John Morris

Background

In 1857, he married Cora Hennen, the daughter of Alfred Hennen, a wealthy and prominent judge in New Orleans.

Career

A native of New Jersey, he benefited from a large inheritance and added substantially to his fortune through a majority interest in the Louisiana State Lottery Company. The couple had four children:

Francis Morris (c 1864–1880)

Alfred Hennen Morris (1864–1959) — a Vice-Chairman and steward of The Jockey Club

Isabel Morris — married Lewis Cass Ledyard, a grandson of statesman and politician Lewis Cass

John Morris inherited his father"s 25,000-acre (100 km2) ranch in Gillespie County, Texas, fourteen miles (21 km) from the town of Kerrville, where he established a horse breeding operation. John Morris owned a large racing stable in the United States and another in Europe.

The racetrack hosted the Belmont Stakes from 1890 through 1904 as well as the Preakness Stakes in 1890.

A few days before he died in May 1895, he leased the racecourse, with an option to purchase, to the Westchester Racing Association. The Morris heirs sold the property to real estate developers in 1905.

John Albert Morris suffered a stroke and died at age 59 in 1895 while at his Texas Ranch. His remains were sent by train to New Orleans where he was interred in the Metairie Cemetery.

The neighborhood of Morris Park in the Bronx, New York, a large part of which covers the site of Morris Park Racecourse, is named in his memory.

Achievements

• David Hennen Morris (1872–1944) — lawyer, diplomat, United States Ambassador to Belgium (1933–1937), and co-founder of the International Auxiliary Language Association His father, Francis Morris, was also involved in horse racing, and notably owned Ruthless, the winner of the 1867 Belmont and Travers Stakes.

Connections

Partner:

Leonard West. Jerome