William R. Morrison

William Ralls Morrison (September 14, 1824 - September 29, 1909) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Born on a farm at Prairie du Long, near the present town of Waterloo, Illinois, Morrison attended the common schools and McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois.He served in the war with Mexico.He went to California with the gold seekers in 1849, but returned to Illinois in 1851.He studied law.He was admitted to the bar in 1855 and commenced practice in Waterloo, Illinois.He served as clerk of the circuit court of Monroe County, Illinois from 1852 to 1854.He served as member of the State house of representatives 1854-1860, 1870, and 1871, and served as speaker in 1859 and 1860. Organized and was colonel of the Forty-ninth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. While in command of his regiment in the field was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-eighth Congress (March 4, 1863-March 3, 1865).He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1864 for reelection to the Thirty-ninth Congress and in 1866 for election to the Fortieth Congress.He continued the practice of law in Waterloo, Illinois.

Morrison was elected to the Forty-third and to the six succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1873-March 3, 1887).He served as chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means (Forty-fourth, Forty-eighth, and Forty-ninth Congresses), Committee on Public Lands (Forty-fifth Congress), Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (Forty-sixth Congress).He was an unsuccessful candidate for the United States Senate in 1885.He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1886 to the Fiftieth Congress.He served as delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1856, 1868, 1884, and 1888.He was also a delegate to the Union National Convention at Philadelphia in 1866.He was appointed in 1887 by President Cleveland a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Reappointed by President Harrison on January 5, 1892, and served from March 22, 1887, to December 31, 1897.He was chairman of the commission from March 19, 1892, to the end of his term.He resumed the practice of law in Waterloo, Illinois, and died there September 29, 1909.He was interred in Waterloo Cemetery.

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