Morris, William E. (William Ellis), 1812-1875

William E. Morris was a civil engineer and railroad executive. He was born in Muncy, Pa., on January 29, 1812, and died in Philadelphia on October 15, 1875.

Morris spent the first years of his career on the state-owned railroad and canal system of Pennsylvania, serving as an appointee of Democratic administrations. In 1836-38, when the Anti-Masons were in power, he worked for a number of private companies, including the Bald Eagle & Spring Creek Navigation and Union Canal in Pennsylvania, and the extension of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad west of Harpers Ferry under B. H. Latrobe.

When the Democrats returned to power in 1839, Morris returned to the Public Works, being named chief engineer of the Juniata and Western Division Canals and the Allegheny Portage Railroad. In this capacity he designed the Allegheny Mountain reservoirs to supply both canal divisions. With retrenchment caused by the state's default, Morris returned to the private sector, eventually serving as president of the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad (1843-53), of the Long Island Railroad (1853-63) and as acting president of the New York & Harlem Railroad (1863-64). He resigned the last position for health reasons in 1864 and retired to a consulting practice in Philadelphia.

From the description of Notebook, [ca. 1839]. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122392887