J. R. Morris
J. R. Morris, who was recently elected mayor of Elida, is a member of the firm Morris Brothers, dealers in general merchandise and in staple and fancy groceries, and was born in Elida June 17, 1875, and is a son of the late J. N. Morris.
The father of Mr. Morris was born in Ross County, Ohio, a son of James Madison Morris, who served in the Mexican War with credit and was also a sergeant in the Civil War. In 1853 J. N. Morris, when four years of age, came to Allen County and for 30 years was a successful business man of Elida. He died October 18, 1904.
J. R. Morris was reared and educated at Elida and taught school for six years in German and Sugar Creek townships, during the last year serving as assistant principal of the Elida schools. In June, 1904, he resigned this position in order to move closely devote his attention to his pressing business interests, having been connected for three years with the furniture house of J. W. Rowlands, of Lima. The firm of Morris Brothers is made up of J. R. and O. B. Morris and they have the control of the largest establishment of its kind and the greatest volume of business in the town of Elida.
Mr. Morris has always been a zealous Democrat and on this ticket he was elected, in November 1905, mayor of Elida, by a majority of 58 votes. This is in the nature of a personal triumph as he is the first mayor ever elected here on a straight Democratic ticket.
In 1899 Mr. Morris was married to Alma T. Curtis, who is a daughter of T. J. Curtis, formerly a soldier of the Civil War, now a farmer of German township. Mr. and Mrs. Morris belong to the United Brethren Church, in which both take an active interest, Mr. Morris being superintendent of the Sunday-school. His fraternal connection is with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of the Maccabees.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 2, Edited & Compiled by Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.; Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906