Background
Morris, son of Moses and Laura W. Morris, was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, April 27, 1837.
Morris, son of Moses and Laura W. Morris, was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, April 27, 1837.
He graduated Yale College in 1860.
In November 1860, he entered the Divinity School of Yale College, and remained there until February, 1862. On the 25th of the following April he was ordained in New Haven as an Evangelist and accepted an appointment as Chaplain of the 8th Connecticut Volunteers. In this position, which he occupied until September, 1863, he shrank from no service or exposure, however severe.
On his resignation he returned to New Haven and conducted the newspaper the Connecticut War Record until the close of the American Civil War.
He then began the compilation of a History of Connecticut during the Civil War, which was completed in conjunction with West. A. Croffut, and was published in 1868 (pp 891, Octavo) In the meantime he became in 1865 assistant clerk of the Connecticut House of Representatives, and in 1866 clerk of the same body. In 1867 he was clerk of the Connecticut State Senate, and at the close of this service went to Washington as private secretary to Senator Orris South. Ferry.
In October, 1868, he established the Charleston Weekly Republican, which he conducted as editor for two years, it becoming a daily paper after August, 1869. In March, 1869, he was elected executive clerk of the Secretary of the United States Senate, which position he held until his death.
During the winter of 1870-1871 he purchased the Washington Chronicle and continued as principal stockholder and editor-in-chief until June, 1872, when he withdrew from the management on account of declining health.
He died in Washington, of consumption, November 27, 1873, aged 36 years. This article incorporates public domain material from the Yale Obituary Record.