I don't know you from Adam (or Adams for that matter), but to me you're Old Bob Morris' (I hope you're a golf fan) true descendant.
Fun fact: Madison, WI, where I live, named it's original streets after the signers of the Constitution. Somehow, two signers were left out, but not Robert Morris. Unfortunately, Morris Street was renamed Main Street in 1856, which sucks and for which I apologize.
Have cousin Martha look into descendance from Old Tom!!
Yes, Old Tom Morris! There’s a gin named after him too so I’ll claim him as a relative. Just took up golf last month — at age 76 — because my grandsons are wild about it and I can shoot at their level. I’ll count on you to start the movement to rename Main Street. Thanks for dropping by Bob’s Diner…
If Old Robert didn't own slaves, we've got a shot. I'll bet I could find someone named Main who did something that is now frowned on (like asking a bicyclist to not run a pedestrian down or the equivalent; this is Madison after all). I'm on it.
Old Robert probably owned slaves at some point. Because so did his pal, George Washington. But he led the movement to get Pennsylvania to abolish slavery.
Apparently, Old Robert's financial indiscretions that led to him going to debter's prison were the basis for Congress (or, more appropriately, congress) passing the first federal bankruptcy laws, thus preventing our current miscreant-in-chief from being imprisoned 35 years ago, so I think Main Street is going to stick.
My family has some interesting side byways as well.
My grandmother was from Minnesota, where her father was a lumberman, newspaper owner, and state legislator. A friend of hers, who was from Oklahoma, learned her maiden name and told her, "Oh, my grandfather was from Minnesota and his name was Miner, too! Do you suppose we're related?" My grandmother replied, "Oh, I don't think so."
Turned out, my great grandfather had a black sheep cousin who lit out for Oklahoma after being accused of horse thieving. They may have been related after all.
A safe and happy 4th/250th to you and your family. Thank you for that informative column today.
I'm surprised you didn't mention there's a Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania.
I will not rest until every American who's not functionally illiterate learns the difference between it's and its (see paragraph 5). I know that in some cases it's autocorrect but in others ignorance or laziness. Surely you know that "it's" means "it is" and "its" denotes possession. Not to worry, some of my intelligent friends don't know the difference either and use the apostrophe every single time.
Thanks, Howard. I caught the wrong it’s on re-read this morning and corrected but guess it didn’t make it into your version. Thanks for your copy editing vigilance …
One of our family members did some involved research too. We are related to John Hancock and Jimmy Carter. Gotta love those relatives who are interested in gynecology…oops…genealogy.
And you should have told those northern Morrises to get back to their research because they missed a branch.
We have common ground here...just not THAT common.
My Founding Father Who May Or May Not Have Been Related was with that other nation brought forth upon this continent -- the Confederacy.
Actually, Sen. George Vest was on both sides, and made his mark with the Good Old USA.
He is given credit for coining the phrase, "a man's best friend is his dog."
Some of my relatives have hounded genealogy sources for years trying to find some direct link, while I suspect trying at the same time to prove there is no direct link between them and me.
This platform will not allow me to add a picture, but if it did, I could clearly show that I share moustache DNA with the illustrious senator.
No wonder we rebelled. Our guys weren’t exactly chick magnets so they must have had a lot of time on their hands and nowhere to vent their frustrations
Inhis own time Morris was a more controversial figure than Hamilton. They wouldn't have to make stuff up like t hey did in the Hamilton play.
I’ll relay that to Lin-Manuel…
I don't know you from Adam (or Adams for that matter), but to me you're Old Bob Morris' (I hope you're a golf fan) true descendant.
Fun fact: Madison, WI, where I live, named it's original streets after the signers of the Constitution. Somehow, two signers were left out, but not Robert Morris. Unfortunately, Morris Street was renamed Main Street in 1856, which sucks and for which I apologize.
Have cousin Martha look into descendance from Old Tom!!
Yes, Old Tom Morris! There’s a gin named after him too so I’ll claim him as a relative. Just took up golf last month — at age 76 — because my grandsons are wild about it and I can shoot at their level. I’ll count on you to start the movement to rename Main Street. Thanks for dropping by Bob’s Diner…
If Old Robert didn't own slaves, we've got a shot. I'll bet I could find someone named Main who did something that is now frowned on (like asking a bicyclist to not run a pedestrian down or the equivalent; this is Madison after all). I'm on it.
Old Robert probably owned slaves at some point. Because so did his pal, George Washington. But he led the movement to get Pennsylvania to abolish slavery.
Apparently, Old Robert's financial indiscretions that led to him going to debter's prison were the basis for Congress (or, more appropriately, congress) passing the first federal bankruptcy laws, thus preventing our current miscreant-in-chief from being imprisoned 35 years ago, so I think Main Street is going to stick.
My family has some interesting side byways as well.
My grandmother was from Minnesota, where her father was a lumberman, newspaper owner, and state legislator. A friend of hers, who was from Oklahoma, learned her maiden name and told her, "Oh, my grandfather was from Minnesota and his name was Miner, too! Do you suppose we're related?" My grandmother replied, "Oh, I don't think so."
Turned out, my great grandfather had a black sheep cousin who lit out for Oklahoma after being accused of horse thieving. They may have been related after all.
Cool story, Al, thanks for sharing.
Nice story, Bob! I think your cousin got it right!
Why? Is there a resemblance between me and that fat old white guy?
Absolutely (although I actually saw a resemblance between you and the first two dudes you sprung on us).
A safe and happy 4th/250th to you and your family. Thank you for that informative column today.
I'm surprised you didn't mention there's a Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania.
I will not rest until every American who's not functionally illiterate learns the difference between it's and its (see paragraph 5). I know that in some cases it's autocorrect but in others ignorance or laziness. Surely you know that "it's" means "it is" and "its" denotes possession. Not to worry, some of my intelligent friends don't know the difference either and use the apostrophe every single time.
Thanks, Howard. I caught the wrong it’s on re-read this morning and corrected but guess it didn’t make it into your version. Thanks for your copy editing vigilance …
I always suspected your pioneering spirit was genetic.
Also, my likelihood for debtor’s prison …
Cool history!
You're right, why do most of these guys look alike?
Musta been something in their hot buttered rums.
Oh shoot, guess I better cut back, then.
One of our family members did some involved research too. We are related to John Hancock and Jimmy Carter. Gotta love those relatives who are interested in gynecology…oops…genealogy.
And you should have told those northern Morrises to get back to their research because they missed a branch.
Oh, I’m way too polite to do that. But I did curse them from afar.
We have common ground here...just not THAT common.
My Founding Father Who May Or May Not Have Been Related was with that other nation brought forth upon this continent -- the Confederacy.
Actually, Sen. George Vest was on both sides, and made his mark with the Good Old USA.
He is given credit for coining the phrase, "a man's best friend is his dog."
Some of my relatives have hounded genealogy sources for years trying to find some direct link, while I suspect trying at the same time to prove there is no direct link between them and me.
This platform will not allow me to add a picture, but if it did, I could clearly show that I share moustache DNA with the illustrious senator.
That phrase is equal to signing the Declaration of Independence
Bachelor number 3 .....
Yeah, he’s a stud,
No wonder we rebelled. Our guys weren’t exactly chick magnets so they must have had a lot of time on their hands and nowhere to vent their frustrations
And yet, Robert Morris, with the help of his wife, Mary, somehow managed to produce 8 offspring. And some of their descendants now live in Flori-dada.
Bob, you are obviously a descendant of the sexy Robert Morris, no relation to the founder.
I’ll settle for that
No, that one was in CATS!
Shame on those other Morrises! I dare say you’re the most interesting of them.
Interesting can be a curse, you know …
MORRIS! The Musical starring the famously finicky feline as Robert Morris of the Florida Morrisi
Precious. Which Morris first wore a Hawaiian shirt?
That would be my distant cousin — Moana Morris
Is that the truth? The haole truth?
Well played, Mark