Elderly American character actor who claimed to be the last descendent of the Morse family who were identified with the development of the telegraph in the 19th century.
His entry in the 1860 U.S. Census (6 Jun) -- the earliest findable record for him -- gives his age as 2 years old and his birthplace as Wisconsin; the Morse family is residing in Boonville, Missouri. If we indeed go by the 24 March birth date given on his death certificate, then his year of birth should be 1858. The 1880 U.S. Census (10 Jun) and the 1900 U.S. Census (1 Jun) both also give his birthplace as Wisconsin, with the former also suggesting 1858 as his year of birth; the latter explicitly gives his birth date as Mar 1859. His death certificate gives his year of birth as 1856, and his birthplace as Boonville, Missouri, the Morse family's residence in 1860.
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