HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG5074.AM: Morris Family
Research: ca. 1995-1997
Seward County, Nebraska: Inventors
Size: 0.25 cu.ft.; 1 box
BACKGROUND NOTE
Born in Ohio on April 25, 1832, John H. Morris. He served with the 106th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. He married Henrietta Scott in 1867. Around 1873 or so they moved to Seward County, Nebraska, where several of Morris’ brothers were living. John and his brother William ran a mercantile business before coming to Nebraska. In 1876 John Morris patented his design for a multi-catch mouse trap called “The Delusion.” He and his brother William went on to patent several other kinds of traps, locks and other devices, but The Delusion was by far the most commercially successful. By 1900 John and Henrietta were living in Omaha and John’s occupation was listed as a lock manufacturer. John H. Morris died in Omaha on July 30, 1908. He us buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Omaha.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of one box of research materials collected and used by David Drummond for his 1997 Nebraska History article, “The Delusion of John Morris: A Better Mouse Trap and its Makers.” The collection documents Seward, Nebraska native John Morris’ patenting the first design for a multi-catch mouse trap (The Delusion) that enjoyed great commercial success. Also included are general research materials on the Morris family, as well as patent information for other inventions by John Morris and his brothers, William, Thomas and Henry.
INVENTORY
Box 1
Folder
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- Nebraska History article, “The Delusion of John Morris: A Better Mouse Trap and its Makers,” by David Drummond
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- Patent documents
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- General background information
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- Photos and illustrations of traps
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- Illustrations used in Nebraska History article
Subject headings:
Inventors — Nebraska
Mice — control
Morris family
Morris, Henry
Morris, John H., 1832-1908
Morris, Thomas D.
Morris, William, 1834-1880
Mousetraps — patents
Seward County (Nebraska) — History
TMM 02-12-2019
