CENTRE LINES

The MORRISON Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on Morrison. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

There are no books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte that apparently deal in part with the Morrison family.

There are 17 first-name entries for Morrison in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are several mentions of the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' Morrison neighbors in 1890:

BELLEFONTE Borough:

Elizabeth--114 N. Spring Deborah Martin, 47, tip-stave--102 E. Lamb Bernard 50 Robert, 25, laborer--237 E. Howard James 22 Samuel, 24, laborer--225 E. Burrows Emma S. John 11 mos.

PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Alexander, 35, tanner--Water St. James, 65, retired--3rd St. Jane--Laurel St. Jennie Miles W., 42, teamster--Water St. Amanda Martha A. Lida H. George B. 4 Oliver W., 37, tanner--Water St. James H. 12 Richard C., 33, laborer--6th St. Mary C. Ellen

SPRING Township:

Thomas, 68, laborer--Axemann

UNIONVILLE Borough:

George W., 44, laborer Sarah J. William A. 21 Edward C. 17 George D. 14 Mary E. Anna M. Hanah B. Irvin, 46, laborer Wilamina Mary H. George W. 10 Frances V. Thressa A.

WORTH Township:

William, 10--Port Matilda Nancy