Brother David Smith Ancestor Profile
| Henry Smith | Elza & Elwood Morris | John Morris | William Walter | John C. Lambert | Harvey & William Morris | John J. Clark | John & William Clark
3rd Great Uncles of David Smith Harvey and William Morris
Harvey and William Morris were born in 1842 and 1828 respectively to John Morris, Sr. and Delilah (Biggins) Morris in Watertown, Washington County, Ohio. The brothers had siblings: William, John, Nancy, Tamar, twins Elza and Elwood, and Minerva. The family resided in Watertown, and many of them are buried there at Watertown Cemetery. Brothers John, Elza, and Elwood volunteered for service with the 77th OVI. Twin brothers Elza and Elwood did not survive the war, as they both succumbed to disease within a month of each other in 1862. John served until 1866, and was also a POW at Camp Ford in Tyler, TX during his long service in the war. The oldest and youngest of the Morris brothers volunteered for Union service with the 148th OVI, along with their brother-in-law Henry Smith. Harvey was a brother-in-law with Henry Smith in two ways. Henry married Harvey’s sister Tamar, and Harvey had married Henry’s sister Mary. Note, William married the former Mary Wilcoxen. The 148th OVI was a 100 day regiment, and saw service at City Point, VA, where U.S. Grant’s field headquarters were located during the Petersburg Campaign. The biggest adversity that the men of the 148th faced was on 09 August 1864 when a large explosion occurred on an ammunition barge docked at City Point. The explosion was the work of a time bomb placed by a member of the Confederate Secret Service. As many as 58 people lost their lives from the massive explosion. A New York Times article from 1864 on the City Point explosion can be found at: A modern historical article on the explosion at City Point:
History of the 148th OVI This Regiment, organized as a Ohio National Guard unit, formed for one hundred days service, May 18, 1864, under Colonel Thomas W. Moore, and left for the field May 23d, by rail, when an accident occurred to the train resulting in the death of three and the serious injury of three others. The Regiment moved to Washington via Harper's Ferry, then to White House and Bermuda Hundred, where it served in the trenches until the last of August. It returned to Ohio and was mustered out September 14, 1864. From Dyer's Compendium 148th Regiment Infantry. Organized at Marietta, Ohio, and mustered in May 17, 1864. Left State for Harper's Ferry, W. Va., May 23; thence moved to Washington, D.C., June 1, and to White House Landing, Va., June 9. Moved to Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 11, and to City Point June 15. Attached to 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Army Corps, Army of the James. Duty at City Point till August 29. Moved to Marietta September 5, and mustered out September 14, 1864. Lost during service 2 Officers and 37 Enlisted men by disease. Total 39. Harvey was a Comrade of Barlow GAR Post No. 434 in Barlow in Washington County, OH. William passed away in 1906, and Harvey passed away in 1914. Both are buried in Watertown Cemetery. |
