"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 309.  Baker County.

DR. MADISON B. MORRIS

     Few have had the privilege of passing through a more checkered career and
meeting with more stirring scenes of interest than the subject of this sketch,
whose life's opitome it is now our pleasant task to chronicle.
     Madison B. Morris, familiarly known as Dr. Morris, was born in Henry
county, Tennessee, in 1824, being the son of Lemuel and Martha (Estes) Morris,
the father being buried in Salem, Arkansas, and the mother in Santa Anna,
California.  When twenty-seven years of age, our subject commenced the study of
medicine and after finishing his course, he at once commenced the practice and
almost constantly until within the past ten years he has been engaged in that
profession, although owing to his stirring nature and love of activity he has
frequently been engaged in other enterprises in addition to the practice of
medicine.  He practiced in Bassville, Arkansas, from 1848 to 1853, and then came
to The Dalles, Oregon, where he followed his profession for four years, thence
to the Cascades, where he also practiced and engaged in supplying the steamboats
with wood and also took up a ranch opposite Dead Island in the Columbia river.
In 1865 we find him following his profession in Walla Walla and for fifteen
years he was in that city; after which he spent four years in Weston, and seven
years in Somerville and in 1882 came to Eagle valley, where he now owns a
quarter section of land and is engaged in fruit culture and general farming.
     The marriage of Dr. Morris and Miss Elizabeth Lillybridge was celebrated in
1867 and to them have been born the following children:  James, Lily, Lemuel,
Della, Clyde, deceased, Charley, deceased, Sadie.  Mrs. Morris' parents came
across the plains with ox teams in 1865 and many exciting and thrilling
experiences were theirs to pass through while en route.  At one time the stock
were stampeded by the stage appearing suddenly and at another time the Indians
stampeded and stole the cattle.  Fortunately, they were enabled in the morning
to recover all of their cattle so that they could proceed.  The doctor met this
train on the Cascades, and then later followed the happy marriage we have
mentioned above.  While the doctor was superintending a train across the plains
in 1853, he came across a man that had been abandoned by the train that preceded
his, the poor unfortunate being left to die.  The doctor, like the Good
Samaritan, picked up this helpless man and nursed him to life, using his medical
skill to restore him.  His train was stampeded on the Snake river and many of
their horses were never recovered.  When he was below the Cascades, he barely
escaped being murdered by the Indians in 1856, the date of a terrible massacre
in that section.  At one time the doctor had the misfortune to fall through a
poorly constructed bridge in Portland.  He landed twenty-six and one-half feet
below and it was supposed that he was dead, for three days and nights he lay
speechless, but he was enabled finally to pull through, although to-day he is
suffering from the effects of this same fall, however, he has received no
remuneration from the city for their failure.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.