182 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



A MASTER MARKET MAKER 



71. Another German born citizen of America who rose from 

 as humble beginnings as Captain Pabst (47) and who became 

 fully as influential a financial figure in the business world previ- 

 ous to his death, was Nelson Morris, Chicago packer and opera- 

 tor on the Board of Trade. Mr. Morris was born in a small settle- 

 ment in the Black Forest, Germany, January 21, 1839. He was 

 practically self-educated, since he came to the United States at 

 the age of twelve, an4 to Chicago at the age of fifteen. Here 

 he secured employment in the stockyards and two years later laid 

 the foundations of the packing business of MoRRis and Company 

 by entering business for himself. The growth of his big organiza- 

 tion was gradual, and throughout the 80's and 90's he was able to 

 add quite materially to its scope through some profitable opera- 

 tions on the Board of Trade. 



In 1863 he married Sarah Vogel, and reared four children: 

 Edward Morris, who succeeded him at the head of the industry; 

 Ira Nelson Morris, who has been closely connected in various 

 official capacities with the corporation, and who since 1913 has 

 occupied various diplomatic positions, among them being U. S. 

 Minister to Sweden; Gusta Morris, who became the wife of 

 Maurice L. Rothschild, head of the Chicago clothing store, 

 and Maud, the wife of M. Martineau, now living in London. 



Upon the incorporation of the partnership of Morris & Co., 

 Nelson Morris became president, an4 for a number of years 

 was also president of the Fairbank Canning Co., in which he 

 held a large financial interest. He was a director of the first Na- 

 tional Bank, of the Stock Yards Savings Bank, and the People's 

 Trust and Savings Bank. He died August 27, 1907, at the age of 

 68 years, leaving a business of large proportions as a monument 

 to his shrewd business judgment and his unswerving constructive 

 purpose. 



