Ebenezer P. Morley

As printed in 1906

EBENEZER P. MORLEY. The name Morley has been a prominent one in Berrien county for more than sixty years, and it is as a pioneer record that the biography of the above named is preserved in this work by Mrs. Maria A. Jones, of Galien, a daughter of Mr. Morley and herself one of the esteemed residents of that part of the county.

Ebenezer P. Morley was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 18 14, and was reared and gained his schooling in Onondaga county, New York, where he met and married Alzina Lansing. She was born in Onondaga county July 24, 1822, and their marriage was celebrated August 8, 1840. They lived for a time in Susquehanna county and again in Onondaga county, and in 1845 joined the great movement of settlers to the lands of southern Michigan. Crossing Lake Erie by sail boat and completing the journey along one of the great highways by wagon, they located in Lake township, Berrien county, and there entered eighty acres of land in section thirty-five. The first tree filled on that land was cut by Mr. Morley. Here he lived a number of years, until his first wife died in 1862, and in 1864 he married Mrs. Isabel Russell, of Burlington, Iowa, and in 1866 moved to New Troy, in Wesaw township, where he lived until his death October 2y 1882. He was a farmer and surveyor, and in the latter capacity did much work in Berrien county. He served as supervisor from Lake and Wesaw townships, being in that office altogether for twelve years, and was a justice of the peace many years. He was a stanch Democrat and in religion a Spiritualist.

By his first marriage Mr. Morley was the father of ten children, of whom Mrs. Maria A. Jones was the first. The others were: Harriet A. Wilhams, of Ohio; and Helen N. Adams, of Wesaw township, being twins and natives of Onondaga county, New York; Charles E., of Wesaw township; Alvin, of WiCsaw; Henrietta Spaulding, of Kansas; Horace L., of Wesaw; Mary Henderson and Adelaide A., deceased; and Stephen Douglas, of Ohio. The two children of Mr. Morley's second marriage were Eliza J. Kelly, of Wesaw township, and Edgar Poe, of Nebraska.

Maria A. Morley was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1843, spent a short part of her childhood in New York, and in 1845 came to Berrien county, which has been her home for sixty years. By her first marriage on November 6, 1864, she became the wife of Gottlieb Hagley, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, December 1, 1839, and came to Michigan with his parents when twelve years old. He died February 11, 1889, the father of six children, namely: Alice L., wife of John F. Painter, of Wesaw township; Nellie M. wife of Stephen A. Norris, of Michigan City, Indiana; Alma B., wife of Edwin A. Brodbeck, of Wesaw township; Warren A., on the Hagley farm in Wesaw township; Elda E., wife of Clarence Reubarger, of Niles; and Festus G., who died at the age of nine months.

Mrs. Hagley married, March 16, 1892, William J. Jones, who died near Berrieu Springs June 30, 1896. He was born in Portage county, Ohio, March 12, 1839, and was a school teacher and farmer, having the unusual record of having taught forty-three terms of schools. His four sons by a previous marriage all live in Chicago. There was no issue by the second marriage.

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.