Posted By: Dreama Baker
Date Posted: Jun 7, 2009
Description: This picture of Balaam Eugene Lewallen (1872-1952) was taken when he was 27 years old. His parents were Robert H. Lewallen and Martha Ann Morris Lewallen.
Date Taken: 1899
Place Taken: T
Owner: Tennessee
Billie Harris - Jun 7, 2009
Dreama, the photo shows that's Eugene Lewallen Morris. Is it the same person as Balaam Eugene Lewallen?
Dorothy Campbell - Jun 7, 2009
Dreama,
Was his legal name Lewallen or Morris? You said he assumed Morris, but was it legal?
Dreama Baker - Jun 7, 2009
Balaam Eugene lewallen is Eugene Morris. He assumed the surname Morris in 1911, but not through any legal procedure. All his children became Morris also, but knew their actual identity, and his grandchildren are called Morris. After 1911, his business transactions, including the buying of property, were conducted in the name of Morris. He and his wife Ida were buried as Morrises in Patton Cemetery, Meadow Bridge, Fayette County, West Virginia. He was a Shriner and an Oddfellow as a Lewallen and as a Morris. Maybe there was more leeway for name changes in those days than there is now.
Dorothy Campbell - Jun 8, 2009
Wonder how many of the name changes in our family were just assumed and how many were changed legally? Bet there are a lot more that were assumed also. Interesting.
Melba Boyd - Jun 9, 2009
Just like the name Lewellen, there are so many different spellings of this name as we all know. When I was growing up here in Shep there were some Lewallens that also lived here, that my mother, Albany Hurt Ballard, daughter of Texas Lewellen Hurt & Catlett Bascome Hurt , said we were not related to those with the Lewallen spelling, but now I know that we were. Some that are buried in the Bluff Creek Cemetery where John & Emely Lewellen are buried are James, Winnie and Ruff all with the Lewallen spelling.