Henrietta T. Morriss

Henrietta's Diploma from Art School

Henrietta Thomas Morriss was born on January 10, 1909 to Charles Morriss and Bessie Morriss in New Jersey. Her father, Charles Morriss, died in 1918 of pneumonia when Henrietta was only nine years old. He was born in 1881 and worked in Mahwah for the Erie Railroad Company starting around 1901. He was a member and secretary of the Hohokus Lodge and part of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Charles Morriss was also a member of the Hohokus Board of Education (Obituary, Ramsey Journal 1918).

Henrietta’s mother Bessie Morriss was the sister of Andrew Hagerman, an old Mahwah family. Bessie Morriss died in 1928 at the age of forty one from complications from pneumonia. Bessie Morriss was a clerical worker who worked as an assistant to her father who was an agent at the Mahwah station. Her last position was working for Winter and Son as a confidential clerk. Bessie Morriss was also a member of the Ramapo Reformed Church and taught Sunday school. She was also a member of the Jr. O.U.A.M., Mahwah Council. (Ramsey Journal, obituary 1928).

When Henrietta’s father died, Bessie became head of the household. After Bessie’s death, Henrietta and her brother Charles Morriss went to live with their Uncle Andrew Hagerman and Aunt Edna Hagerman. Andrew Hagerman was the brother of Bessie Morriss, and had to take care of what to do with her property that she owned next door to the Hagermans. As per the 1920 census, Bessie lived near her brother, which would make it easier for Henrietta and Charles to live with them after Bessie’s passing.

Henrietta Morriss graduated from Ramsey High School in 1927 and then went to school in New York. In 1930 she received a teaching certificate from the New York School of Applied and Fine Arts. According to her obituary, she worked at a teacher in Upsala College in East Orange, however, the dates of that position are currently unknown.

In 1933, Henrietta Morriss married Jay Frank Young. According to the 1940 census, Henrietta Morriss-Young worked as a secretary at the Coal Feed Hay Business. Henrietta and Jay Frank Young had one daughter, Martha Young on April 20, 1940. Henrietta Morriss-Young died on August 11, 1984 at age 75. At her death, Henrietta Morriss Young was a member of the Ramapo Reformed Church and a member of the AARP (Ramsey Journal, August 1984).