| Notes |
- Born in Maryland, Morris America was an orphan who is said to have been a descendent of a Native American Indian mother and an Irish immigrant father. He was taken in by the Henry Duckworth family, also born in Maryland, who settled in the Greenwood area of Doddridge County. According to family legend, when Morris joined the military, he changed his last name to America, thus founding the America family name for future generations. However, it should be noted that Morris' surname was already America at age 4, when he was enumerated with the Duckworths in the 1850 Census, but then he was identified as Morris Spencer in the 1860 Census. Morris America's death record identifies his parents as Warmie Spencer and Nancy Spicer. Thus, the circumstances of his acquisition of the America surname remain unclear.
1850 Census, Doddridge Co, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Jul 27 1850:
Henry U. Duckworth, 38, farmer, value of real estate $1,500; Rhoda Duckworth, 27; Hannah Smar, 6; Morris America, 4. All born in Maryland.
1860 Census, Doddridge Co, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Jul 21 1860:
Henry Duckworth, 47, farmer, value of real estate $4,000, value of personal estate $883; Rhoda Duckworth, 47; Hannah L. Scott, 15; Morris Spencer, 13. All born in Virginia [sic; should be Maryland]
1870 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central Twp), enumerated on Jun 28 1870:
Morris America, 23, farmer; Martha, 26; Henry W, 4 months.
1880 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated on Jun 2 1880:
M. America, 35, farmer; wife Mary M, 38; son Henry W, 10; dau Ellen B, 7.
1900 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated Jun 8 1900:
Moris America, 58, b. Apr 1842 in Md, farmer, married 31 yrs; wife Mary M, 59, b. Mar 1841 in WVa, mother of 4 children (all still living); dau Lucreta, 18, b. Jan 1882; son Wesley W, 16, b. Apr 1884.
In the next household:
Henry W. America, 30, b. Feb 1870, farmer, married 6 yrs; wife Ida V, 29, b. Jul 1870, mother of 1 child (still living); son Otto M, 5, b. Feb 1895.
1910 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated in April 1910:
Morris America, 63, farmer, married 41 yrs; wife Mary M, 71, mother of 4 children (3 still living); son Wesley W, 25, pipe line laborer, single; granddau Louise Vincent, 5.
Local news item, "Doddridge County Republican," Thursday, Oct 5 1916, in its entirety:
"John Towner and Morris America of Central Station were circulating among their many friends here Saturday. It is needless to say that Morris done all the talking."
1920 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated on Jan 20 1920:
Morris America, 75, farmer; wife Mary A, 78.
In the same or possibly adjacent household: Wesley W. America, 35, farmer; wife Anna M, 26; dau Vincent, 15; son William W, 2 yr 5 mo.
NOTE: The child identified as daughter Vincent America was actually Wesley's niece Louise Vincent., daughter of his late sister Pearley
1930 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District):
Wesley W. America, 46; wife Anna M, 37; son William W, 12; dau Wilma L, 8; dau Wanda M, 6; dau Wilda K, 4 yr 10 mo; father Morris, 84; mother Mary M, 89. [9]
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| Children |
| + | 1. Henry William AMERICA, b. 1 Feb 1870, Central Station, Doddridge Co, WV  , d. 30 Apr 1945, Clarksburg, Harrison Co, WV (Age 75 years) |
| + | 2. Pearley Ellen AMERICA, b. May 1873, Doddridge Co, WV , d. Bef Apr 1906 (Age ~ 32 years) |
| + | 3. Lucretia AMERICA, b. Jan 1882, Doddridge Co, WV , d. 1959 (Age ~ 76 years) |
| + | 4. Wesley Warden AMERICA, b. 3 Apr 1884, Greenwood, Doddridge Co, WV , d. 23 Apr 1960, West Union, Doddridge Co, WV (Age 76 years) |
|
1846 - 1934 (88 years)
