The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1898-03-16
DIR. GEO. B. MORRIS DEAD.
He Passed Peacefully Away
on Friday Evening.

Brief sketch OF O Remarkable Nan
and Remarkable Career-ile Rises
to the Head Of His Profession BY
Force OF Character and His thorough
ness in Everything he Did--A Long,
active, Useful, Upright Life Closed
in Peace Universal Regrets Heard
Upon the announcement Of His
Death.
DIR. George b. Morris died at his
residence in this place on Friday even
ing, March 18th, 1898, at 1920, in the
Goth year OF his age. The announce
ment Of his death was heard with ex-
pressions of regret everywhere Few
men were more widely known or uni
versally esteemed. His death ends
remarkable career.
He was born In this county June
Both, 1892, bis father being an active
citizen and a prominent business man
at that time, and interested in
| the iron business, having been con-
nected with the Henry Clay, jackson
and Wood Grove furnaces, which were
famous institutions Id their time.
Thomas Morris, the Doctors father,
was born at Morris X-Roads and spent
almost his entire life there, having
been for thirty years justice of the
peace. The fact that during this
long period but three of his decisions
were reversed in higher court shows
the accuracy of his Judgment and
what some people term the good sense
of the Morris family. DIR. Morris had
this Characteristic developed to a
high degree. He was very practical
man, accurate in his Judgment and
seldom made mistakes.
/ DR.. Morris received his early els@ca-
tion in the common schools of Fayette
leounty and at little academy at
Carmichaels, Pa. At the age of about
sixteen he began life for himself and
soon became self reliant and indus
trious, habits he practiced during his
whole life.
| When a boy DR.. Morris suffered
from white swelling and was always
lame. notwithstanding this he was
ALWAYS industrious and his mind was
active. When quite young he taught
school for time, and then took up
the study of dentistry. At that time
dentistry was little understood and
the returns from practice were mea-
gre. He, however, mastered his pro.
fession, as he always did whatever he
undertook, and he raised it to a higher
plane than was ever before thought
of in this locality. In his early prac-
tice he spent his time in Fayette and
Greene counties in Pennsylvania, tray-
cling on horseback to meet his en-
gagements. After Ave years spent in
this way, having accumulated little
sum of money, probably two or three
hundred dollars he moved to Morgan
town in 1862 His thoroughness in
his profession and his integrity and
uprightness soon brought to him a
large practice. In that day dentist
who was graduate had not been
seen here. After two or three years
practice in Morgantown, DR.. Morris
attended dental college in Philadel-
/ phia, and graduated with high honors
in 1867, thus being the first regular
graduate practicing the profession in
this state
! A short time ago the writer of this
read letter he wrote to his wife from
Philadelphia just after his graduation.
1t was full of happiness over his tri-
umph and tenderness for her and her
little boy baby Perry. If was touch
ing incident and showed the gentle
ness and tenderness of his heart.
After coming back from college
DR.. Morris extended his practice very
widely. He began to visit the county
seats of seven counties adjacent to
MCnongalia, and continued to meet
his engagements four times year at
each for twenty-nine years, never
breaking an engagement in all that
time. His practice grew, necessitat-
ing the employment of several men.
He has no doubt done more dental
work than any other practitioner in
West Virginia.
For few years past he has re-
manned at his home here where he
still attended to an Office practice,
leaving his other fields to the young
men who had studied under him.
1t may be proper to state here that a
number of-young men who were stu
dents under him owe what they are
to his teaching and to his generosity
in furnishing them money to attend
college.
Almost from the start DR.. Morris
was prosperous. He saved his earn
ings and invested in nearly every en-
terprise that would develop the town,
besides large investments elsewhere.
He was large stakeholder and di-
rector and vice presidentof the Second
National bank of this place, besides
being stakeholder in banks in
Fairmont, Grafton and Clarksburg
He owned valuable real estate in
| Pittsburg, considerable amount in
San Diego, California, in Pennsyl-
vania and in Morgantown.
In 1857 he was married to Miss Ell
len Baker, then belle at Laurel Iron
Works, and to them was born, lin 1859,
one son. He, Perry, who is remem-
bered very affectionately by many peo-
pie, was a splendid, handsome fellow,
about ready to graduate from college
when in the summer of 1882 he went
west and was stricken with spinal
meningitis and died within thirty six
hours. He was his fathers pride
and his mothers joy, and neither
ever fully recovered from the blow.
The doctor was further afflicted
when on April 9th, 1896, his wife
died. For nearly thirty years they
had journeyed together, each being
the helpmeet of the other. They had
always lived for each other and en-
j)yed their homo more than any place
else. To those who knew them their
forethought and care for each other
was touching. Each knew the worth
of the other-no doubt better than
any one else. Their lives were clean
and upright. When called to render
their account each could do so willing
ly. Both were ready. Thus two lives
were ended whose influence will go on
forever.
They both rest in peace