Once Upon a Time....

....in Virginia,

there lived a man whose name was William Morris.

It is said that he was a native of Virginia. This is before 1800, we know, because that is when we are told he married Mary Watson of North Carolina. They married in 1800 and moved to Georgia.

We'll have to use our imaginations in determining how they met. He was from Virginia, she was from North Carolina

Can you see this map? It is the United States in 1800. North Carolina and Virginia are close, and not knowing where they lived - well - perhaps by wagon William Morris had travelled to Mary's community and met her there - or perhaps Mary was visiting relatives in William's native Virginia and met him there. We can only guess about that. Perhaps marriages were still arranged and someone knew someone - I'd like to think they met and fell in love - that she was a lady he was drawn to - that they were kindred spirits and it was God's sovereign hand which brought them together. I believe that's what happened.

When William and Mary married in 1800 they moved to Georgia to farm. He was a farmer by trade. That's what has been told to us. We don't know why they didn't stay in Virginia - or in North Carolina. Did they leave family to go to Georgia? Were they able to visit by wagon? Was there better land in Georgia? Was more land available and more fertile?

We know this much - they lived in Georgia for more than 20 years. That leads us to believe that William was successfully farming his land, there in Georgia - and he and Mary were successfully having children as well. Their fifth child was born in May of 1809, in Georgia. His name was Enoch Lafayette Morris. He is the name I want you to remember and follow. His life and story has awed me. But, then, so does William and Mary's life amaze me as they moved and changed and left family and friends to prosper and live and support their 10 children they would eventually have. Surely together they had a very strong work ethic, teaching their children the same....

because.....

William and Mary Morris moved by wagon, with their 5 children, to Alabama and settled in Monroe County near Burnt Corn.

By 1830 they were well established on their Alabama plantation. William's cash crops were corn and cotton.

Below are more maps to give an idea of how the government was shaping Alabama and the boundaries were changing rapidly each decade.

Alabama in 1810

Alabama in 1820

Alabama in 1830

The story we're told says "they moved to the fertile lands of Alabama - because the government was beginning to open this land up to settlers". It involved the tragedy of the Indians and their Trail of Tears. That's a whole other story.

Another fact, if you don't know - Alabama was admitted as the 22nd state on December 14, 1819.

William and Mary had 10 children. 5 boys and 5 girls. Their youngest child was born in Monroe County in 1826.

Thomas, Malinda, Mary(Polly), Elizabeth(Betsey), Enoch, Nancy, William, James, Martha, and Robert.

In the winter of 1938 William Morris died. His youngest child was 12. Enoch Lafayette Morris was 29. If they began to have children right after they were married, and - don't we assume they did? - then their oldest child could have been 37. That would have been Thomas who was married and living on a nearby farm with his family.

Now read these known facts thoughtfully - and know that as you sit in your chair - your ancestors lived out their daily lives in such a manner - and you are where you are - and if you trust Christ - then you know His hand is in our lives and orchestrating events - He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we are dust - but in his Love and Sovereign Grace - he breathes life into us as we respond to His gift of redemption. And never doubt that your daily tasks matter in the scheme of things. You're being shaped and molded yourself, as you teach your children, as you encourage those around you, as you look to your creator God to make you into His image - to advance His kingdom - your trials matter - your successes matter - they are in His hands - If you are His.

Now read the rest of the story regarding Mary.....and consider the strength God had instilled in her.

In the will of William Morris, he named his wife, Mary, as sole recipient of his plantation home and more than 160 acres of his farmland. The remaining parts of his lands would be sold and the money divided among his ten children.

For the remainder of Mary's life, she lived in their plantation home and farmed her land. Her two youngest sons, James and Robert lived with her and helped with the farm work. Robert continued to live on the plantation and oversee the farm work, after he married.

I will call this post Chapter 1.

I have to do my own tasks for the day, but am eager to tell the rest of the story. A new post will follow shortly.

Let me also say this -

William and Mary Morris were my Great Great Great Grandparents. I just learned about them last week.