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David M. Morrow
August 13, 1834 - April 9, 1903
by Richard R. Wilt

I have always been fascinated by the stories my grand father told me about David Morrow. My grandfather was only 12 when his mother, a widow, met, married David and she and her three sons moved from their home on Stiles Run near Metz, West Virginia and moved to Bingamon Creek at the mouth of Nutter Run in Harrison County, WV. David owned a small farm which he and his first wife, Edith McIntire had owned. David was a well educated man and had been born in West Moreland, PA, but have no indication of why he came to West Virginia. He was a trained carpenter and a cooper being an apprentice to his father. He was also trained in making furniture and being a Herb Doctor probably by experience. David had a well equipped wood working shop and was very modern by the standards in the late 1800s. He ran a complicated series of belts run by a small steam engine. When I was young I was in the workshop that my grandfather had kept in very good working order but was run by a small gasoline engine by the time I came around. By just moving belts on an overhead system you could run a lathe, cycle saw, band saw and several other pieces of wood working equipment. David was also made coffins and had a contract to furnish coffins to Harmer's Funeral Home in Shinnston. He also was credited with helping build and maintain the road from Bingamon Juntion and Pine Bluff.

David Morrow (father Isaiah Morrow and mother Martha Morrow) listed on Harrison County marriage records in Harrison county March 13, 1856 married to Edith McIntyre (father Enoch McIntyre and Sarah McIntyre)

David started as a cooper which he learned from his father. He later became well known herb doctor on Bingamon Creek, WV. He was also a talented wood worker making many pieces of furniture and caskets working with Harmer's Funeral Home in Shinnston.

In 1858 Edith (McIntyre) Morrow and her brother Thomas McIntyre appeared in Circuit Court petitioning the court to prevent David Morrow the husband of Edith to prevent David Morrow from disposing of a piece of property located on Bingamon Creek, Harrison County West Virginia.

Edith and David had only been married for two years and no children at this time. The property in the case was a small farm Edith had received upon the death of her father, Enoch McIntyre in 1852.

There seems to be no resolution to the dispute from the court but David and Edith must have come to some agreement since they had three children the first, Elizabeth in 1858, the second, Sena in 1862 and the third, David E. in 1867.

In the early 1880s Edith brought charges of drunkenness against David and they were divorced. By this time the two daughters, Elizabeth and Sena had married and left home.

After the divorce, David and the son, David E. Morrow, who was a teenager continued living in the home located on Bingamon Creek at Nutter Run.

In the late 1880s David was introduced to a widow, Elvira Elizabeth (Thomas, Davis) Stiles, a widow with three sons. It appears to be an arranged introduction and they were married on January 25, 1889. Elvira with the three boys moved into the homestead located on Bingamon Creek.

John Nelson Stiles, my grandfather, in a short narrative speaks of moving to Bingamon Creek in 1889 when he was 12 years old. Isaac was 15, and James was only 7. David's son David E. was 21. David E. the son died on August 23, 1889 from Typhoid Fever.
David M. Morrow being his nearest relative received the property.

Isaac was the first to get married in 1894 to Sarah Ashcraft and then John married in 1896 to Lora Robinson. In the Census of Clay District Harrison County, WV 1900 the two older boys had married and left home. Listed were David M Morrow 65, Alvira Morrow 55, Jas C Stiles 17, and Festus Shultz 11 Boarder (grandson of Elvira from her first marriage)

James, Elvira's youngest died August 13, 1902 of Cancer and David died on April 9, 1903 and in his will, he left the farm to the two stepsons with Elvira holding her lifetime in the property. Elvira passed on June 3, 1919.

Map of Bingamon Creek
1910

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