Joseph Morris (October 16, 1795 – October 23, 1854) was an American politician who served as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

from 1843 1847. He was the father of James Remley Morris, who served in the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washin ...

during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

Early life and career

Born in

Greene County, Pennsylvania Greene County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,954. Its county seat is Waynesburg. Greene County was created on February 9, 1796, from part of Washington County and named for Gene ...

, Morris attended the public schools. He was sheriff of Greene County in 1824. He moved to

Woodsfield, Ohio Woodsfield is a village (United States)#Ohio, village and the county seat of Monroe County, Ohio, Monroe County, Ohio, United States located 30 miles northeast of Marietta, Ohio, Marietta. The population was 2,384 at the 2010 United States Census, ...

, in 1829 and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He served as a member of the State house of representatives in 1833 and 1834.

Congress

Morris was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the Twenty-eighth and Twenty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1847) from

Ohio's 15th Congressional district The 15th congressional district of Ohio currently represented by Republican Mike Carey. It was represented by Republican Steve Stivers from 2011 until May 16, 2021, when he resigned to become president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce ...

. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1846.

Retirement and death

After retiring from the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

he resumed business interests and then died in

on October 23, 1854. Morris was buried in Morris Cemetery, near Woodsfield.

Sources

1795 births 1854 deaths People from Greene County, Pennsylvania People from Woodsfield, Ohio Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Pennsylvania sheriffs 19th-century American politicians Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio {{Ohio-Representative-stub