Joseph Robert Morris
Joseph Robert Morris | |
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Mayor of Houston | |
In office 1868–1870 | |
Preceded by | Alexander McGowan |
Succeeded by | Thomas Howe Scanlan |
Personal details | |
Born |
April 24, 1828 Milton, Connecticut |
Died |
December 6, 1885 57) Houston, Texas | (aged
Spouse(s) | Hannah Cordelia Buckner |
Residence | Houston, Texas |
Profession | Metalworker, entrepreneur. |
Joseph Robert Morris (24 April 1828–6 December 1885) was an American metal worker, business owner, investor, and inventor. He briefly served as mayor of Houston, Texas.
Early life and family
Joseph Robert Morris was born on 24 April 1828 in Milton, Connecticut, now a part of Litchfield. He attended school through the age of fourteen, when he moved to New Haven, Connecticut for an apprenticeship to a tinner. He moved with his two younger brothers and his father to Bastrop, Texas around 1845.[1]
Career
Morris established a tin shop in Bastrop that quickly failed. He relocated to Houston with his family, where he performed metal work for Alexander McGowan. The next year, in 1847, he set up his own tin shop in Houston, which later expanded into a general hardware business. His inventions included a furnace and a spark arrester, and he gained membership to the British Academy of Sciences.[1]
Morris co-founded two transportation companies: the Houston Direct Navigation Company and the Buffalo Bayou Ship Channel Company. According to the 1870 Census, he was one of the wealthiest persons in Texas.[2]
Death
Morris died on 6 December 1885. His final resting place is Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.[2]
References
- 1 2 History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. 1895. pp. 393–396.
- 1 2 Kleiner, Diana J. (31 May 2017). "Morris, Joseph Robert". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Alexander McGowan |
Mayor of Houston, Texas 1868 |
Succeeded by Thomas Howe Scanlan |