{{Short description|American banker}} '''James M. Morrison''' (1805 – December 20, 1880)<ref name="JMMObit1880"/> was an American banker who worked at the Bank of the Manhattan Company for more than forty years as teller, cashier and, finally, president from 1860 to 1879.

==Early life== Morrison was born in 1805 to Scotch parents in New Orleans, Louisiana, where his father had a winter residence. When he was still young, his father, a Louisiana planter, died which led to James and his mother returning to her native city of Aberdeen, Scotland.<ref name="1880Picayune">{{cite news |title=GOTHAM GOSSIP |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58133710/gotham-gossip/ |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The Times-Picayune |date=25 December 1880 |pages=9}}</ref> There, he was "carefully educated according to the rigid methods employed in the schools of that country."<ref name="JMMObit1880"/>

In 1825, at the age of 19, Morrison decided to return to the United States to begin his career.<ref name="JMMObit1880"/>

==Career== thumb|250px|Manhattan Company (1799-1955) letterhead c. 1922 As a clerk in the United States and Merchant's Banks, Morrison became familiar with the banking system. In 1840, he joined the Bank of the Manhattan Company when it was still located in a brownstone at 40 Wall Street. He started his more than forty-year career with the Manhattan Company as its first teller, two years later in 1842 he was promoted to cashier and, worked "assiduously to improve the stock, which at that time was worth from 45 to 50 cents on the dollar." The board of directors elected him president of the Bank in 1860.<ref name="JMMObit1880"/> According to his obituary in ''The New York Times'':

<blockquote>"During the unsettled condition of business affairs which succeeded the war, Mr. Morrison manifested a shrewdness and ability which enabled him to survive the financial crash that ultimately resulted in the suspension of many other banking institutions."<ref name="JMMObit1880"/></blockquote>

In the latter part of 1879, his health began to decline and he resigned the presidency, although he continued to serve on the board of directors.<ref name="JMMObit1880"/> Morrison was succeeded by John S. Harberger,<ref name="1879Election">{{cite news |title=Bank Official Elected |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58134006/bank-official-elected/ |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Daily News |date=1 October 1879 |pages=1}}</ref> who died of malarial fever a year later in October 1880.<ref name="JSHObit1880">{{cite news |title=OBITUARY: John S. Harberger. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58133362/obituary-john-s-harberger/ |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The Brooklyn Union |date=9 October 1880 |pages=4}}</ref>

==Personal life== Morrison was the father of David Mitchell Morrison (b. 1841), who served as president of the Washington Trust Company,<ref name="1912Retirement">{{cite news |title=DAVID M. MORRISON RETIRES. His Place in Washington Trust Company Taken by F. H. Page |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58135953/david-m-morrison-retires-his-place-in/ |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The Sun |date=29 March 1912 |pages=12}}</ref> and founded the banking firm of Morrison & Putnam.<ref name="Who'sWho1907">{{cite book |title=Who's Who in New York City and State |date=1907 |publisher=L.R. Hamersly Company |page=957 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0V1IAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA957 |accessdate=27 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=THE WALL-STREET USURERS.; David M. Morrison, Edward R. Jones and George Phipps Plead Guilty. The Others Held for Trial-The Accused Bankers in Court. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1869/07/20/archives/the-wallstreet-usurers-david-m-morrison-edward-r-jones-and-george.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=20 July 1869}}</ref> He married Abby Putnam, a daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Putnam of Brooklyn, in 1877.<ref name="Who'sWho1911">{{cite book |title=Who's who in Finance, Banking, and Insurance |date=1911 |publisher=Who's Who in Finance, Incorporated (N.Y.) |page=639 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZaooAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA639 |accessdate=27 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="1911Wedding">{{cite news |title=MISS MORRISON WEDS A. G. FARMER; Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David M. Morrison a Bride in Church of the Messiah. BRIDEGROOM FROM BOSTON The Very Rev. Robert Collyer Officiates at Ceremony |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1911/10/27/archives/-i-ii-i-iigd8-a-g-farmer-j-k-r-daughter-of-mr-and-mrs-david-m.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=27 October 1911}}</ref>

He died on December 20, 1880, at 158 West 23rd Street, his residence in Manhattan.<ref name="JMMObit1880">{{cite news |title=Death of an Old Banker; Sketch of James M. Morrison, of the Bank of the Manhattan Company. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1880/12/20/archives/death-of-an-old-banker-sketch-of-james-m-morrison-of-the-bank-of.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=20 December 1880}}</ref> After a funeral at the South Reformed Church at Fifth Avenue and 21st Street, he was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx.<ref name="1880Funeral"/> The pallbearers at his funeral were Samuel Sloan, George D. H. Gillespie, John Sloan, John Harsen Rhoades (a banker),<ref name="nysed">{{cite web |title=Harsen-Rhoades Family Papers: Manuscripts and Special Collections: New York State Library |url=http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc23260.htm |website=www.nysl.nysed.gov |publisher=New York State Library |accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref> George S. Coe (president of the American Exchange National Bank of New-York),<ref name="GSCObit1896">{{cite news |title=DEATH OF GEORGE S. COE; EX-PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN EXCHANGE NATIONAL BANK. Financier of International Reputation, Whose Services to New-York and the Entire Country Were of Immense Value -- Originator of the Plan That Saved the Nation's Credit in the Time of the War -- Eighty Years Old. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1896/05/04/archives/death-of-george-s-coe-expresident-of-the-american-exchange-national.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=4 May 1896}}</ref> Samuel D. Babcock (president of the Down Town Association), Jacob D. Vermilye (president of the Merchants' Bank), John A. Stewart, Nathaniel D. Putnam, and B. B. Sherman.<ref name="1880Funeral">{{cite news |title=Funeral of James M. Morrison |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1880/12/22/archives/funeral-of-james-m-morrison.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=22 December 1880}}</ref><ref name="NYTribObit">{{cite news |title=FUNERAL OF JAMES M. MORRISON. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58133106/funeral-of-james-m-morrison/ |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=New-York Tribune |date=22 December 1880 |pages=2}}</ref>

===Descendants=== Through his son David, he was a grandfather of Abby Morrison, who became a well known singer.<ref name="1924Singer">{{cite news |title=SOCIETY IN BROOKLYN |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58135340/society-in-brooklyn/ |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=Brooklyn Times-Union |date=6 July 1924 |pages=10}}</ref> After her marriage to William Wood Ricker (and engineer who was president of the Guarantee Construction Company),<ref name="WWRObit1931">{{cite news |title=WILLIAM WOOD RICKER.; President of the Guarantee Construction Co. Dies at 57. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1931/01/29/archives/william-wood-ricker-president-of-the-guarantee-construction-co-dies.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=29 January 1931}}</ref> she was known as Abby Morrison Ricker.<ref name="1927Sings">{{cite news |title=ABBY P.M. RICKER SINGS.; Soprano Gives "Opera Soliloquies" in Aeolian Hall Concert. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1927/05/19/archives/abby-pm-ricker-sings-soprano-gives-opera-soliloquies-in-aeolian.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=19 May 1927}}</ref><ref name="1936Musical">{{cite news |title=MRS. ABBY M. RICKER WILL BE ENTERTAINER; Daughter of David Morrisons to Make Debut as Restaurant Musical Monologist. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1936/05/06/archives/mrs-abby-m-ricker-will-be-entertainer-daughter-of-david-morrisons.html |accessdate=27 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=6 May 1936}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, James M.}} Category:1805 births Category:1880 deaths Category:Bankers from New York City Category:American chief executives of financial services companies Category:American corporate directors Category:Businesspeople from New Orleans Category:19th-century American businesspeople