George Morris 1817-1897
2010
George Morris was born in England to Joseph Morris and Elizabeth Vernon. He was the oldest child of seven. In 1840 he married Jane Higgenbothom who died the next year. He heard the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in his native England and emigrated to America where he lived in the new town of Commerce, Illinois . . . later know as Nauvoo. He was a personal friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith and kept a journal which was published and distributed to his interested descendants. He worked tirelessly on the construction of the Nauvoo Temple and shared in the persecutions of the early Saints. While living in Nauvoo he met and married Hannah Maria Newberry, the daughter of early colonists from New England. They became the parents of 12 children. The third child, Rozella Newberry Morris who married John Jenkins is our direct ancestor. In 1848, George crossed the plains in the first company which settled the Salt Lake Valley. His first winter was spent under his turned-over covered wagon with his small family. George had plural wives. They were Maria Allen and Annie Matthews.
His journal is his testimony. It talks of his faith and his sacrifices. It talks about his associations with early church leaders and his hardships and sorrows. Upon his death in 1897, he was the father of 22 children, 75 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery and is mentioned in many historical texts about the Mormon Migration and the early days of the church.
The migration of George Morris
England to Illinois to Utah