ERNEST MORRIS. GRANVILLE, NEW YORK.
The following item is not only one of interest, but it will interest many readers who are relatives of the young man, also natives of Bethesda, Wales, who are numerous in this valley, and aquainted with his parents.. The younf man is a nephew of Miss Margaret Williams, night operator at the Granville Telephone office : Ernest Morris of Bethesda, only seventeen years of age, who has been in the trenches in France since the last of the year, has served his country going on two years.He became a boy scout when twelve years old and at the age of thirteen was patrol mascot of the scouts and was able to converse freely by means of the flag signs with the scout director, Dr. Bradley Hughes.
At the age of sixteen Ernest and one of his school boy chums went to enlist, but on account of their being so young they were almost refused and they pleaded to be enrolled and joined the 16th battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. When he started training at Llandudno he was made the bugler for the battalion, he having played the cornet for the Penrhyn band.
In this part he felt he was not doing enough for his country and wanted to be in the fighting ranks, so he joined the force and took up training at Llandudno, Worcester and Aldershot, from whence he left for France and has fought at the front since. After reaching the front his boy chum who enlisted with him was killed and he witnessed the funeral services, when the battalion softly sang "Nearer, My God to Thee."
Since then he has witnessed the death of four other of his boy friends. February 21st, one on each side of him in the trenches were killed. He prays to be spared to see the war over and is going to fight to the finish. If he is spared to go home again the saddest part of all will be to return to his home town the last of six boy friends.
Miss Williams recently received a picture of the young hero in his uniform and is justly proud of her nephew.
The Granville Sentinel ~ April 7th, 1916.
ERNEST MORRIS. GRANVILLE, NEW YORK.
A few weeks ago the Sentinel had an article referring to Ernest Morris of Bethesda, North Wales, as being in the front line in France with a battalion and that he was the only one remaining of the six young boy friends who, joined together.This week relatives in the village have been notified that he is now in a hospital in France, but no particulars regarding the fact is known as yet.
The Granville Sentinel ~ May 5th, 1916.
ERNEST MORRIS. GRANVILLE, NEW YORK.
Ernest Morris well known quarry operator and baritone soloist, left Granville, Monday noon enroute for New York, from where he will take passage on the SS America for a visit to his old home in Wales. He expects to land in Southampton the 27th, taking just a week for the passage, and will start back October 30th on the SS Media.Mr. Morris who first came to this country in 1922 returned to Wales in 1925 for a visit. This was the last time he had seen his parents, both of whom are living, besides three sisters, so he anticipates a happy reunion. A sister who makes her home in South Africa also expects to be present and may return to Granville with Ernest.
Mr. Morris expects to find many changes in his home town of Bethesda, North Wales, but is sure that besides his family there will be a number of old friends there to greet him.
His many friends in Granville wish him a wonderful trip, and that he will not too greatly miss the ice and other refrigeration he has become used to.
The Granville Sentinel ~ August 21st, 1947.
ERNEST MORRIS. GRANVILLE, NEW YORK.
A letter has recently been received at the Sentinel office from Ernest Morris, who has been spending the summer at Bethesda, North Wales, visiting his mother. He writes that he receives the Sentinel each week and is always glad to get the news of his home town. He mentioned that his sister from Africa is also visiting their mother this summer and that she frequently starts bragging about Africa while he sticks up for the good old USA. He says some of her remarks make him pretty mad.The Ogwen river flows past his mother's home and Ernest says the salmon are quite a sight as they swim up the river to spawn. He has counted 17 slamon at a time in a pool as large as the one below the Church Street bridge here. Once in a while one will jump clear out of the water.
Mr. Morris spent a day recently with Tom Stanley Edwards, another Granville resident visiting relatives in Wales. Mr. Edwards is returning to Granville soon while Mr. Morris will be back the latter part of September when we trust his rich baritone will again be available for the entertainment programs of the different clubs and societies of the town as in the past.
The Granville Sentinel ~ August 27th, 1973.
ERNEST MORRIS. GRANVILLE, NEW YORK.
Ernest Morris, 82, of Granville, New York, died Saturday, June 20, at the Emma Laing Stevens Hospital in Granville after a long illness.Morris was born August 23, 1898, in Bethesda, North Wales, the son of David and Ellen (Williams) Morris.
He was well known as a baritone soloist with the Welsh Male Quartet at the Poultney Male Choir. He sang 15 years in the Baptist and Universalist churches of Rutland as soloist, and 10 years in the Poultney Presbyterian Church as soloist.
He was a member of the Granville Lodge #55FAM.
Survivors include his wife, Mair (Roberts), four sisters, Mrs. Derek Devoy of Montreal, Mrs. Myfanwy Edwards of Bangor, North Wales, Mrs. Gladys Roberts of Bethesda, North Wales and Mrs. Peggy Duplisfa of Hollywood, Florida, several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Robert M. King Funeral Home in Granville, New York. Internment will be in the Mettowee Valley Cemetery, Granville, New York.
Friends may call at the funeral home Monday from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m.