Richard Morrison Sr.
| Richard Morrison Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tennessee |
| Died | Wooster Community Hospital |
Resting place | Wooster Cemetary |
| Residence | Wooster, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | American |
| Occupation | Barber |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Morrison, Sallie Morrison |
| Children | Richard L. Morrison, Charles H. Morrison, Joseph Morrison |
Spelling Variations
no spelling variations found.
Surnames
Given Names or Nicknames
Biographical Sketches
Richard Morrison Sr. was the first documented African-American who settled in Wooster with his family in 1880.[1] He is also one of the most prominent black business owners in Wooster who opened his own barber shop in 1885. [2]
Background
Richard Morrison was born as a slave in a Tennessee Plantation in around 1857 (some say it was a Virginia Plantation). [3] When he was only 9 months old, his family lost contact with his father as he was sold to another owner. He and his mother were freed shortly after the declaration of emancipation. He came to the Wooster area in the 1880s with his family. The first job he took upon arrival was farming in a land south off Wooster, which he did for about 2 years. [4] After that, he changed gears quite a bit as he worked for the D.C. Curry Lumber Company [5], a local bank in Wooster and as a servant for Jacob Frick. Finally, he settled down working as a barber as he opened his own barbershop in downtown Wooster, at East Liberty street. [6]
Life in Wooster
While working here in Wooster, he met his first wife Sarah Morrison. Unfortunately, their marriage did not last long as Mrs. Morrison passed away in 1895. She was admitted into the Charity Hospital in Cleveland where doctors performed an operation on her to remove 17 fibroid tumors.[7] But the complications from that resulted in her death shortly after the operation. Morrison met his 2nd wife Sallie and got married in 1896.
Morrison's barber shop was very well known in the Wooster community as two generations worked in there as barbers, Morrison and his son, Richard L. Morrison (Morrison Jr.). Not only was he renowned as a barber, but he was also a respected black member of the Wooster community. He was one of the founding trustees of the 2nd Baptist Church, along with Henry Follis and Samuel Johnson. He also served as the church's superintendent and deacon for 24 years. He adopted two sons and gave employment to many black people, such as Peter Woods (Laura (Follis) Jackson's father). He was well respected and many news articles have been written about him and his family, such as a 1926 Wooster Daily Record article presents his opinion on the annexation of Bloomington, along with other white citizens of the community. Nevertheless, he could not escape the clutches of the inevitable racism present in Wooster as many of these articles used derogatory tones and the terms "colored", "negro" for them, just as any other black family. We also learn from the interview of Laura (Follis) Jackson that black people could only get their hair cut in the evenings, after the barbers were done with the white customers.
Family
- Spouse
- Sarah Morrison (Oct 1856- May 9th 1895)
- Sallie Morrison (1858-?)
- Children
- Joseph Morrison (Jul 1889-?)
- Richard L. Morrison (1900-?)
- Charles H. Morrison (1901- Sep 3rd 1958)
Vital Records
Birth
1859, Tennessee
Marriage
Sarah Morrison (?-1895)
Sallie Morrison (1896-?)
Death
1936
Burial
Wooster Cemetery
Census Records
1900 US Census for Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio [8]
- Richard Morrison Sr., 42, TN, Barber
- Sarah Morrison, 43, VA, married for 4 years
- Joseph Morrison ,10, OH, at school
- Richard L. Morrison, 1, OH
1910 US Census for Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio [9]
- Richard Morrison Sr., 51, TN, Barber
- Sallie Morrison, 52, VA, married for 13 years
- Richard L. Morrison, 10, OH, at school
- Charles H. Morrison, 9, OH, at school
- Julius Johnson, 20, OH, waiter
1920 US Census for Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio [10]
- Richard Morrison Sr., 57, TN, Barber
- Sallie Morrison, 56, VA,
- Richard L. Morrison, 20, OH, Barber
- Charles H. Morrison, 19, OH, Barber
- Evert Pringle, 20, OH, Barber
1930 US Census for Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio
- Richard Morrison Sr., 71, TN, Barber
- Sallie Morrison, 71, VA
Places of Residence
- Tennessee/ Virginia (in a plantation)
- Wooster, Ohio
Immigration and Naturalization Records
not applicable.
Court Records
unknown
Tax Records
unknown
Land Records
- House on Leroy Street
- Barber shop on East Liberty
Denomination Affiliations
Military
none
Occupations
- Farmer, southwest of Wooster
- Employee at D.C. Curry
- Janitor at a local bank
- Servant working for Jacob Frick
- Barber
- Employer
Community Involvement
One of the founding trustees of the 2nd Baptist Church, along with Henry Follis and Samuel Johnson.
Education
- unknown
Awards and Recognition
- unknown
Notes
N/A
References
- ↑ Some say the first documented black family was the Glasglow family.
- ↑ The Daily Record, Oct 5 2007.
- ↑ Wooster Daily Record, Jun 26 1929.
- ↑ Wooster Daily Record, Mar 9 1926.
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/CurryLumber1853/
- ↑ Wooster Daily Record, Mar 9 1926.
- ↑ Wooster Daily Republican, May 10 1895.
- ↑ https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/41801419:7602
- ↑ https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/192057800:7884
- ↑ https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/88043755:6061