Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-10
A Dts.puotnted Man

Long Branch letter TO The Jersey City Ar1us.
Ne reached this city to-day mat Elisha
John Morrison, aged 70 years. the Oldest AID
The westhest hermit IN the state OF New
Je sey, Il dyinG aion" in lii tie hut. situated
about four mi es south of here on the road
leading from Asbnry Park 10 Poplar. Morri-
son has lived hermit life for nearly half a
century
FOrty weight ears ago he was a farm bow
apprrnticed TO an old sew England farmer
named SyKer. lie disliked the work but SUI,
manfully TO 1t for SIX years, when h s master
died, leaving him IN his Wiz 800 cash IL was
more money than he had ever seen before, let
alone possessing. He took it to one OF the
members of the Town Directors and asked
him what he should do with it. The reply
was: "Go TO school anu learn SomethlnG.n He
took The advice and in four ars graduated
from the local school win high hnnors Then
he went to College. and after full course he
put out his single in Keeue. n. III. 1t read :
ELI ha John Morrison. Attorney 1T Law"
Business was duh, and for a long time
il was a question whether he could keen from
starving. One day about year after he had
started IN business eli mt came TO MIN and
asked II he C uld find purchaser for lot OF
grain which the man had TO sell. Morr son
wrote TO New York & ain merchant, and by
return mail he receiY, an order for tho
goods. His commission on the transa ton
amounted to about 500. The idea Of starting
an exchange for the sale OF gram for the
farmers OF the surrounding country entered
MS mead and ne invested the commission on
the sale in renting q store. 1t was something
new and novel { the farmers 10 have place
to spll their produce so near home. and as
they got as good prices for 10 as they could In
Boston, or any OF the big markets, they
pAtrUnlzed him. His business grew TO such
proportions that he sion gave up HIS practice
and devoted his whole time TO his exchange.
In u couple OF years he started branch store
In Boston. Business increased 30 rapidly that
he was unable TO attend to 1t himself. and SO
sold one-half his interest to Joseph Coyle.
Coyle was left in charge Of the keene ana
RnaInn All "a ant 90 Ma,
1orS and opened another. Good fortune
attended him, and In a short time
lac retired with n fortune OF $780,
900. A month or 30 after he had been in New
YORK he met a very beautiful young lady
named Kate Kirby He visited her egularly,
aud IN "A year he became engaged to be mar.
red 10 her. The wedding WAS postponed,
however, from time TO time, and at last the
lovers quHrroled over some trivial matter and
par ed. Hardy a week had passed after the
quarrel before Miss Hi by was married TO an
intimate friend Of Moniso The latter
seemed hcart-uroken, ard through a lawyer
he purchase the old Kirby farm, near Long
Branch, from an uncle OF his old sweei heart.
erected dwelling or, more correctly SPEAK
lug, hut. near the centre Of the farm, and
sett ed down to 1--we 10 seclueiou, From that
day 10 his no other human being has ever
been known 10 sof foot Across the threshold NJ
hs habItatiOu. To-day MorF1-on n rs years
old. Of medium height, spare nxHre, ana hAsa
short ErAt stubbV beard. HE chief dislike ia
d woman ADD he " u never. II he eau help it
look NJ one. ne has no known relatives. N
money Dc ! supposed " keep buried on differ
cot paIts u tue farm.