by J. Young

When Harvey A. Morris was born on 27 March 1848, in Friendship, New York, his father, William A Morris, was 42 and his mother, Elizabeth Ann Quay, was 39 years young at the time of Harvey’s birth. Harvey was one of nine other siblings; Lovissa P. (1832-?),  Josiah Stephan (1834-1896), John Q. (1837-?), Charles Archibald  (1839-1928). Mary E. (1841-?), James H. (1844-?), Emma S. (1846-1927), Wesley J. (1851-?) and Frank De Forest Morris (1855-?)
 The family lived in New York, through 1865 and later moved to Fort Scott, Kansas in 1870. After the family relocated to Kansas, Charles, Harvey’s brother, was appointed as the county treasurer in Bourbon County, Kansas for Fort Scott. Subsequently, Charles served as the registrar of the US land office in Larned, Kansas and later, for a time was the personal secretary to the Kansas Governor.  It was during this time that Charles befriended David P Shield, a lawyer and future partner of Alex McSween. David Shield met McSween through his wife, whose family was from the region in Kansas. In fact, David married Mrs. McSween’s sister. In 1870 a census report reveals that Harvey is living with a Mira Morris under his name in the same household. It appears Harvey got married to the woman known only as Mira.
 Harvey, Charles’s brother, became interested in politics and law. He followed David and migrated to New Mexico where he would be an apprentice for Shield and McSween’s law firm. Harvey also had caught tuberculosis and wanted to live in a drier and more elevated climate. Meanwhile, Mr. Shield lived at the McSween residence, where Harvey sought refuge. A 5-day battle began in Lincoln, New Mexico, on July 15th, during which McSween’s house was set on fire. On July 19th, as the house burned to the ground, the men tried to escape and were shot dead. It is uncertain whether Harvey was bedridden during the final days of the war, or if his wife was also present that awful day .
The Morris family were possibly related decedents of Robert Morris. Robert Morris was one of just 6 men to sign both The Declaration of Independence and The United States Constitution.