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Subject: [IAHENRY] Henry Co. Bio-Daniel Morley
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 12:42:53 EST

>From "Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Iowa" Chicago: Acme
Publishing Company, 1888.

Page 523-524:

DANIEL MORLEY, residing on section 20, Scott Township, Henry Co., Iowa, is
one of the pioneer settlers of the county. Where now stand cities and villages,
and where are fine farms upon which are elegant residences, then as far as
eye could see stretched a vast prairie. In 1839 there was an abundance of wild
game, and even deer were plentiful, but now the progress of civilization has
changed all this, and Henry County ranks among the first of the State. At the
time when Daniel Morley took up his residence in this county he was but
fourteen years old. His birthplace was Washington County, Pa., the date of his
birth being May 12, 1825. His father, John Morley, was of English descent though
born in Maryland, and his mother, Grace (Smith) Morley, was born in
Pennsylvania of Dutch and English ancestry. The whole life of John Morley was spent as
a tiller of the soil. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
received his Master's summons to the heavenly home Sept. 20, 1885, when
eighty-six years of age. The mother was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and died in October, 1877. They reared a family of six children:
Joseph, born in December, 1820, died in Wayne County, Iowa, in January, 1887;
Sarah, wife of George W. Brummit, a shoemaker of Rooks County, Kan.; next our
subject; then Rhoda B., widow of John E. Linn, of New London, Iowa; Eliza D., wife
of L.R. Chandler, of Center Township, and Mary F., who married Samuel Clough,
of Union, Iowa.

Daniel Morley, with his parents, went to Wayne County, Ohio, where they lived
until the fall of 1839. They started for Henry County in that year, stopping
through the winter near Ft. Wayne, Ind., and the next spring completed the
journey in a wagon. They settled three miles southeast of Mt. Pleasant, where
John Morley bought a farm, upon which he resided until he made his home with
his son Daniel. Until twenty-eight years of age Daniel Morley made his home
with his parents, working at various occupations. He engaged in breaking prairie
for eleven years with an ox-team, using from five to eight oxen. The first
piece of land he owned was 160 acres in extent, situated on section 23 of Scott
Township. This he improved, residing there from 1852 until 1858, when he
sold and purchased eighty acres on section 20. This was but raw land upon which
was a rude cabin, but he made many improvements, and added to the original
purchase until he has a fine farm of 170 acres. On the land an elegant country
residence has been erected at a cost of $1,600, and also a tenant house worth
$500.

In June, 1853, the marriage of Daniel Morley and Sarah I. Myers, a native of
Virginia, was celebrated. She is a daughter of John and Sarah (Rogers) Myers,
the father born in Pennsylvania, of Dutch descent, and the mother, a native
of Greenbrier County, Va., born of Irish parentage. Mr. and Mrs. Morley have
been the parents of three children: Eliza A., wife of William McGlade, and by
their union five children were born; Sarah, wife of Alonzo Eddingfield, a
farmer of this township, became the mother of two children; and John M., who has
charge of the home farm, married Alice Snelson, and one child was born to them.
An adopted daughter, Phoebe F. Morgan, their niece, still resides at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Morley are members of the Presbyterian Church at Winfield, as is
their eldest daughter. He has held the office of Constable of the township
for two years, and in politics holds liberal views. Mr. Morley is one of those
men who have made their own way in the world since boyhood. His father was a
poor man, and no financial assistance was received from him. What education
he obtained he paid for himself. By hard work, good management and habits of
industry, he has reared and educated his family, cared for his aged parents,
and accumulated a competency for himself. He is a man well known and
universally respected by the people of Scott Township and Henry County, and well
deserves this mention in his county's history.

END
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pat Ryan White
Camarillo, CA

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