OLEAN, N.Y. — John Briggs of Olean spends time in area cemeteries, cleaning and trimming gravesites that appear to have been forgotten — among them the graves of veterans.
As a U.S. Army veteran himself (serving from 1972-75) and having a brother who served in Vietnam, Briggs is happy to give his time in such a way.
A few years ago, while he was in the Allegany (N.Y.) Cemetery, he met a woman who told him about the Find a Grave website. That conversation led to John finding his ancestral connection to a Civil War soldier from a prominent area family: John A. Morris of the Eldred, Pa., area and survivor of many battles who, after spending some time home on leave, was floating on a raft down the Allegheny River to rejoin his unit when he caught pneumonia and died.
Morris — a son of the Rev. Samuel D. Morris and Elizabeth C. Knapp Morris and grandson of the founding settler of the village of Portville, John Morris — was 20 when he died.
When Briggs located the grave of Morris — his great-great-great-uncle on his mother’s side — in Pleasant Valley Cemetery of Olean, he found that it was more than in need of attention.
“The marker was a flat stone in the ground and you could barely read it … it was cracked down the center,” he said, adding he was determined to have a marker put in place that was fitting for a Civil War combat veteran.
Briggs contacted Wright Monumental Works of Bradford, Pa., and commissioned a new grave marker, which was put in place in May. The original marker remains; the new marker stands next to it.
The new marker reads: “John A. Morris … son of Rev. S.D. & E.C. Morris … Co. G 150th PA Vol … Died March 23, 1865 … 20 yrs 10 ms 19 days … A hero of 16 battles from Chancellorsville to Hatchers Run Feb. 6, 1865 … Glory Light the Soldier’s Tomb.”
Noting that today is Flag Day, Briggs said he placed a “Betsy Ross” United States flag at the marker to denote his ancestor’s service and sacrifice.
Morris enlisted Aug. 18, 1862, in Capt. Bell’s company (Co. G), 150th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Infantry (new Bucktails) at the age of 18. He was mustered in as a private on Sept. 2, 1862, in Harrisburg.
As mentioned, he first fought in the Battle of Chancellorsville (April 30-May 6, 1863) and saw more battle for nearly two years.
A 1989 letter from Charles A. Millard, a descendant of Rev. Samuel D. Morris, states, “…(John Morris) had been home in Eldred or Bullis Mills on leave and helped to put together a raft going to Pittsburgh, Pa. on the Allegheny River but caught pneumonia and was taken off the raft in Warren, Pa., and died there.”
It was stated that Morris was returning to his unit as the war was close to its end — the South’s Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865.
Briggs, who worked for Dresser for 39 years before retiring a few years ago, is effusive in his praise of the work done by Ralph Rose of Wright Monumental Works to prepare the marker. Rose’s daughter, Kelly Platko, said her father was honored to work with Briggs to design and prepare the marker.
Briggs said, “I can’t say enough about how well it turned out … I’m very happy with it. (The marker) is fitting for someone who fought in the Civil War … and he can rest in peace.”
