Cleveland Past and Present: Its Representative Men: Comprising Biographical Sketches of Pioneer Settlers and Prominent Citizens
History
Cleveland Past and Present: Its Representative Men: Comprising Biographical Sketches of Pioneer Settlers and Prominent Citizens
Cleveland (Ohio) -- Biography; Cleveland (Ohio) -- History
In 1841, he left his parents and went to Middlebury, Summit county, Ohio.
He at once commenced digging coal for Mr. Philpot, with whom he had been
acquainted in Wales. After a few months he commenced driving team on the
railroad, and continued in that capacity for about two years. The zeal
and ability shown by the young man attracted the attention of his
employer, and proved of signal assistance in pushing forward the work. So
marked was the interest exhibited by Mr. Philpot in his assistant, that
he favored a closer connection, and in 1843, his daughter, Dorothy
Philpot, was married to David Morris. The young wife was a lady of more
than ordinary good qualities, and the union proved a source of unfailing
happiness, Mrs. Morris being not only an exemplary wife and mother in her
home, but by her counsel and assistance materially advancing the business
interests of her husband.
In 1847, Mr. Morris, in connection with W. H. Harris, contracted with
Lemuel Crawford for mining the Chippewa bank by the ton. After two years,
he took the management of the work for Crawford & Price, the latter having
purchased an interest. He then went to Girard to work his own mines at
that point. The coal being of an excellent quality, and the demand
constantly increasing, these mines became a source of great wealth,
engrossing large capital, and giving employment to a host of workmen.
Instead of the one mine which he found, his original enterprise, his
estate now comprises the Mineral Ridge mines, which have been worked about
eighteen years, and have yielded about a hundred and fifty tons per day;
the Girard mines, worked about the same period, and yielding two hundred
tons daily; and mines at Youngstown, which have been worked eight years.
The pay roll of these mines now bears about $12,000 per month, and the
freight bills on the railroad average $3,000 per week. The coal is mostly
brought to Cleveland, whence it is shipped to Chicago, Milwaukee,
Hamilton, and Toronto, a large amount going to the latter place.
In 1856, Mr. Morris moved to Cleveland, the amount of business transacted
with this city making this step prudent. Here the firm of Crawford, Price
& Morris was formed, which subsequently became Price, Crawford & Morris,
and finally Morris & Price. On the 15th of February, 1862, he died in the
forty-third year of his age.
[Illustration: Truly Yours, David Morris]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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