William H. Morris
William Harrington Morris (born August 17, 1817 in Troup County, Georgia - died June 20, 1910 in Birmingham) was a noted businessman, the third Mayor of Birmingham (the first to be elected mayor) and founder of the Avondale Land Company.
Morris was one of nine children born to Lewis D. and Martha Roe Moore Morris of Georgia. As a young man he moved to Alabama, spending time in Chambers and Calhoun Counties. During the Civil War her served in the Confederate army for three and a half years. On his way home at the war's end he stopped at the Jacksonville plantation of Nolan and Sarah Yancey Wright. There he met and married the Wright's daughter Arabella.
In 1870 Morris came to Jefferson County from Jacksonville, settling in the area now known as Avondale. After the founding of Birmingham, he bought a lot in town, at 19th Street North and 4th Alley, which he later combined with an adjacent lot and erected a house called Magnolia Place.
Morris was president of the American National Bank and an officer of the Birmingham Street Railway Company. He also served on the Birmingham Board of Aldermen and, in 1874 he ran for mayor, defeating W. T. Parker and others for the post. He took office on January 4, 1875 and was responsible for crafting the city's first code of laws.
Morris was reelected to a second term, but resigned in 1878 to focus on his business interests. Henry M. Caldwell, president of the Elyton Land Company, was appointed by the Board of Aldermen to serve the remainder of his term. He was the founder of the Avondale Land Company which developed the city of Avondale. He also helped organize the Birmingham Gas Company, the Birmingham Steam Laundry, and the Enterprise Manufacturing Company. Form 1888 to 1889 he served as Postmaster of Birmingham.
Robert and Arabella Morris had three sons, Robert A., John Lewis, William H. Morris, Jr (who died in infancy), and Roe.
| Preceded by: James R. Powell |
Mayor of Birmingham 1875 - 1878 |
Succeeded by: Henry M. Caldwell |
| Preceded by: ' |
Postmaster of Birmingham 1888 - 1889 |
Succeeded by: ' |
References
- Nesbitt, Sara (Summer 2001) "The Morris Family Journal" The Oak Hill Pioneer. Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 4-5
- Upton, Hilton (October 25, 1921) "Copy of Daily News Issued In 1874 Has Interesting Accounts Of City's Trade And Politics In Pioneer Days." Birmingham News.