TARVER-L Archives

From: Lotus Cirilo <>
Subject: [TARVER-L] Edmund D Tarver / Benjamin Tarver - Morriss
Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 23:24:14 -0700 (PDT)

The following was sent to me along with a longer manuscript that hasn't
yet been transcribed, both written by the Mary Morriss. Two sisters of
Mary Morriss married TARVER men.

Personal letter written by Mary Dickens Morriss Smith, May 15, 1892
{sister of Richard Whitaker Morriss and daughter of Edward Morriss}
(Original in Whitaker Papers, Halifax Co., NC)
____________
My father's name was Edward Morriss, his mother was a Scotch lady named
Mary Dickens. There is where I get my name. His father's name was
Cornelius Morriss. He was an Irishman, therefore my father was
Scotch-Irish.

My mother's name was Elizabeth Cary Whitaker. Her mother came from England
to America with her father when young. Her name was Nettie Cary. There is
where our family gets the Cary name. My grandfather was English and Named
Richard Whitaker. He had eight brothers. That of course, made a large
Whitaker Family. Thus my parent's children are Scotch-Irish and
English. If there is any better blood in the civilized world, where is it?

My father was raised in Virginia, mother North Carolina. My father was a
Methodist, commenced preaching when twenty years old. When the
Revolutionary War commenced he went into the army as a private
soldier. General Washington so learned he was a preacher and released him
from bearing arms and made him Chaplain of his army. I have heard him talk
about it, and tell how embarrassed he would be when he had to preach
before General Washington and his staff, who always took their seats
directly in front of him.

My father had two brothers who were preachers, James and Thomas. James was
a Methodist, Thomas, Baptist. He had several nephew preachers. Mother had
a brother, brother-in-law, and several nephew preachers. I have heard some
of these men preach. They were splendid preachers, preached like men
endowed with the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel. Some of them were
splendid pulpit orators. Would have been an honor to our church. We boast
no royal blood, but we do claim pure Christian nobility and priestly
honors.

My parents married in North Carolina and raised eight children to be
grown. Their names and marriages are:

Nancy Wesley Morriss m Edmund T. [sic] Tarver*
Penny Cary Morriss m Sam w. Sands
Elizabeth Ann Morriss m Will B. Elgin {Dr.}
Dr. Richard Whitaker m Margaret Crozier
Thomas Edward m Elizabeth R. Barton
Mary Dickens m Henry Fuller Smith
Martha Matilda m John Massie {Dr}
Louisa James m Benjamin Tarver
_________
* In Mary's letter she records Nancy's husband's name as Edmund T. Tarver,
but in her manuscript she correctly records his name as Edmund D. Tarver

Jane Sands wrote (16 MAR 2002): I think the letter is a real find. We
copied it from the many Whitaker papers on file in the library in Halifax
Co., NC. The papers were not very well kept or organized and you just had
to plow through them to find what you wanted. -- Jane

---------
: Obituary, Galveston Daily News, Brenham, Texas, 6 JUL 1879
Elizabeth Tarver, died at the residence of Mrs. J.D. Giddings in
Washington County, on the 1st inst. She was the wife of E.D. Tarver,
deceased & mother of Mrs. J.D. Giddings and Mrs. L.P. Rucker.

----------
In next post, I will send transcription of the will of another of these
sisters.

Elizabeth Ann Morriss Elgin died while her children were still young and
Nancy and Edmund Tarver raised at least some of her children after her
death. Her brother-law, Edmund D. Tarver, was executor of her will.

My best,
Lotus Cirilo

http://www.tarver-genealogy.net

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