Fonds
In the early part of the 19th century the Felton family established themselves as farmers in the Eastern Townships of Lower Canada. Both John Felton and his brother, William Bowman Felton had served with the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. However, John Felton was court-martialed in 1809 over the sinking of his ship, the Curieux. During the 1850s John was re-appointed to his old rank after extensive correspondence with the British admiralty. Lt. Col. William Morris of the British army came to Canada in 1835 and was a landowner in both Cape Breton and the Eastern Townships. His son, Livingston E. Morris (1822-1884) studied law in Montréal. Livingston married Isabella Felton, the youngest daughter of William Bowman Felton in 1859. Their son William Morris (1862-n.d.) attended Bishop's College in Lennoxville and later practiced law in Sherbrooke. By the 1890s, William Morris was described as a prominent Conservative lawyer in Sherbrooke and served as the mayor of the Township of Ascot from 1893 to 1901. A leader in the community, Morris was a director of the Empire Trust Company, the chairman of the Board of Trustees for Bishop's College and a president of the Eastern Townships Agricultural Association. He married Margaret C. Scarth in 1898.
(Source: Guide to Archival Resources at McGill University: Private Papers at McGill University. McGill University Archives. 1985. Vol. 3, p. 218.)
Scope and Content
The John Felton papers concern his naval and civil service careers. Incoming correspondence from British admiralty officials deals with his re-instatement in the British navy after his court martial, 1855-1861, and there is correspondence with government officials on the subject of his resignation as a crown lands officer, 1865. Also included are marriage certificates, 1811, 1820, a will, 1837, and other genealogical material on the Felton family, n.d.
The William Morris papers deal with his political activities and provide genealogical information on the Morris family. His papers contain political correspondence from John Smythe Hall, 1894-1895, and with Robert Borden on Morris' suggestions for the new cabinet, 1911, on conscription, and on the Union government and patronage, 1917. There are two scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and military certificates which document the history of the family, 1839-1911. Also included in the papers is the correspondence of Lt. Col. William Morris and his heirs concerning a land grant in Cape Breton, 1846-1872.
The fonds consist of three series: Felton family, Morris family, Scrapbooks.
(Source: Guide to Archival Resources at McGill University: Private Papers at McGill University. McGill University Archives. 1985. Vol. 3, p. 218.)
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