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BRAXTON COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
November 8, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 300
Braxton
WELLINGTON F. MORRISON. A man of large affairs, dis-
playing at all times an aptitude for successful management,
combined with keen sagacity in investment and marked
ability in control of important interests, Wellington F.
Morrison has long been known as one of Braxton County's
most prominent business men, whose labors have been of
great value in building up the interests of the community
in which his home has been made for so many years.
Mr. Morrison was born in Braxton County, Virginia, June
30, 1845, a son of James W. and Nancy Logan (Grimes)
Morrison. His father was born in Greenbrier County, Vir-
ginia, January 10, 1806, and after receiving a public school
education moved to Pocahontas County, where he met and
married Nancy Logan Grimes, who had been born in the
latter county October 24, 1813. At about the time of their
marriage, in 1830, they came to what is now Braxton
County, West Virginia, and settled on a farm. In addition
to carrying on extensive agricultural operations Mr. Mor-
rison was a justice of the peace, a member of the old
County Court and served as sheriff of the county for four
years, being one of the prominent and influential men or
his community. Likewise he was a pillar of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, which he attended regularly, lived his
faith every day, was a class leader, and made his home the
home of the visiting preachers. First a whig, he later
changed his allegiance to the republican party. Mr. Mor-
risos was the father of fourteen children, of whom twelve
grew to maturity and six are living at this time: Mary H.,
the widow of Franklin Beemer; Maria V., the wife of John
D. Sutton; Leah T., the widow of Mortimer Rose; Nancy
R., the wife of John F. Beemer; John G., of Wichita,
Kansas; and Wellington F., of this record.
Wellington F. Morrison was reared on the home farm six
miles east of Sutton, and acquired his early educational
training in the old-time subscription schools. He was not
yet sixteen years of age when the Civil war broke out, and
when less than seventeen years old enlisted in the Union
army, April 23, 1862. During the first year of his service
lie was engaged in the guarding of army supply wagons
through West Virginia, but in January, 1863, his regiment
went to the Tygart Valley, where he received his baptism
of fire in the engagement at Droop Mountains. In July at
the same year he was again under fire, at Beverly, and in
May, 1864, saw plenty of action, when he entered the Valley
of Virginia, his subsequent engagements including Leetown
and Currance, July, 1864; Harper's Ferry, Snicker's Gap
and Winchester, September 19, 1864; Fisher's Hill, Septem-
ber 22d; Cedar Creek, two engagements, in October and in
December, 1864, on to Richmond. Mr. Morrison was in the
Eighth Army Corps, commanded by General Crooks, and
made up of West Virginians. He remained with his regi-
ment until the close of the war, and was mustered out at
Wheeling, West Virginia, receiving his honorable discharge
May 3, 1865.
At the completion of his military service Mr. Morrison
returned to his father's farm, and, realizing the need for
further education, attended the common schools for one term
and during one winter. He then taught for one year in the
" country schools, and September 27, 1866, was united in
marriage with Miss Sarah E. Berry. At that time he started
housekeeping on the farm, and remained until September,
1868, in the spring of which year his wife and baby went to
Mrs. Morrison's father's home, and Mr. Morrison went to
the private school of Mrs. Berry for one summer. In the
fall he was rejoined by his wife and child at Sutton, where
Mr. Morrison continued his school studies during that
winter. He was next made deputy sheriff under his father,
a position which he held for four years, and was then elected
superintendent of the free schools of Braxton and served
as such for two years. After this he acted as principal
of the Sutton schools, and his next position was in the cir-
cuit clerk's office, where he remained six years as assistant,
and a like-period as clerk of the Circuit Court. He was a
delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1900,
held at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in 1904 he was one
of the electors from West Virginia who voted for Roosevelt
and Fairbanks for president and vice president. He served
as mayor of Sutton a number of terms. During his incum-
bency as mayor in 1905 and 1906 he was instrumental in
having the present up-to-date paving, sewage and sidewalks
installed, and also caused the undesirable of many classes
to vacate and leave the city. When he left public office
Mr. Morrison embarked in the general merchandise busi-
ness at Sutton, in which he remained with success for ten
years, and then sold out and embarked in the real estate and
fire insurance business, a field in which he also met with
success. While well advanced in years, he still takes an
active part in business affairs and is president of the Sutton
Wholesale Grocery and Milling Company, and a director
of the Home National Bank, where he is acting as secretary
of the board. Mr. Morrison is a faithful member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the official
board. As a fraternalist he belongs to Sutton Lodge No.
21, A. F. and A. M., of which he is a past master; Sutton
Chapter No. 4, R. A. M., and Sutton Commandery, K. T.
Mrs. Morrison died February 18, 1918, mourned by all
who had known her. She had been the mother of nine chil-
dren, of whom five are now living: Laura M., the wife of
E. G. Rider, an attorney at Charleston and a member of
the Public Service Commission of West Virginia; Elizabeth,
the wife of Carey C. Hines, of Sutton; Audrey, the wife of
Carl S. Walker, a pharmacist of Gassaway, this state; James
T. B., identified with the Wholesale Grocery and Milling
Company of Sutton; and Wellington F., Jr., a graduate of
the law department of the State University, and chief of the
land department of the state auditor's office at Charleston.
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