Morris was formed from the Town of Butternuts in April 1849. The town was named after General Jacob Morris (the son of Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence), who was granted land due to property lost during the revolution. In 1859, a part of Town of Pittsfield was transferred to Morris.
Historical data shows a population of 2155 in 1850, 2038 in 1855, 2320 in 1860, 2191 in 1865, 2253 in 1870, and 2303 in 1875. After this, local population declined, the textile mills closed, numbers of sheep plummeted, hops began to give way to dairying, and the local bank failed after speculating in silver mines in New Mexico.
Passages that mention Morris, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Morris County, New Jersey1914 · page 195Read the page →
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of Hanover from the township of Rockaway; thence southwesterly along said line to the point or place of beginning, is hereby set off from the said township of Rockaway, and shall from and after the passage of this act, constitute and be known as “The Township of Denville, in the County of Morris;’’ and the inhabitants of the said township of Denville are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate and shall be governed by the same general laws as other townships in said county of Morris. — (Session Laws of 1913, chap. 352, p. 769.)
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History of Morris County, New Jersey1882 · page 21Read the page →
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Works towards Succasunning, and crossing Whippenung Bridge, and from thence to Succasunning, and from thence to the great pond on the head of Musconecung, do part the Township of Hanover from the Township of Morris; which part of the county of Morris. Lying as aforesaid, to the Southward and Westward of said roads, lines and places, is ordered by the Court to be and remain a Township, District or Precinct, and to be called and distin-
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A history of Morris County, New Jersey1914 · page 220Read the page →
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The largest and most important institution is the College of St. Elizabeth which lies also partly in Morris township at Convent Station on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad, that station being in Morris township. This large and well known institution of the Roman Catholic Church was formerly known as St. Elizabeth’s Academy and was established in Newark, New Jersey, by the Sisters of Charity of that diocese. They were not well located in Newark, and finally succeeded in purchasing from Bishop Bayley the “Chegaray Mansion” on the Madison and Whippany road,
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Biographical and genealogical history of Morris County, N.J1899 · page 232Read the page →
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the Illinois Central Railroad Company as land examiner and surveyor, but before the end of a year returned to Morris county and re-entered the employ of the Morris & Essex Railroad Company, whose line afterward became a part of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. For a time he served as assistant station agent at Jersey City and then was appointed station agent at Morristown, where he was located at the time of the breaking out of the Civil war.
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Morris, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1800s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (5), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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