Leslie Odos Morris1,2,3,4

Family Chart
ID# 9014, (1896 - 1951)
FatherWilliam A. Morris5,6,1 (10 Jan 1868 - 14 Oct 1939)
MotherMargaret Jennie Reigle7,8,1 (Nov 1871 - 9 May 1923)

Key Events:

Birth: Dec 1896, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania9,10,11,12
Marriage: 1 Feb 1916, Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa, Maude McNatt (Apr 1899 - 18 Oct 1918)13,14,15
Marriage: 13 Oct 1919, Paxtang, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania, Verna Mae Elliott (Mar 1896 - 1980)16,17,18
Marriage: about 1926, Olive Mae Holloway (Nov 1888 - 4 Mar 1959)19,20
Divorce: between 1935 and 1940, Olive Mae Holloway (Nov 1888 - 4 Mar 1959)21
Death: 26 Oct 1951, Elmira, New York22,23
Divorce Filing: Jul 1962, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, Verna Mae Elliott (Mar 1896 - 1980)24,25
ChartsDescendants of Jacob K. and Christiana Ohl Riegel
AncestryThe Reigel Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     
Lester & Maude McNatt Morris
courtesy Larry McWilliams
Leslie Odos Morris was born in Dec 1896 in Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.9,10,11,12 He was known to family as Lester, and used that name in some official records.26,4,27
     He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Trucksville, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, in the household of his parents, William A. Morris and Margaret Jennie Reigle.5 He appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Luzerne, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, in the household of his parents.6
     He moved to Iowa about 1911 with his parents.28,29,30,31,32 He appeared on the 1915 State Census of Shenandoah, Page Co., Iowa, apparently in the household of his parents.33,34,3,35,36
     Leslie married first Maude McNatt, daughter of Charles Lafett McNatt and Elizabeth Jane Spurlock, on 1 Feb 1916 in Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa.13,14,15
     His wife died on 18 Oct 1918 in St. Joseph, Buchanan Co., Missouri.37,38,39
     Leslie apparently moved to Ohio with his parents, but remained there when they returned to Iowa. At the time of his second marriage he was living in Gallion, which is in Crawford Co.1
     Leslie married second Verna Mae Elliott, daughter of Thomas W. Elliott and Ida S. Miller, on 13 Oct 1919 in Paxtang, Dauphin Co., Pennsylvania, with Rev. Harry B. King officiating.16,17,18
Lester & Verna Elliott Morris
courtesy Larry McWilliams

     Leslie and Verna settled in Ohio after their marriage. They appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Madison Twp., Richland Co., Ohio, on Lucas Rd., enumerated 6 Jan 1920, reporting that they were renting their home. Also listed as living with them as boarders were seven farm laborers, ranging in age from 16 to 48.40
     Leslie and Verna moved back to Pennsylvania about 1924.41
     Leslie married third Olive Mae Holloway, daughter of George W. Holloway and Rachel Rebecca Warman, about 1926, apparently. While no marriage record has been found, they held themselves as married, but it appears he had not divorced is prior wife. She had previously been married to Worthington M. Sutton.19,20
     Leslie and Olive appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Plymouth, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, at 51 Girard Ave., enumerated 11 Apr 1930, reporting that they were renting their home, for $21 per month, and did not own a radio. Her children George, William and Edna were listed as living with them.4
     He was doing day work by age 18, and reported in 1915 that he had earned $310 the prior year. By 1920 he was a farm laborer. By 1930 he was a laborer in a coal mine.3,42,43,44
     Leslie and Olive moved to Elmira, New York, by 1933.45 He seems to have stayed in Elmira, as that is where he died, but no other record of him there has been found.
     Leslie and Olive were divorced between 1935 and 1940.21
     He has not been found on either the 1940 or 1950 census.
     Leslie died on 26 Oct 1951 in Elmira, New York, at age 54.22,23
     Verna filed for divorce from Leslie in Jul 1962 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, claiming desertion. The suit claimed he was living in Harrisburg. While he had held himself to be married to another woman in the 1930 census, it seems they had not been divorced.24,25 On 8 Feb 1963 the master assigned to review the suit reported he was recommending the divorce be granted, presumably because Leslie did not respond to summons. He announced he would file his findings with the court after ten days. No record of the court's action has been found.46

Children:
     Child with Maude McNatt:

Children:
     Children with Verna Mae Elliott:

  • Dorothy M. Morris50 (31 Aug 1920 - 1 Apr 1924)
  • Mae Theodora Morris51,52,53 (3 May 1922 - 18 Feb 2004)
  • Jane Louise Morris51,52 (5 Nov 1923 - 14 Oct 2010)

Children:
     Children with Olive Mae Holloway

Lester and Olive's other child is believed to still be living.
  • Robert Allen Morris54 (17 Dec 1928 - 1 Jan 1929)

Citations

  1. [S5272] Leslie Odos Morris and Verna May Elliott, Application for Marriage License, Dauphin County.
  2. [S5031] William Morris household, 1900 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows name as Leslie Morris.
  3. [S5042] Leslie O. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1.
  4. [S5268] Lester Morris household, 1930 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.
  5. [S5031] William Morris household, 1900 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.
  6. [S5032] William A. Morris household, 1910 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania.
  7. [S5031] William Morris household, 1900 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows him as the son of her husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  8. [S5032] William A. Morris household, 1910 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows him as the son of her husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  9. [S5031] William Morris household, 1900 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows month, year, age 3, and state.
  10. [S5032] William A. Morris household, 1910 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows age 14 and state.
  11. [S5272] Leslie Odos Morris and Verna May Elliott, Application for Marriage License, Dauphin County, shows age 22 at marriage 13 Oct 1919, county, as Luzerne, and state.
  12. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Leslie O Morris, Soc. Sec. No. 127-05-2278, shows year, as 1897, county, as Wyoming, and state.
  13. [S4746] "County Marriages, 1838-1934," FamilySearch.org, Leslie O Morris and Maude Mcnatt, citing FHL # 1533636, shows date, county, and state.
  14. [S4751] O'Dell, Abstracted Newspaper Index of Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri, marriage extract for McNatt, Maude (or Morris) & Leslie Seibert (or Morris), citing Shenandoah Sentinel Post, 4 Feb 1916 and 9 Feb 1916, shows town.
  15. [S5420] Maude Morris, Certificate of Death, shows her as married.
  16. [S5272] Leslie Odos Morris and Verna May Elliott, Application for Marriage License, Dauphin County, shows date, town, state, and officiant.
  17. [S5267] Leslie Morris household, 1920 U.S. Census, Richland Co., Ohio, shows married.
  18. [S12457] "Divorce suit," The Evening Sentinel, 6 Jul 1962, shows date and city.
  19. [S5268] Lester Morris household, 1930 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows married, with his first marriage at age 29 and hers at 38.
  20. [S693] McWilliams, "Descendants of Jacob Reigle", shows c. 1926.
  21. [S5418] Peter Corcoran household, 1940 U.S. Census, Wyoming Co., Pennsylvania, shows her as divorced, and a 5-year-old daughter apparently his.
  22. [S693] McWilliams, "Descendants of Jacob Reigle", shows month and year, as Nov 1951, town and state. Information taken from McWilliams family Bible owned by Maggie Reigle Morris and given to her daughter Margaret, according to email "Re: Maude McNatt Morris" 2 Feb 2015 Larry McWilliams to author.
  23. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Leslie O Morris, Soc. Sec. No. 127-05-2278, shows date, as 26 Oct 1951.
  24. [S12457] "Divorce suit," The Evening Sentinel, 6 Jul 1962.
  25. [S5268] Lester Morris household, 1930 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows married, with Lester's first marriage at age 29 and third wife's at 38, placing the marriage at about 1926.
  26. [S5419] McWilliams, "Re: Margaret J. & William A. Morris," e-mail to author, 11 Jan 2015, shows writer's mother, niece of Leslie, referred to him as Lester.
  27. [S5439] Odus L. Morris, Birth Certificate and Affidavit, shows name as Lester Morris.
  28. [S5040] William A. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1, shows he had lived in Iowa 4 years.
  29. [S5041] Margaret J. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1, shows she had lived in Iowa 4 years.
  30. [S5042] Leslie O. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1, shows he had lived in Iowa 4 years.
  31. [S5043] Francis A. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1, shows she had lived in Iowa 4 years.
  32. [S5044] Margaret H. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1, shows she had lived in Iowa 2 months.
  33. [S5040] William A. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1.
  34. [S5041] Margaret J. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1.
  35. [S5043] Francis A. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1.
  36. [S5044] Margaret H. Morris card, 1915 Iowa State Census, Page Co., Iowa, Shenandoah ward 1.
  37. [S5420] Maude Morris, Certificate of Death.
  38. [S4751] O'Dell, Abstracted Newspaper Index of Southwest Iowa and Northwest Missouri, death extract for Maud McNatt, citing Shenandoah World 24 Oct 1918, shows city as StJo.
  39. [S5272] Leslie Odos Morris and Verna May Elliott, Application for Marriage License, Dauphin County, shows date.
  40. [S5267] Leslie Morris household, 1920 U.S. Census, Richland Co., Ohio.
  41. [S5442] Verna M. Morris household, 1930 U.S. Census, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, shows daughter Jane, age 6, as born in Pennsylvania.
  42. [S5272] Leslie Odos Morris and Verna May Elliott, Application for Marriage License, Dauphin County, shows occupation as farmer.
  43. [S5267] Leslie Morris household, 1920 U.S. Census, Richland Co., Ohio, shows occupation as laborer, industry as farm.
  44. [S5268] Lester Morris household, 1930 U.S. Census, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, shows occupation as laborer, industry as coal mine.
  45. [S5414] Worthington Sutton and Margaret May Deacle, Application for Marriage License, shows her living in Elmira, New York.
  46. [S12458] "Notice of Filing of Master's Report," The Evening Sentinel, 8 Feb 1963.
  47. [S5439] Odus L. Morris, Birth Certificate and Affidavit.
  48. [S5423] Charles L. McNatt household, 1920 U.S. Census, Adair Co., Oklahoma, shows the boy as grandson of Leslie's father-in-law, with surname Morris.
  49. [S5424] Charley L. McNatt household, 1930 U.S. Census, Adair Co., Oklahoma, shows the boy as grandson of his late wife's father and surname Morris.
  50. [S12454] Dorothy M. Morris, Certificate of Death.
  51. [S5442] Verna M. Morris household, 1930 U.S. Census, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, shows her as the daughter of his ex-wife, with surname Morris.
  52. [S5443] Verna M. Morris household, 1940 U.S. Census, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, shows her as the daughter of his ex-wife, with surname Morris.
  53. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Mae Theodora Morris, Soc. Sec. No. 204-03-6957.
  54. [S12452] Robt Allen Morris, Certificate of Death.