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My Family Background |
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Morris-Kull-Hepner-Edwards-Lung-Long-Otto. |
My father's grandfather and his wife were from Wales. My grandfather, a son of a miner, was born in a coal mining "patch" called "Wade" (Wadesville), outside Saint Clair, PA. He went on to be a basketball pioneer in the late 1800's-early 1900's. He also worked for a coal company, not as a miner but as a railroad engineer. His son, my father, carried on the tradition of working for the coal company after graduating from High School and Business school, he became the payroll clerk for the coal company. When the colliery closed in 1957 he started working for Quirin Machine Shop and Leed Foundry, the former Quirin Brothers Brass Factory.
William George Morris - Welsh miner According to my brother after he was injured in a mine accident he was brought home, placed on the kitchen floor and left to mend at home. He had a broken back. He was never able to return to the mines. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. My sister told me he then worked for the Borough of St. Clair doing clerical work. |
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Wm. Morris-Basketball player-Engineer and wife Elizabeth Edwards Morris William John Morris and Elizabeth Edwards Morris, both Welsh, 1st generation Americans Picture probably taken when they were engaged or just married. (circa 1903) |
My mother's great-grandfather was originally a Lutheran Minister from Germany, but turned Baptist after immigrating to Canada. He married in Ontario, Canada, where my mother's grandmother was born. From there they family traveled to the South Dakota area, where the family stayed--except my mother's grandmother. She married John Kull, another German whose family migrated to Canada and then to MN, in Le Suer, MN who took her east to Saint Clair, PA. The promise of jobs in the coal mines or family? My mother's father was a laborer for the same coal company my father's father and father worked for. My Grandfather Kull's family owned a local tavern in town but my Grandfather chose not to take over the family business.
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Herman Edwards Morris and Edith Kull - My Parents. Picture taken in 1936 at Camp Strauss, when they were just engaged. |
At the time of my parents marriage in 1937, marring a Welsh or German man was an honor. "Heaven forbid" was what my Mom said when any German or Welsh descendent married an Irishman in the early 1900's. My mother's younger sister did marry an Irishman named Joseph Brady. People still remembered the Molly Maquires back when my mother was young. As a matter of fact, with so much being explored these days, the Mollies will never be forgotten. Search Amazon.com for books and movies about the Molly Maquires.
Mary Ann Lung Kull was born in Ontario, Canada. She traveled with her German parents to the Dakota territory and married John Kull (also German) from LeSuer, MN. They then moved east to Saint Clair. Their son, George, was my grandfather. |
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George Albert Kull married Lucy Hepner Kull whose parents were German. Lucy's grandmother was Sara Otto Long, said to be descended from German royalty. Lucy and George had 7 children, 2 of whom died as infants. My mother and uncle Norman always said that Quincy star, Jack Klugman, looks like their father. Pictured here is George Kull with his first grandchild, David Morris. George Kull was a laborer for the St. Clair Coal Company. |
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Lucy Hepner Kull, Edith Kull Morris, George Kull, Herman E. Morris and the children are Elizabeth M. Morris and David R. Morris |
My Brother David with his dog "Sandy" back in the early 1940's. My brother graduated from St Clair HS in 1956 |
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During the early
part of the 20th century photographers would travel around the community with their horse
to take pictures of the children of the family. From left to right, my mother, Edith A. Kull, baby Donald Kull, Marie Kull, Norman Kull and Doris Kull. |
| Picture from around 1912-13 of my Father, Herman Edwards Morris, who was around 2 or 3 years old with his big sister, Margaret Morris. |  |
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This is me at my office - by Dawn Computer Center |
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This is my house. I live on a hillside between Diener's Hill & Mill Creek Manor. The doggie is my youngest "kid" Kayla, who is a Tri-Colored Collie. |
Click for larger picture
Click for larger picture
