| Notes |
- John George Morrison
Posted by Dick Campbell on Fri, 18 Jun 1999
>From the 1907 book by Alvin H. Wilcox, "A Pioneer History of Becker
County Minnesota" chapter XVIII, pages 267-269:
John George Morrison, son of Allan and nephew of William, was born at
Lake Winnebegoshish, Minnesota, April 29th, 1843, where his father
was managing a trading post for the American Fur Company.
He attended the Mission Schools at Crow Wing and Belle Prairie,
Minnesota, for a few years, but was compelled to quit school on
account of his father's ill health; he soon became the mainstay of
the family and so continued until his brother Allan became old enough
to take his place.
While yet a mere boy, he carried on some trading with the Indians
around Gull Lake and towards Leech Lake, and became quite popular
with them; during the Indian outbreak he was chosen by Governor
Ramsey and the Indians themselves to carry messages between the two
camps and in that capacity rendered valuable services.
After the Civil War, in 1865, the United States government, desiring
to ascertain the true conditions and feelings of the Indian tribes,
organized, at all Indian agencies, bodies of scouts, whose mission
was to inquire into and report the causes of troubles and
dissatisfaction among the Indians. These scouts were chosen from
among the intelligent and loyal mixed bloods, and were place under
the supervision of the military authorities.
Upon the recommendation of the officer then in command at Fort
Ripley, John George Morrison was placed in charge of the scouts at
the Crow Wing Agency, and so remained until the corps was disbanded.
July 3rd, 1863, he married
Margaret Elizabeth Fairbanks, daughter of Robert Fairbanks and
Catherine Beaulieu. Ten children were born to them; six in Crow Wing
and four near White Earth Agency. Two lived only a few years, the
others are, with the exception of his daughter Mrs. Julia A. Spears,
(the second), who lives at Red Lake, all members of the White Earth
Reservation, and possess valuable landed interests there. He removed
to the White Earth Reservation, from old Crow Wing, on the
Mississippi, in the fall of 1874, and some years afterwards entered
the government service and occupied several positions, being
successively captain of Indian police and judge of the court of
Indian offenses, and later government farmer, which position he held
until the winter of 1892-3. In the fall of 1893, he removed to Red
Lake, and has since successfully carried on hotel keeping and
trading.
GEO. A. MORISON
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