Erie Hall of Fame
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William Leverett Morrison Nominee: William Morrison..
Nominated by: Charles J. Jacques, Jr.

I came across William Morrison. He was an officer in the Erie Naval Reserve. He helped to make sure Niagara was correctly reconstructed. He then captained the Wolverine (Michigan) as it towed the Niagara around the Great Lakes as part of the Centennial Celebration. He was Erie's represented to ever port from Chicago, Toledo, Buffalo to Fairview, OH when the Niagara and Wolverine docked. He was Erie's ambassador to the rest of the country. He ran his crew from the Naval Reserve wit distinction. He ran into really bad weather when he left Chicago and turned back rather than risking the boats and his crew. He confronted politicians in Chicago who wanted to charge to come aboard the Niagara when it was free - provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and City of Erie. He fought with distancing in World War I. He served on the Utah and was part of the 6th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet. For fifteen months he served in the North Atlantic between Ireland and Iceland. The officers and crew of the Wolverine held a reunion on Morrison's birthday for many years. He was loved by his men. He served two terms in the state legislature. Morrison was a candidate for Mayor of Eire in 1926. He ran as a Republican but lost by a small margin. He was married to Katherine Mack Morrison, who became Erie's head librarian. She was the highest paid women in Erie for many years. One of the organizers of the Eire Yacht Club in 1894. In 1922 William Morrison was named he first superintendants of the Presque Isle State Park.

I am working on a book on Erie's Centennial Celebration of Perry's victory in 1913.

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