John Morrison:

Newspaper Articles, Drawing, Census Records

John Morrison was head waiter at the Cataract House from the mid-1840s and perhaps earlier. With his wife Flora Piper Morrison, he owned property in both rural Ontario and Rochester, New York. As he trained waiters at the Cataract House in their professional duties, he also created a committed cadre of agents on the Underground Railroad, who helped people escape by rowing them across the Niagara River. 

Morrison was of both Black and indigenous descent and may (or may not) have escaped from slavery himself. 

For more on John Morrison’s involvement in the Underground Railroad, see Underground Railroad: Stories. 

1. Newspaper article:  

“The old Cataract House is still kept by Messrs Whitney, Jerauld & Co., who retain the services of the well known Morrison as head waiter.--It really did me good to look upon his face once more, in his accustomed place. The house is in thorough order, and merits a large share of public patronage.” 

May 16, 1857, New York Times. Correspondent from Boston Transcript. 

2. Drawing of John Morrison:  

Head Waiter at the Cataract House full blooded Indian a tall man” 

“1853 Pencil Sketches, Niagara Falls,” [Mrs. Rufus Howland], http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/230699. 

3. Census reports for John Morrison

These census reports list John Morrison’s age, sex (M=male), race (M=mulatto, B=Black), his occupation (waiter), his birthplace, ad whether or not he owned property. Different census records listed his birthplace in different places. In 1850, the census taker in Niagara Falls left the column for birthplace blank. In 1855, Morrison was listed as living in Rochester, with a birthplace as Maryland. In 1860, he was listed in both Niagara Falls (with a birthplace of Vermont) and Rochester (with a birthplace of South America). In Niagara Falls in 1865, the census take listed his birthplace as Illinois.

1850. Niagara Falls, September 6, 1850

1855.Rochester, June 20, 1855

1860.Niagara Falls, July 5, 1860 

1860.Rochester, August 20, 1860

1865.Rochester

4. Presentation of gold cane to John Morrison, 1856. 

John Morrison received a gold cane from African Americans in Niagara Falls and Lewiston at a celebration of the emancipation of slavery in British territories on August 1, 1856.