By: Alan Graham.

By Alan Graham.

Historical research compiled by Judy Sacco. 

During my marriage to Jim Morrison,s sister Anne, nobody in the family ever spoke about the genealogy of the Morrison family. The only two things I do remember is a half joking reference to being direct descendants of Robert The Bruce, and the other was once when Andy Morrison and I were discussing the family tree, he said. ” I think my ancestors were from the Outer Hebrides in the north of Scotland or somewhere like that”. That was the extent of his knowledge or interest in the subject.

Indeed he was right, the Morrison clan  was established by Alexander Morrison of Lewis, North Scotland. He was born in 1750.  He arrived in America on April 1, 1781 and settled in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Gargoyle at Lews Castle Scotland

 Stephen Morrison, Civil War Soldier (Photo compliments of Sid Heidt)

Stephen Morrison was the maternal uncle of Arthur Kelty and William Morrison Cleeland, and the paternal uncle of Hosea, William J, and Thomas C. Morrison. He was the youngest son of William Morrison and Sarah Slemmons, whose father Robert Slemmons was a Revolutionary War soldier.  Stephen was born 3 Apr 1826. He was most likely born in Connoquenessing Township, Butler County, PA, since his father William was listed in the township tax records during that time. Sometime before 1850, Stephen married Lydia Emerson. Stephen Morrison was an educator, and was elected School Superintendent by the school directors of Lawrence County, PA.  He served that post from 1860-1866. His Civil War experience [1] was that of a Pvt. in Company E, 55th Regiment Militia. The 55th Regiment mustered in June 27 – July 11, 1863, and was discharged July 18 and August 26, 1863. The 55th had service in Pennsylvania during Lee’s Invasion.

Lawrence Journal, Newcastle , Pennsylvania , Saturday, March 9, 1867:

Died Suddenly 
We regret to state that Mr. Stephen Morrison of Neshannock Township, late county Superintendent of Common Schools of this county died suddenly on Wednesday morning last. His father has been very poorly for some time, and on that morning Mr. Morrison received a message to go and see his father. He started, and while on the way, which was but a short distance, he ruptured a blood vessel—he was found before life was extinct, laying on the road, but he died in a few minutes after being taken up from the ground.

One of Stephen Morrison’s nephews, S. S. Boston (the son of his sister Maria and John Boston), was one of Stephen’s teachers at the Common School in Neshannock Township in Lawrence County, PA.

William Morrison Cleeland
The “Morrision Cleeland” in the photo is the William Cleeland / W. M. Cleeland who is listed on the National Parks Service Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System as being with Company G of the 155th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry, and who is also listed as William M. Cleeland with the 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps. According to page 822 of the book “History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5”, William Cleeland was mustered into service with the 155th regiment on August 22, 1862, served in Company G, transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps on July 1, 1863 and was discharged on June 24, 1865. The Veteran Reserve Corps was originally called the Invalid Corps.

Birth:	1886
Death:	1971 Clearwater Pinellas County Florida, USA
Mr Morrison was the son of Robert Bruce Morrison and Susannah Reep. Husband of Caroline Hoover.  Father of George Stephen Morrison.  Paternal grandfather of James Douglas Morrison, poet and singer of the iconic rock band The Doors.  Birth:  Apr. 23, 1891 Ohio, USA Death:  Aug. 31, 1984 Spring Harris County Texas, USA Paternal Grandmother of James Douglas Morrison, poet and singer in the rock band The Doors.

Robert Bruce Morrison

Birth:	Jul. 6, 1852
Death:	Jun. 2, 1899
Family links:   Spouse: Susannah Reep Morrison (1855 – 1947) Born 09/03/1855 (Niles, Trumbull County, Ohio)   Died 02/20/1947 (Largo, Pinellas County, Florida)   Married – Robert Bruce Morrison – 10/27/1874 (Mahoning County, Ohio)   Jim aside his Great Great grandfather Stephen Morrison 1826 – 1865

Arthur Kelty Cleeland Nephew of  Stephen Morrison

birth:  Apr. 25, 1844 Pennsylvania, USA Death:  Aug. 5, 1862
Burial: Glendale National Cemetery  Richmond Henrico County Virginia, USA

Birth:	May 15, 1781 Hagerstown Washington County Maryland, USA
Death:	May 2, 1867 New Castle Lawrence County Pennsylvania, USA
William MORRISON was born May 15, 1781 at Hagerstown, Maryland, just six weeks after his parents came from Lewis (the Isle of Lewis), Scotland to the U.S. Resided in Butler County, Pennsylvania until 1853, then moved to Lawrence County Pennsylvania to the home where they resided for the rest of their lives.  3. WILLIAM2 MORRISON (ALEXANDER1) was born 15 May 1781 in Hagerstown, Maryland, and died 02 May 1867 in Lawrence County Pennsylvania.  He married SARAH (also known as Sally) SLEMMONS 23 Jan 1803, daughter of ROBERT SLEMMONS and HANNAH DONNELLY. She was born 09 Aug 1783 in Ireland, and died 03 Feb 1868 in Neshannock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. “Pedigree Resource File”, database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.2.1/S1BC-3XC : accessed 2013-04-04), entry for william /morrison/.    Family links:   Children:   Betsy Morrison Cleeland (1819 – 1883)*   *Calculated relationship   Inscription: PVT. PA. VOL. War of 1812
Burial: Kings Chapel United Methodist  New Castle Lawrence County Pennsylvania, USA