBELL.