Re: Trueman Joseph Morris family

Hi Steve:

Thank You. The names of Freeman’s children has been troublesome.

>From reading the articles of Trueman’s death in the fire, there were named children who may or may not have existed as sons.

This helps a bit. Arthur is Frederick Arthur Morris but then who are Kenneth and George M.?

I have a George Malcolm Morris and a Kenneth Alden Morris who would be Trueman’s nephews by his brother, Nolan.

Perhaps Trueman and his brother, Noland were living in adjoining flats or nearby? Nolan was also burned about the face in the rescue attempt per the article so he wasn’t living far away at the time.

Or, the two nephews were staying over?

>From the articles, Veronica was pregnant (with Robert) at the time of the fire. Robert was born after his father died.

Dave
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Boston Globe - Wednesday, Dec. 18 1935.
Tot and Father Killed in Blast. Newburyport Child 3, Burned - Rescued.
Special dispatch to the globe. Newburyport, Dec. 17 - A family of four small children crowded around their grieving mother tonight and prayed that their sister, Thelma, age 3, would survive the effects of the explosion and fire which cost the lives of their father, Trueman Morris, 41 year old Canadian War veteran, and their baby sister, Cora Ann, age 15 months. Thelma is in the Anna Jaques Hospital and although their condition earlier in the afternoon was reported as very good, fear was felt that she might have inhaled too much smoke in the fire that wrecked the three decker duplex tenement house on Back Street. Morris a house painter, who rushed from an attic room where he was doing some painting in an attempt to save the life of the baby, died in the kitchen where his charred body was found. The baby was taken from the smoke filled kitchen after being found fearfully hiding behind a china closet, died two hours later in the hospital. Mother Unharmed Mrs. Morris, the former Veronica Gagnon, who is an expectant mother, was unharmed escaping from the burning house.. Two other children, Kenneth, 6 and George M., 7 were unaware of the double tragedy at their home. Fire chief, John F. Cutter tonight said he was satisfied that the fire started from a stove in the kitchen in which there was an explosion. Fireman who were hurt, burned and nearly suffocated in the smoky fire tonight practically recovered. George E. Murphy who carried Thelma from the third floor to safety was still suffering from burns on the face and Capt Rollins Dow of ladder 1 was released from the Anna Jaques Hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation. Fireman John Doyle also suffered from smoke. Would be Rescuers Praised - City Marshall James E. Sullivan and fireman Henry O. Chase were being praised for their heroic efforts to save Morris as they groped through the smoke filled kitchen. He was dead when they managed to reach his side. Damage to the house and contents is estimated will reach $4000. This includes damage to the other tenement occupied by Mr. & Mrs. George E. Morse. Morris was a member of the painting firm Morris Bros. Company. He had lived in this city for many years and served with the famous Princess Pat Regiment in the Canadian Army during the World War He received bad facial wounds in France and other injuries and was several times cited for bravery. Despite the single police ambulance which was voiced at the fire to carry victims to the hospital could not be met, it was shown tonight, because the vehicle was being used to take a patient to the Danvers State Hospital. Arrangements for a double funeral were incomplete.

MANY HEROIC DEEDS PERFORMED AT FIRE IN WHICH TWO LOST LIVES
Fireman and others, as well as adult Victim, Receiving Much Praise for Conduct. - A double funeral will be held Friday morning for Truemen J. Morris, 41, and his baby daughter, Mary C., aged 15 months, who lost their lives when fire swept through three story duplex tenement at 19 Beck Street, South End, yesterday. The funeral was originally planned for tomorrow, but relatives of Mr. Morris are on the way here from Canada and must not arrive in time. The service will be held from the home of Mr. & Mrs Morris' parents, Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Gagnon, 13 Beck Street, and a high mass of requiem will be held in the Church of St. Aloysius de Gonzaga which in on the same street. Mrs. Morris, the former Veronica Gagnon, so far has succeeded in bearing up well under the double tragedy and she prays that the life of another daughter, Thelma, aged three years, who is in the Anna Jaques Hospital, will be spared. Unless complications set in hopes are high that this little girl will survive. She inhaled much smoke in the burning home. Mr. Morris whose bravery while serving with the famous Princess Pat regiment of the Canadian Army during the World War , won him ? gave his life in an effort to save the children trapped in the smoke filled dwelling. Terribly burned in the fire as he attempted to take the children to safety, the body cannot be viewed. It rests in a closed, flag raped casket. Beside it is a smaller casket containing the body of the little child and some bruises are noticeable on the child caused in a fall in the burning kitchen. Fireman Recover. Fireman that were infected by inhaling smoke in the rescue work today had recovered. Capt. Rollins Dow of Ladder 1 was treated at the hospital. Two other children, Kenneth six and George M. seven were attending the George W. Brown school at the time of the fire. Deeds of heroism The body of Mr. Morris was found by Lieut. Edward M. ? who risked his life to enter the building from which smoke was (torn section of paper) in clouds. Lieut. Jones beat out the flames that burned the clothing off the war veteran and the body was carried out with several persons assisting. Fireman George F. Murphy today was being praised for the heroic rescue of Thelma, the child who is in the hospital. Story Reconstructed. - The action during the first few minutes after the outbreak of the fire was reconstructed today. Mr. Morris who is a house painter and his brother, Nolan Morris, were doing some painting in a room on the third floor The fire started, fireman believe, from a small oil stove and one of the children screamed. Mrs. Morris it is said, left the kitchen to go upstairs to make the beds and she took Thelma with her, and left the smallest child downstairs. Mrs. Morris also heard the small child scream started down the narrow steep stairway but her way was blocked by smoke. She managed to make her way to a window in the room which see could barely see the dense smoke, and a ladder had been raised by neighbors who reached the house before the firemen did. Mrs. Morris was aided down the ladder. Returns to kitchen - Mr. Morris in the meantime ran down the stairs, knowing there was at least one child on the first floor. He went into the yard, witnesses said presumably for a breath of air after his dash through the dense smoke. Then he ran back into the kitchen where he died. More help had arrived by that time and the youngest child, who later died in the hospital was found huddled behind a china closet where she had taken refuge. Taken to Hospital - The youngest child and the father were taken to the hospital in the automobile of Thomas McGlew, who was accompanied by Special Officer Michael Cary, Frederick Sullivan and Motor Vehicle Inspector John J. Foley. They made the trip as fast as possible, but were delayed for a short time on Arlington Street, where a truck was blocking the road. The inspector had to whistle for the driver to come from the house and move the vehicle. The other child Thelma was taken to the hospital in the milk truck of Arthur D. Ross, who accompanied by Lieut. Jones. Murphy Rescues Child - Mrs. Morris after getting out of the house told of the children who were still in the building. Fireman Murphy climbed the ladder to the third story, entered through a window, after what seemed to be a long time, reappeared with Thelma and passed her out the window to somebody who was on the ladder. The boy, Arthur, aged 5 years, had been taken from the house and he suffered no serious effects. The youngest baby was found in the downstairs room by Fireman Eugene P. Patten and Henry O. Chase, a call fireman. Fireman Murphy received burns on the face in rescuing the child from the top story of the house. Nolon Morris, brother of the victim, who was also burned about the face and hands. Damage to the large house and contents will run into several thousand dollars. The interior was practically wrecked by fire and water. The other side of the house , where Mr. and Mrs, George E. Morse, reside was also damaged to considerable extent. Newburyport Post 150 American Legion will give Mr. Morris a military funeral. Mr. Morris received sever facial wounds in France during the war. He had been gassed and being treated in a First Aid hospital which was destroyed by the German bomb. Newburyport Newspaper

In 1915 Trueman J. Morris joined the 2nd Battery Division of the Canadian Army and was sent to the Great War. On June 1st, 1917 he was wounded somewhere in France when a bomb exploded nearby and he was hit in the face with shrapnel. I have a request in to the Canadian Archives for his service records so that I can determine where he was when this occurred. I have already downloaded his attestation paper from the archive which confirms his next of kin as "Mrs. G.M. Morris, Springhill,NS). I can email a copy to you if you like. According to the Canadian Army "Honor Roll" plaque that my father passed on to me, Trueman returned from France in 1918. Sometime in the early to mid 1920's he emigrated to the US and married Veronica Gagnon (an immigrant from Quebec) in Newburyport, MA. They had the following children - Peter, Robert, Emma, Thelma, Frederick and in 1933 a new born baby girl who's name escapes me as I type this. When the baby girl was 6 weeks old a house fire started on the 3rd floor of their Beck Street home due to solvent soaked rags that Trueman had been using to renovate for a new bedroom. All family members escaped except the 6 week old baby who was inadvertently left behind under her crib in the ensuing commotion. Trueman heroically ran back into the burning house to save her and they both died in the blaze. I have many newspaper accounts of this that I could scan and email you. Trueman and his 6 week old baby girl are buried in one casket at St Mary's cemetery in Newburyport, MA.
His wife Veronica lived to 1986 when she died in Newburyport, MA of a heart attack. She is buried in the same family plot. Their remaining children live to this day, most in Newburyport, MA. Pete is a retired carpenter who served in the US Army in Korea. Robert is a cobbler. Emma is a homemaker, as is Thelma. - Source: Jeff Morris, grandson.

On 17-03-23 1:12 PM, "nscumber" <nscumber@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

The remaining family of the late Trueman Joseph Morris, formally of Spencers Island.

Steve

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Veronica Morris

United States Census, 1940

Name   Veronica Morris
Event Type Census
Event Date   1940
Event Place   Ward 2, Newburyport, Newburyport City, Essex, Massachusetts, United States
Gender   Female
Age   32
Marital Status   Widowed **
Race (Original)   White
Race   White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original)   Head
Relationship to Head of Household   Head
Birthplace   Massachusetts
Birth Year (Estimated)   1908
Last Place of Residence   Same Place

Household           Role Sex Age Birthplace

Veronica Morris Head      F 32 Massachusetts
Emma Morris    Daughter F 11 Massachusetts
Edmond Morris Son       M 10 Massachusetts
Arthur Morris     Son        M   9 Massachusetts
Thelma Morris   Daughter F   7 Massachusetts
Robert Morris    Son        M   4 Massachusetts

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Veronica M Morris

Massachusetts Death Index

Name   Veronica M Morris
Event Type   Death
Event Date   02 Jan 1984
Event Place   Newburyport, Massachusetts
Certificate Number   015725
Birth Date   09 Jun 1907
Birthplace   Massachusetts
No image available
Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003