Mount Etna Morris (September 1, 1900 – July 8, 1988) was an American politician from Missouri. A Democrat, he served three non-consecutive terms as State Treasurer of Missouri as well as two non-consecutive terms as Director of the Missouri Department of Revenue and two terms in the Missouri House of Representatives.[1]

Mount Etna Morris
33rd, 35th & 37th State Treasurer of Missouri
In office
January 1965 – January 1969
GovernorWarren E. Hearnes
Preceded byMilton Carpenter
Succeeded byWilliam Edmond Robinson
In office
January 1957 – January 1961
GovernorJames T. Blair Jr.
Preceded byGeorge Hubert Bates
Succeeded byMilton Carpenter
In office
January 1949 – January 1953
GovernorForrest Smith
Preceded byRichard R. Nacy
Succeeded byGeorge Hubert Bates
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
In office
1932–1936
Personal details
Born(1900-09-01)September 1, 1900
Dadeville, Missouri, United States
DiedJuly 8, 1988(1988-07-08) (aged 87)
Spouse(s)Helen Adamson Morris
Margery Lott Adamson Morrison
ChildrenFour (two with first wife, two step-children)
Alma materSouthwest Missouri State College
University of Missouri
ProfessionBanking
Politics

Early life and education

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Morris was born September 1, 1900, in Dadeville, Missouri, to hardware merchant Albert G. Morris and his wife. He had two siblings; a brother A. George Morris, an official with the Missouri Department of Conservation, and a sister Lucille Morris Upton, an author and newspaper reporter.[2] Following graduation from Walnut Grove High School, Morris served in the military during World War I. After his military service, Morris attended Southwest Missouri State College in Springfield and later the University of Missouri. On December 24, 1922, he married the former Helen Adamson of Everton, Missouri, and had two children. In April, 1967, he married Margery Lott Adamson, the widow of one of his first wife's relatives.[3]

Business and politics

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In 1928, Morris founded and managed the People's Bank in Miller, Missouri. From 1932 to 1936, he served two terms in the Missouri House of Representatives. Following his service in the state legislature, he served as CEO of the Trenton National Bank from 1936 to 1945. He re-joined state government in 1945, serving for a year as commissioner of the state Division of Finance, before becoming the first director of the newly created Missouri Department of Revenue in the Cabinet of Governor Phil M. Donnelly in July, 1946, serving until his election as state treasurer. From 1949 to 1953, he served as State Treasurer of Missouri. He served again as director of the state Department of Revenue from 1953 to 1956, during Phil Donnelly's second term as governor, before resigning in order to seek a second term as state treasurer, which he served from 1957 to 1961. He was subsequently reelected to a third term as state treasurer, serving from 1965 to 1969.

References

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  1. ^ Missouri State Treasurer-Past Treasurer's Biography
  2. ^ "Honorary Members". White River Valley Historical Quarterly. 1964-06-01. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  3. ^ "Obituary". Dexter Daily Statesman. 2008-06-27. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for State Treasurer of Missouri
1948
Succeeded by
Preceded by
George Hubert Bates
Democratic nominee for State Treasurer of Missouri
1956
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Milton Carpenter
Democratic nominee for State Treasurer of Missouri
1964
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by State Treasurer of Missouri
1949–1953
Succeeded by
Preceded by State Treasurer of Missouri
1957–1961
Succeeded by
Preceded by State Treasurer of Missouri
1965–1969
Succeeded by