DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Morris County — straight from the inscription itself. Now, Texas has got two hundred and fifty-four counties. Two hundred and fifty-four.
And every single one of them has a name, and every single one of those names has a story. But let's start with this one. Morris County was created and organized in 1875, with Daingerfield as the county seat.
And it was named for a man — William W. Morris, born in 1805, died in 1883 — who came to Texas in 1849 and, when the time came, showed up when it mattered. When the Civil War began in 1861, William W.
Morris was in the 8th Legislature. Now that's not just a title on paper. That legislature armed the state, enacted laws to provide relief for soldiers' families, and set up two thousand miles of frontier and coastline defenses.
Two thousand miles. Someone had to do the work of keeping things together on the home end, and Morris was part of that. He came back, too — served again in the 13th Legislature, from 1873 to 1875.
Morris County, it turns out, is one of thirty-six Texas counties named for men like him, prominent in the Confederacy during the Civil War. But here's where the story gets bigger than just one man. Because if you want to understand what's in a Texas county name — really understand it — you've got to zoom out and look at all two hundred and fifty-four of them together.
Forty-two of those counties carry Indian, French, or Spanish names. Ten honor colonizers like Stephen F. Austin, called the Father of Texas.
Twelve were named for Washington, Clay, and other American patriots. Twenty-three carry the names of frontiersmen and pioneers. Eleven honor American statesmen who worked for the annexation of Texas.
Ten more were named for leaders in Texas since statehood — jurists, ministers, educators, historians, statesmen. And then there are the ones that don't honor people at all. Delta and eight others have geographical names.
San Jacinto and Val Verde were named for battles. Live Oak and Orange were named for trees. And Mason — Mason was named for a fort.
Ninety-six counties — the biggest single group — were named for men who fought in the Texas War for Independence, fifteen of them dying at the Alamo, or who signed the Declaration of Independence from Mexico, or served as statesmen in the Republic of Texas. Two hundred and fifty-four counties. Every name a choice.
Every choice a story. And somewhere in that great roll call of battles and trees and forts and patriots and pioneers, there's a spot for William W. Morris — born 1805, came to Texas in 1849, served when his state asked him to, and died in 1883 — with a whole county out in East Texas carrying his name forward down the road.
What the marker says
Created and organized in 1875, with Daingerfield as county seat. Named for William W. Morris (1805-1883), who came to Texas in 1849, when the Civil War began in 1861, was in 8th Legislature that armed the state, enacted soldiers' families' relief laws and set up 2,000 mile frontier and coastline defenses. Also in 13th Legislature, 1873-75. Of the 254 Texas counties, 42 bear Indian, French or Spanish names. 10 honor such colonizers as Stephen F. Austin, "Father of Texas." 12 were named for Washington, Clay and other American patriots. 96 were named for men who fought in the Texas War for Independence (15 dying at the Alamo), signed the Declaration of Independence from Mexico, or served as statesmen in the Republic of Texas. 23 have the names of frontiersmen and pioneers. 11 honor American statesmen who worked for the annexation of Texas; 10, leaders in Texas since statehood, including jurists, ministers, educators, historians, statesmen; and 36, men like Morris prominent in the Confederacy during the Civil War. Delta and 8 others have geographical names. San Jacinto and Val Verde were named for battles; Live Oak and Orange, for trees; and Mason for a fort.