Legislator Details
Portrait of Alexander Hamilton Morrison scanned from Rep.Dist. 4 page following p.48.
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married Julia A. Reynolds of Buffalo, NY on 1/17/1848; children: 6, Roderick Josiah, Fannie Eliza, Jesse (McGilvray), Addie (Bain), Donald C. and Lillian (Wood) [Roderick and Fannie died as small children]
Number of Children: 4
Background
Education:
Educated at a private academy.
Biographical Sketch:
Son of Roderick Morrison, he moved to Chicago at age 16 (when there was less than 4,000 inhabitants in Chicago). He worked with Mr. Ballantine for 3 years before going out on his own account as a merchant and contractor on public works in Illinois and Iowa. He moved to St. Joseph, MI in 1850 to work as a merchant, lumber manufacturer, and railroad builder. Mr. Morrison owned parts of several railroad companies including Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, Dakota Southern Railroad, and Sioux City and Pembina. He served in several positions with local and state government. He was a Whig and then Republican. He a Mason and Odd-Fellow. Mr. Morrison was the Master of Occidental Lodge in St. Joseph, MI, and the first Nobel Grand of Burnett Lodge of Independent Order of Odd-Fellows.
Notable Facts:
His mother was a descendant of Colonel John Jessup, who was gifted the Jessup's tract of land on the Hudson River. His father was a merchant and trader and one of the few members of the Northwestern Fur Company that did not go into business with Lord Selkirk.