WILLIAM C. MORRISON. This gentleman is the efficient collector of Ozark County, Missouri, a position he has held since 1889, and from 1887 to 1888 he discharged the duties of county assessor. He owes his nativity to the Blue Grass State, his birth occurring in Barren County, June 10, 1842, his parents, Joseph S. and Nancy J. (Low) Morrison, being also natives of that State.
The paternal grandfather, Steptoe Morrison, was a native of the Palmetto State, but was an early emigrant to Barren County, Kentucky, and later to Arkansas, in which State he spent his last days. Solomon Low, the maternal grandfather, was a Virginian, and became a pioneer settler of Barren County, Kentucky Joseph S. Morrison was born in 1826 or 1827, and when the Civil War came up he enlisted in the Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, and being a skillful blacksmith, he was made chief of the blacksmith corps of his regiment. He served from July, 1861, until his death which occurred at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1863, having proved himself a brave, faithful and conscientious soldier. He was a Master Mason, was a stanch Republican in politics, and was a man of unblemished reputation. His widow died in Barren County, Kentucky, in 1886, having become the mother of eight children: William C.; Sarah E., who died at the age of fifteen years; John, who also died young; Abigail resides in Barren County, Kentucky, and is the wife of R. Rinick; Martha A. became the wife of John T. Fords, and died in Barren County, in 1892; Solomon M. is a resident of Metcalf County, Kentucky, and the two other children died in infancy.
William C. Morrison passed the early years of his life in Kentucky, and at the age of nineteen years became a soldier of the Civil War, and served from May until October, when he was honorably discharged. He was married in Kentucky to Miss J. Arnyx, a daughter of Preston Arnyx, and sister of Judge Arnyx. Mr. Morrison came to Ozark County, Missouri, in December, 1870, and located about four miles above the mouth of Pine Creek, on a farm, and after making several changes he came to the fine farm of 500 acres on which he now lives and turned his attention to farming and stock trading, to which he has devoted his attention up to the present time. In the conduct of his affairs he is decidedly progressive in his views, is thrifty, pushing and industrious, and as a natural result is in possession of a fair share of this world’s goods. He has always been a pronounced Republican, has always taken a deep interest in the political affairs of his section, is a patron of education, and he and wife are active members of the Christian Church. He is in every particular a self-made man, for he began life for himself with no means whatever, and is one of the intelligent and well-to-do citizens of the county. He is a member of Robert Burns Lodge No. 496, of the A. F. & A. M., at Gainesville. The children born to himself and wife are as follows: Marcella E. is the wife of Paul Patrick; Cornelia F. is the wife of George B. Hunt; U. H. is engaged in tilling the soil on a farm near his father; Joseph P. is a farmer of the county; Nancy B., Aaron P., Aurora B. and Izora, at home.