William Airly Morris

William Airly Morris was born after 1795, the first of two children born to William Morris (called “Patsy”) and his wife Martha Ann Rebecca Nance Maske. He grew up in Anson County, North Carolina, and by 1820 had married Martha Smith, daughter of William and Nancy (Allen) Smith.¹

Public Life

William Airly served as State Assemblyman from Anson County from 1828 to 1831, and then as State Senator from the Anson County District from 1832 to 1833. He was also a man of the church — from 1842 to 1844 he served as Pastor of the Rocky River Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist Congregations in North Carolina still in existence.¹

The Brown Creek Baptist Church records from 1840 to 1850 listed the membership of William A. Morris, Martha Morris, George W. Morris, Jackson J. Morris, Nathan Morris, and Mrs. Rebecca Morris — the latter being, presumably, William Airly’s mother, whose death was noted in 1845.¹

Land and Family

The 1820 Anson County census listed one son and one daughter under 10 years of age, with two “free” Negro servants. Between 1821 and 1833, William Airly conducted numerous land transactions on Lane’s Creek and Brown Creek in Anson County.¹

His son Thomas J. Morris — third son and sixth child — was born in 1826. Thomas would later marry Sarah Jane Floyd and migrate to Texas, where their son William James Morris became the patriarch of the Texas Morris family.¹

Death

On October 4, 1844, William Airly Morris executed his will, which was probated at the October term of Court, Anson County. His will named his wife Martha; sons James W., J.J., Thomas J.S., N.A., G.W., and Columbus W.; daughters Elizabeth Allen, Martha A.K. Griffin, and Frances J.L. Griffin; and named his half-brother Miles W. Maske as executor.¹

The 1850 census lists Martha Morris as head of household with Thomas J. (age 23), Nathan (18), Rosanna (13), Susanna (13), Sarah E. (10), and Columbus W. (6). In December 1853, Martha Smith Morris, widow of William Airly, joined by sons Jackson J., Thomas J., George W., and Nathan A., conveyed land to D. (Darling) M. Smith, brother of Martha Morris.¹