THOMAS MORRISON, DUNFERMLINE

[amg2512]

Thomas Morrison is my 4 x Great Grandfather born about 1775 somewhere in Scotland possibly Edinburgh, after his marriage to Ann Hodge the family moved to Dunfermline.

Thomas was Grandfather to Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate in America. The only information that I have been able to find is through Andrew Carnegies' many books that indicate Thomas was active in the chartist movement in Scotland and he appears to have been quite a speaker.

I know that Thomas died in 1837 "on the road" but I can't trace where and indeed where he is buried. I'd be grateful if anyone has any ideas to help me. If Thomas was on the road, I don't know that he was even in Scotland, do you think the family would have had the body returned to Scotland or is it more likely that he was buried where he died. I am lucky that it's 1837 so the death should be registered, I just can't find any likely contenders. Any ideas?
Thank you
Alison

[AdeleE]

From the The Examiner, published in London England, Apr 30, 1837:

Deaths
At Bradford, last week, Thomas Morrison, a shoemaker, celebrated for his preachings and lectures on various subjects. He was a corresopondent of the late Mr. Cobbert, and many of his letters, bearing all the characteristics of the writer's eccentricities, were published in the Register.

[amg2512]

Thank you so much Adele, how do I access newspapers, is there a particular site. I have trawled the internet for months and never come accross this.

I have seen Mr Cobberts' name before and mention of the Register publication but again cannot trace that. I seem to remember there weren't many issues published..

Thank you again.
Alison

[AdeleE]

You're very welcome. Check with your library for access to the British Library newspaper collections.

[amg2512]

I'm stumped, cannot find registration for his death. In england there is one death registered for 1837 and thats in Newcastle on Tyne. In Scotland 6 deaths registered, all incorrect dates. Where else can I look, perhaps I should order the certificate for the death in Newcastle, it's about a 100 miles from where he died though and about 250 from his home town. Oh this man is so elusive it's driving me nuts....
Alison

[MarkJ]

I'm stumped, cannot find registration for his death. In england there is one death registered for 1837 and thats in Newcastle on Tyne. In Scotland 6 deaths registered, all incorrect dates. Where else can I look, perhaps I should order the certificate for the death in Newcastle, it's about a 100 miles from where he died though and about 250 from his home town. Oh this man is so elusive it's driving me nuts....
Alison

If he died April 1837, then you won't find a death registration. Civil registration started in July 1837, so prior to that period, you would be looking for a burial rather than a death registration.

Mark

[amg2512]

Thanks Mark, had forgotton that little detail! Oh well back the drawing board.
Alison

[birddog49]

Hello, I was excited when I read your post...Thomas Morrison is also my 4x great grandfather my great grandmother was Charlotte Morrison-Scott from Dunfermline Scotland. I have found little information as to where Thomas died in England some family trees on ancestory.com place him in Bradford, England. Also, I have seen that he was married twice Ann Hodge and Elizabeth Thorn this information came from ancestory.com and at times can be very confusing depending on what family tree one is looking at. Do you know if this is true?
Would enjoy hearing from you.
From Baltimore, Maryland USA

[Coromandel]

These two obituaries were reprinted in the Sheffield Independent of 22 April 1837:

'THOMAS MORRISON.- This extraordinary man died at Bradford last week. He was originally a shoemaker, at Dunfermline, but has latterly lectured on various subjects. He held some of the strangest opinions possible, and his astronomy was of the green cheese school; but he was, notwithstanding, a most extraordinary man, of strong and original mental powers.--Leeds Times. Thomas Morrison, when a young man, was for a considerable period pastor of a Baptist Church in Dunfermline. We heard him preach some twenty-eight years ago, and cobbler though he was, few men in the pulpit could "stick to their text" better than he was able to do. He possessed powers of oratory of a superior description--not rough and boisterous, such as may frequently be met with in men of strong and uncultivated minds, but mild and insinuating. He was well read in English literature, and was particularly fond of poetry. He was undoubtedly an "extraordinary man" in his sphere of life; but, unhappily, he was of a speculative temper, and, after several phases and changes in his theological creed, he at last sunk into infidelity, and, as we have heard its concomitant, intemperant habits. He was a regular correspondent of the late Mr. Cobbett, and many of his letters, bearing all the characteristics of the writer's eccentricities, were published in the Register. He held some strange notions on the science of astronomy; and latterly commenced a series of lectures, for the purpose of disseminating his views, and overthrowing the Newtonian theory, which he considered to be false.--Editors of Liverpool Telegraph.'

William Cobbett's Weekly Political Register is now available via the 19th Century British Library Newspapers collection (at least it is in the version I use, i.e. the Gale databases via my library service). You can see some of Thomas Morrison's letters there: in the one I've just looked at he signs himself 'Poor man's friend', 'T. Morrison, sen.'

[Coromandel]

Sheffield Independent, 19 Nov 1836

MORRISONIAN SYSTEM OF ASTRONOMY
'THOMAS MORRISON will give a Course of SIX LECTURES, at the ASSEMBLY ROOMS, Norfolk-street, on the interesting Science of CELESTIAL MECHANICS, in which the GREAT HUMBUG, commonly called, "The Grand System of the Immortal Newton," will be exposed and exploded....' [and so it goes on.]

(admittance 6d. for a single lecture, 2 shillings for the course.)

What self-confidence he must have had, to think he knew better than Isaac Newton!