Biography - James Morrow
James Morrow, one of the well-known citizens of Newman, and who has led an active and successful business life, was born in Brown County, Ohio, November 3, 1832, and is descended from English and Irish progenitors. He is the son of James and Levina (Drake) Morrow, who were native of Brown county, Ohio. His grandfather and grandmother on his father's side were born in Ireland, and married in Brown county, Ohio. His maternal grandfather and grandmother (the latter Miss Weatherspoon) were respectively born in England and America. James Morrow remained on a farm in Brown county until he had arrived at the age of twenty years, during which time he attended schools three months free and three months paid for. In 1852 he migrated to Montgomery county, Indiana, and here for some time worked as a common day laborer. In 1854 he came to Illinois, locating in Champaign county, where he bought and located on eighty acres of land two miles south of Urbana, where he remained for about four years. He then removed to Edgar county, and bought and located on a farm four miles east of Newman, where he resided up to 1862. In that year he enlisted in Company E., Twelfth Illinois Infantry, and lacked but a few days of being in active service three years. He served as a private and first belonged to the left wing of the Sixteenth Army Corps until after the Atlanta campaign, when he was transferred to the Fifteenth Army Corps under Gen. Logan. Mr. Morrow was never wounded or sick in all of his active service during the war. After the final surrender he returned to the farm and in 1875 came to Newman, since which time he has been numbered among her best citizens. In 1894 he rented out his farm and since that time has been practically retired from business cares. Mr. Morrow owns two hundred and forty acres of land in Edgar county and six acres within the corporation of Newman. Mrs. Morrow, his wife, owns four hundred and ninety-six acres of land in Illinois, one hundred and twenty-six acres one and a half miles east of Newman, fifty acres near the corportation line of Newman, and one half section in Edgar county.
Mr. Morrow has been twice married, the first time to Miss Lawhead, in 1860. After her death he married his present wife, Rachel Fisher, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Daniel Fisher, who followed farming, and died in Champaign county. To his first marriage he had three children living, and by his second he has one child, George, who resides in Burlington, Vermont, and is superintendent of the anti-liquor league of Vermont,. The other children are: H.L., W.B. and Edgar D. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow are consistent members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. He is a public-spirited citizen, is plain and unassuming, yet dignified in appearance, and has won a competency and and honorable position by honesty, correct business methods, and a due reward for his fellowmen.
Extracted by Linda Lang from the Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, pages 151-152.
