Milton Edward Morris: Craig and Marjorie Walsh Geneology Website

1882 - 1935 (53 years)

Generation: 1

Milton Edward Morris was born on 26 Feb 1882 in San Francisco, California; died on 03 Apr 1935 in San Francisco, California; was buried on 05 Apr 1935 in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, California (Cremation).

Other Events and Attributes:

Death: 03 Apr 1935, San Francisco, California; Cause of death: Carcinoma Lung (primary), influenza and emphysema (secondary). Informant on death certificate: Jack Morris, same address.
Occupation: 03 Apr 1935, San Francisco, California; Death certificate shows occupation as "merchant - auto parts" for 20 years. Last active in the occupation: Dec 1934.
Residence: 03 Apr 1935, San Francisco, California; Address:
126 Dorchester Way
San Francisco, California 94127
United States
Will: 03 Apr 1935, San Francisco, California; Milton E. Morris probate file (San Francisco Superior Court file #069407): "Bear in mind as you read my summary below that these were financially difficult years in a country that was deep in depression until we entered World War II. That said, reading between the lines I think there may have been some mismanagement involved; certainly at the very least, there was suspected mismanagement, as you will see. "Milton Morris died testate in San Francisco 3 April 1935, leaving a son John (age 18) and a younger daughter, Betty Jane (age 11). Legal heirs also included two sisters and three nephews (oddly not including Jack Allen, although in the will he is called a nephew). Housekeeper, Marie Louise Bertin was named as the preferred physical caregiver of the children and it was requested that the residence not be sold. Heirs named were the two children, nephew Jack B. Allen, and another nephew Milton Morris all to share in the business, plus friends Henry Boomer, Jack Donohue and S. O. Smith who were all relieved of moneys owed to Milton. The wording of the will appears to suggest that Milton did not care for his late wife's family, and he specifically stated that they were to stay away from the children. "Because his wife Katherine had died the previous year, it was necessary to appoint guardians to protect the children's interest. Jack B. Allen and Henry Boomer were named executors and guardians of the children's interest. Milton had an auto parts and equipment business, "Little Auto Parts Co.," and the executors immediately petitioned (April 9, 1935) to allow the business to continue, at least for awhile, in the best interest of preserving the estate. Initial claims against the estate included a Bank of America promissory note for $2,680, taxes, doctors' bills, the Halsted Diercks bill for cremation and funeral, and an inurnment fee from Cypress Lawn (niche 133, tier 4, sec. H). Major items in the $43,650 inventory were a two-story residence in the Merritt Terrace section of San Francisco ($5,500), unimproved property bounded by Edinburgh and Peru Streets ($700), a lot and cottage in San Mateo Co. ($700), unimproved properties in Hawthorne, Los Angeles Co. ($300) and Santa Cruz Co. ($100) stock ($2,883), jewelry ($985), and his business at 701 Golden Gate Avenue (valued at $30,602 plus $579 in receivables). "Almost immediately stocks were sold and in December the Merritt Terrace house was mortgaged. The following February, the executors mortgaged the property at 701 Golden Gate and later in the year began to liquidate the business. A man named A. L. May was named to oversee the distribution of assets to pay off creditors. Unpaid rent (the mortgage?) on 701 Golden Gate began to mount in 1937, and the unimproved property on Edinburgh Street and the Merritt Terrace house were sold. All this occurred before there was any accounting by the executors, which is rather unusual and appears to have been the basis for subsequent litigation. In 1938, an attorney was hired by Jack and Betty Jane to contest the way the business was being run and liquidated. Several creditors objected to the compensation that was being received by the executors, and the situation appears to have been getting messy. "Finally in 1939, the executors presented a first accounting (somewhat overdue) in which it was stated that the business was operating at a loss and that total assets had dwindled to $8,075. More unimproved property was sold. The children's lawyer demanded a final accounting in May of 1940, and in August accused Allen and Boomer of mismanagement and demanded that they be removed. In October the executors filed an amended accounting showing assets of $1,933 in cash, one unimproved lot and some remaining stock, and agreed to distribute all but the cash, which may have been needed to assure that final fees would be paid."
Occupation: 29 Apr 2009, San Francisco, California; Letter from Barbara Mae Morris Anderson dated 29 Apr 2009 about her father, Milton Jack Morris: "[...] on returning to San Francisco he went to work with his uncle Milt at Little Auto Company on Van Ness Avenue and was there until the depression wiped out the company."; Address:
431 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, California 94102
United States

Milton married Lydia Bartlett in 1918. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Katherine Augusta Voss. Katherine (daughter of Franciscus Voss and Katherina Josephine Shorn) was born on 12 Jul 1887 in Chicago, Illinois; died on 27 Jan 1934 in San Francisco, California; was buried on 29 Jan 1934 in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, California (Cremation). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

2. John Knowlton Morris was born on 20 Aug 1916 in San Francisco, California; died on 10 May 2000 in Santa Clara, California.
3. Betty Jane Morris was born on 25 Sep 1923 in San Francisco, California; was christened after 25 Sep 1923 in St Agnes Catholic Church, San Francisco, California, USA; died on 02 May 1998 in Vancouver, Clark, Washington, USA.

Generation: 2

John Knowlton Morris

(1.Milton¹) was born on 20 Aug 1916 in San Francisco, California; died on 10 May 2000 in Santa Clara, California.

Other Events and Attributes:

Residence: 10 May 2000, Santa Clara, California; Last residence: 95135 San Jose, Santa Clara, California, USA.
Social Security Number: 10 May 2000; Social Security Claim note indicates, "Dec 1936: Name listed as JOHN KNOWLTON MORRIS; 16 May 2000: Name listed as JOHN K MORRIS." From Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Notes:

Name:
Birth record shows name as Jack Morris. Other documents show John.

Betty Jane Morris

(1.Milton¹) was born on 25 Sep 1923 in San Francisco, California; was christened after 25 Sep 1923 in St Agnes Catholic Church, San Francisco, California, USA; died on 02 May 1998 in Vancouver, Clark, Washington, USA.

Other Events and Attributes:

Social Security Number: 559-26-6512 Issued California
Residence: 1930, San Francisco, California
Residence: 03 Mar 1944, San Francisco, California
Residence: 1945, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
Residence: 04 Mar 1949, Richmond, Contra Costa, California, USA
Residence: 1993, Vancouver, Clark, Washington, USA
Residence: 02 May 1998, Vancouver, Clark, Washington, USA
Cremated: 07 May 1998, Killingsworth Chimes Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, USA

Notes:

Residence 1945 Cathy Morris BC
Residence 1949 John William III BC
Christening info from Betty Jane family letters
SS# - Actual Card

Betty married John William Morris, II on 03 Mar 1944 in Reno, Washoe, Nevada, USA. John was born on 04 Nov 1916 in Tecumseh, Johnson, Nebraska, USA; died on 15 Feb 1967 in San Pablo, Contra Costa, California, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children: