Joseph Robert Morris

Joseph Robert Morris
Joseph Robert Morris
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 (aged 57); Houston, Texas
Resting place	Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Texas, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Hannah Cordelia Buckner
Residence	Houston, Texas
Profession	Metalworker, entrepreneur.

Joseph Robert Morris (April 24, 1828 – December 6, 1885) was a 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 April 24, 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 December 6, 1885. His final resting place is Glenwood Cemetery (Houston, Texas) in Houston.[2]

References

History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. 1895. pp. 393–396.
Kleiner, Diana J. (May 31, 2017). "Morris, Joseph Robert". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved July 7, 2018.

Political offices
Preceded by Alexander McGowan	Mayor of Houston, Texas 1868–1870	Succeeded by Thomas Howe Scanlan

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[bio-1] History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. 1895. pp. 393–396.

[HTO-2] Kleiner, Diana J. (May 31, 2017). "Morris, Joseph Robert". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved July 7, 2018.