M Biographies

If you have other historical biographies you would like to contribute that are about former Lawrence County residents please E-mail me and I will get them on the site or you can post them to Ancestry.com's Lawrence County Message Board.

Messick, Michael N.

Michael N. Messick one of the oldest businessmen of Bedford, was born March 6, 1830, in Orleans, Orange Co., Ind., one of six children born to Michael N. and Laurinda (Ramsey) Messick who were among the earliest settlers of Orange County, Ind, from Kentucky. M. N. Messick,, Jr., came to Bedford in 1838 with his mother who was a widow with six children. He received a common school education in the schools of that early day, and at the age of 12 years began to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Bedford Sun, which he followed for three years, and at the end of this time began work on the Louisville Democrat. From there he went to Paoli, Orange County, where he learned the cabinet trade and remained three years; then located at Point Commerce in Greene County where he did a general furniture trade for eighteen months, and then returned to Paoli on May 18 [difficult to read], 1852. He was married to Sarah J. Johnson, and by her is the father of five children, only two now living: Elizabeth C. and Carrie V. Webb. In 1852, Mr. Messick began working at his trade in Bedford, then clerked for a time, and in December 1856, in partnership with William Duncan and Dr. J. W. Newland, embarked in the hardware trade. From 1856 to December 1873 he was actively engaged in this business in Bedford with different partners, but since that time he has been alone and is now the leading merchant of hardware in that place. He is one of the self-made men of the place beginning life poor, and by diligence and industry acquiring a comfortable income. April 24, 1867, his wife died and for a second wife he married Mrs. Sarah J. (Davis) Simpson on the 2nd of June 1868. To this union have been born four children named: Sally, Laurinda, Mary and Michael H. Mr. Messick was president of the first Board of Trustees of Bedford; is a Republican, a member of the F. & A. M. and he and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

(Weston A. Goodspeed and Others, History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington County, Indiana (Goodspeed Bros. & Co., Publishers, 1884), p. 262.)

Morris, James Edward

Marion Township, Lawrence County, Indiana James Edward MORRIS1,2,3 was born in 1833/34 in Maryland.4,5 He resided at the home of his employer, Milton B. Field in 1860 in Jennings Township, Scott Co., Indiana.6 He had no real estate and his personal estate was worth $60. He was a mill engineer for a sawmill in 1860 in Jennings Township, Scott Co., Indiana.7

He served in the military from 1862 to 1865 in the Union Army.8 He was in the 12th Battery of the Indiana Light Artillery. The 12th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery was organized at Jeffersonville and Indianapolis and mustered in January 25, 1862. Left State for Louisville, Kentucky, January 25, 1862. Served unattached, Army of the Ohio, to June, 1862. Reserve Artillery, Army of the Ohio, to September, 1862. Post and Defences of Nashville, Tennessee, Dept. of the Ohio, to November, 1862, and Dept. of the Cumberland to July, 1865. The regiment’s service included: Movement Nashville, Tennessee, February 14-March 6, 1862. thence march to Savannah, Tennessee, March 20-April 7. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Mississippi, April 29-May 30. Buell's Campaign in Northern Alabama and Middle Tennessee June to August. Assigned to duty as garrison at Fort Negley, Defences of Nashville, Tennessee, August 18, 1862, to July, 1865. Siege of Nashville, Tennessee, September 12-November 6, 1862. Repulse of attack on Nashville by Breckenridge, Forest and Morgan November 5, 1862. One half of Battery ordered to Chattanooga November, 1863, and participated in the battles of Chattanooga November 23-25, 1863. Battle of Nashville December 15-16, 1864. Non-Veterans werer mustered out December 23, 1864. The battery mustered out July 7, 1865.

He resided at his home in 1880 in Mitchell, Lawrence Co., Indiana.9 Martha Moffitt, age 52, a widow and born in Indiana of parents born in Ohio and Pennsylvania, lived with the family. He was an engineer in 1880 in Mitchell, Lawrence Co., Indiana.10 He died about 1900 in __________?. He was married to Matilda Ann WILSON (daughter of Robert WILSON and Jane PERRY) on November 8, 1860 in Scott Co., Indiana.11,1,2,12 One source indicates that she was married in 1862 in Jennings, Decatur Co., Kansas. Matilda Ann WILSON13,14,15,16 was born on April 20, 1840 in Austin, Scott Co., Indiana.11,1,17 She was born in Jennings Township. She resided at the farm of her father in 1850 in Jennings Township, Scott Co., Indiana.18 Her given name is recorded as Melinda. The 1850 census indicates that she did not attend school at that time. She was 10 years old then. She resided at home of her brother James H. Wilson in 1860 in Scott Co., Indiana.19,20 She resided at the home of her husband in 1880 in Mitchell, Lawrence Co., Indiana.21 She died on August 5, 1907 in __________?. She was also known as Melinda.22 James Edward MORRIS and Matilda Ann WILSON had the following children: i. Laura MORRIS23 was born in 1873/74 in Indiana.24 She died about 1950 in __________?.

  1. George Wallace Wilson II, 8541 East Solar Place, Tucson, AZ 85750-9745. Letter George Wallace Wilson II to Robert Gordon Wilson dated 29 April 97 which included a GEDCOM of Robert Wilson of Kentucky. Unpublished, 1997.
  2. P. O. Box 62, Nabb, Indiana, 47147-0062. Letter Stephanie J. Carlisle Miller to Robert Gordon Wilson dated 29 Jul 1997 which included Some Descendents of Jesse Wilson by Sue Henry, Marriage Licenses, Probate for Jesse Wilson, Carr Family Bible. unpublished, 1997.
  3. National Archives. Federal Census 1880 Indiana. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  4. Federal Census 1860 Indiana. Scott County, Reel # M653-294, Page 1055, Line 4.
  5. National Archives. Federal Census 1880 Indiana. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  6. Federal Census 1860 Indiana. Scott County, Reel # M653-294, Page 1055, Line 4.
  7. Ibid. Scott County, Reel # M653-294, Page 1055, Line 4.
  8. Internet www.itd.nps.gov. /cwss/, National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System.
  9. National Archives. Federal Census 1880 Indiana. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  10. Ibid. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  11. Dorothy Briscoe. Letter from Dorothy Briscoe to Robert Gordon Wilson dated 01/27/96 which includes "Wilson Family History" sheets. Letter includes a marked up decendents chart. Unpublished, 1996.
  12. Scott County Marriage Records, Book 2. Page 85.
  13. Letter George W. Wilson to Willa Mae Heisler dated 26 March 1996. Based on the 1860 Federal Census.
  14. Family Group Sheet by Margaret Gordon Wilson. "Robert Wilson".
  15. National Archives. Federal Census 1880 Indiana. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  16. Federal Census 1850 Indiana. Scott County, Reel #1254309, Page 394.
  17. Family Group Sheet by Margaret Gordon Wilson. "Robert Wilson".
  18. Federal Census 1850 Indiana. Reel 1254309, Page 394.
  19. Letter George W. Wilson to Willa Mae Heisler dated 26 March 1996. Based on the 1860 Federal Census.
  20. Federal Census 1860 Indiana. "James H. Wilson", Scott County, Jennings Township, Reel No. M653-294, Page 1089.
  21. National Archives. Federal Census 1880 Indiana. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  22. Federal Census 1850 Indiana. Scott County, Reel #1254309, Page 392.
  23. National Archives. Federal Census 1880 Indiana. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.
  24. Ibid. Lawrence County, Film #T9-0292, Page 415C.

(Submitted by Robert Gordon Wilson)

Morris, Raymond

Raymond of Mitchell, Lawrence County, Ind. Republican. Alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from Indiana, 1948

Murray, Henry S.

Henry of Bedford, Lawrence County, Ind. Democrat. Alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 1932; mayor of Bedford, Ind., 1937.