Town named after Morley Harison

Information from Gary L. Heinmiller, Liverpool, NY: www.omdhs.syracusemasons.com

Thomas Ludlow Harison had a brother named Richard Morley Harison (1833-1896).

Richard Morley Harison’s father was William Henry Harison (not the president’s line), whose father was Richard Harison, who married Frances Ludlow, one of the founders of Canton and owner of considerable lands in the St. Lawrence area which he acquired from the ill-fated Macomb Purchase.

Richard Harison, the founder, obviously had a father . . . who was George Harison, who married Jane Nicholls. This George Harison own a privateer in New York City called the “Charming Sally” which was commanded by George’s brother Morley Harison.

George Harison was the Provincial Grand Master of Mason for New York 1753-1766 and I strongly suspect that his son Richard, who was Deputy Grand Master (1786-17880 under Chancellor Robert R Livingston, is the one who is connected with Canton, New York and the Harison Family of that area.

As to which of the Harison the village of Morley was named may not at this late date be exactly determined, but the incidence of the name Morley in the Harison family is reasonably well established, and could quite possibly come from some yet further ancestor of theirs, possibly a maternal link somewhere from their native country of England.

At any rate the Morely line most closely began with the marriage of Dorothy (Dorothea] Morley to Rev. William Harison, father of George Harison, father of Richard of Canton 'fame.' George's brother, the 'privateer' commander was named Morley [and had some small NJ connections.

St. Lawrence Republican - Aug 1844

St. Lawrence Plaindealer 1860

Utica Weekly Herald Jan 27, 1874

Grasse River Morley

Mr. & Mrs. R K Jackson

St. Lawrence Plaindealer Jan 14, 1880

DeGrasse River - Morley - 1918

John Byington, first president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

From Wikipedia - Rev John Byington - Click here to read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Byington

(b Vt. 1798, d Battle Creek Mich 1887)Byington was active in the antislavery movement and when the leadership of the Methodist Episcopal Church opposed abolitionism, he withdrew from that denomination and joined the new antislavery Wesleyan Methodist Connection. He helped to erect a church and parsonage that are still standing at Morely, New York. He went as a lay delegate to the Wesleyan organizational General Conference meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1844; and later became a Wesleyan minister pastoring the church at Lisbon, New York. He regularly entertained Native Americans and fugitive slaves in his home (his home was reputed to be a stop on the "Underground Railroad" at Buck's Bridge, New York, where he lived on a farm).

Bucks Bridge Cemetery:

Byington
Laura N Byington , Dau of John & Catharine Byington, Died Feb 9, 1852 AE 21 yrs
Teresa Byington , Dau of John & Catharine Byington, Died Mar 18, 1852 AE 15 yrs

Morley Cemetery:
Byington
Edward T., son of Mosley & Louisa Byington, d. Aug 25, 1850 AE 18 yrs (Section 7)
Emeline, wife of * W Byington, d. Feb 27, 1855 AE 27 yrs (Section 7)
Rev. Justus Byington, d. April 22, 1839 Aged 76 yrs (Section 7) (Note: Rev War Soldier) - father of Rev. John Byington
Lucy Byington, d. Nov 11, 1852 AE 93 yrs (Section 7)

(Note, Ludy Hinsdill Byington had 10 children, Anson b Jan 6, 1788; Lucy b Dec 16, 1790; Archibold b Sept 7, 1792; Milo b Aug 7, 1794; Orrilla b Sept 7, 1796; John b Oct 8 1798; Betsy b Sept 17, 1800; Lorain b July 18, 1802; Justus b July 9 1805; Wesley b Dec 28, 1807)

Morley School

Plaindealer 1966

Morley School Closes

St. Lawrence Plaindealer 1880

View of Morley

Harison Street Morley

(Old PO and Stores)

St. Lawrence Plaindealer 1932

St. Lawrence Plaindealer 1937

St. Lawrence Plaindealer June 1, 1937

St. Lawrence Plaindaler June 6, 1939

St. Lawrence Plaindealer July 1, 1941

St Lawrence Plaindealer Sept 15, 1880

Ogdensburg Daily Journal June 9, 1868

Ogdensburg Daily Journal June 26, 1879

Ogdensburg Daily Journal Aug 27, 1879

Using Google- Search-News-Archive: I found an article from the Washington Post dated September 13, 1880 that said on Sept 12 - written from Ogdensburg NY, that a fire broke out in Morley at noon and burned until 5:00 pm destroying almost the entire business section of Morley. The Canton Fire Department arrived around 2:00 PM. Irwin's Hotel and JW Fenmore's store were saved.

St. Lawrence Republican July 15, 1885

(note: by 1820 there were a number of Dewey families in SLC - Potsdam, DeKalb, Gouverneur ....according to the census. Potsdam Dewey families included Alford Jr. & Sr., and Eli. In 1860 Elias Dewey, born in Vt. (1800) 60 years old, lives in Morley- on census. His wife's name was Matilda)