Alvin Morley

As printed in 1906

ALVIN MORLEY, living on section 2, Wesaw township, was born in Lake township, this county, on the 22d of March, 1850. His parents were Ebenezer P. and Alzina (Lansing) Morley, both of whom were natives of New York and in 1847 they became residents of Lake township, Berrien county, casting in their lot wath the early settlers who aided in reclaiming this region for the purposes of civilization. In the family were ten children, of whom the subject of this review was the fifth in order of birth.

Alvin Morley resided upon the old homestead farm of his father in Lake township until 1866, when the parents removed to New Troy. He completed his education in the high school of New Troy and in a select school at New Carlisle, Indiana, where he remained as a student for two years. He then began teaching in the winter seasons and worked on the farm in the summer months and thus he made his start in the business world. In 1877 he went to the Black Hills and the Big Horn country of the northwest, spending three years in that section of the country engaged in prospecting most of the time. He then returned to Michigan and purchased the old homestead in Lake township, since which time he has owned and operated this farm. It comprises one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 35 and he resided there for ten years, when in 1889 he purchased his present home place. Here he has seventy-three acres of land which is just across the road from his other tract, on section 2, Wesaw township. It is called the Fairview Farm and is well named. Stock raising is the principal feature of the farm work and the place is well improved, having many fine buildings upon it together with the latest improved machinery and other evidences of the progressive and enterprising spirit of the owner. Mr. Morley devotes his entire time and attention to the further cultivation and improvement of these two farms and is justly accounted one of the leading agriculturists of his part of the county.

Mr. Morley has been married twice. In 1882 he wedded Miss Emma J. Harper, a native of Crown Point, Indiana, and a daughter of B. D. Harper, a printer and newspaper man, now deceased. There were three children by the first marriage: Etha O., now the wife of Henry Wolkins, of Wesaw township; Winifred C, a stenographer of Elkhart, Indiana; and Bernice L, who resides at home and attends school. In 1892 Mr. Morley was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Ella M. Phillips Riley, a native of New York, by whom he had one son. Homer P. Mr. Morley lost his second wife on the 4th of October, 1905, as the result of burns which she sustained on the 4th of July previous.

In his religious faith Mr. Morley is a Spiritualist. Politically he is a Democrat and was elected the first superintendent of schools of Wesaw township when the law was changed and the township system inaugurated. He has held various official positions in connection with the schools and has done much to advance the cause of education. He collected the interest on the first railroad bond of Lake township and has al- ' ways taken an active part in furthering the work of public progress and improvement. He has been a devoted member of the Odd Fellows society since 1873, belonging to the lodge at Glendora, and he also belongs to Wesaw lodge, K. O. T. M. He was master and secretary of the Grange for a number of years and his interest covers many public works and plans that are of direct benefit to the entire community. He and the other members of the Morley family are successful agriculturists and have thoroughly modern farms equipped with all of the improvements known to the twentieth century.

As printed in A twentieth century history of Berrien County, Michigan (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.