Bertha Florence Alden and Willard Whitcomb Morse

WILLARD WHITCOMB MORSE was born in July, 1865 in Michigan, and died May 9, 1948 in Hennepin County, Minnesota.⁷⁴ He is buried in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota.⁵²⁶¹

He married BERTHA FLORENCE ALDEN on May 15, 1888 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota,⁶⁴⁰⁷ daughter of MARIA ELIZABETH SHEDD and ALBERT MARTIN ALDEN. She was born November 20, 1866 in Spring Valley, Fillmore, Minnesota,¹⁷¹⁰ and died May 25, 1961 in Hennepin County, Minnesota.⁷⁴

Personal Information
Education
Clubs and Associations
Marriage Announcements and News
Newspaper Articles
Obituaries

Census Records

Children of BERTHA FLORENCE ALDEN and WILLARD WHITCOMB MORSE:

WILLARD ALDEN MORSE, b. September 17, 1889, Minnesota;⁷⁴ m. MARY JANET FRASER on December 1, 1920 in Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota⁵²⁶⁴; d. June 2, 1987, Hillcrest Health Care and Retirement Center, Minnetonka, Hennepin, Minnesota.^{74, 5339}
GUILFORD ALDEN MORSE, b. October 23, 1891, Minnesota;⁷⁴ m. ISABEL JANE BARTON on November 3, 1920 in Boise, Ada, Idaho³⁵⁵¹; d. May 23, 1970, Hennepin County, Minnesota.⁷⁴
MILDRED MORSE, b. July 29, 1893, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota;¹⁹⁸⁷ m. HARVARD SELDON ROCKWELL on November 28, 1918 in Hennepin County, Minnesota²⁰²⁴; d. July 16, 1966, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota.⁵²⁶⁶
PRISCILLA ALDEN MORSE, b. July 21, 1906, Hennepin County, Minnesota;⁷⁵ m. HERBERT MCCUNE RICHARDSON on June 12, 1928 in Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota⁵²⁶³; d. November 13, 2001.⁵⁶

Willard
Guilford
Mildred
Priscilla

Personal Information

Bertha Florence Alden was a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. ⁵²⁶⁰

Education

Bertha Florence Alden graduated from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota in 1888.⁵²⁶⁰

Clubs and Associations

Bertha F. Alden

Marriage Announcements and News

Minneapolis Tribune, May 16, 1888⁶⁴⁰⁷

ALDEN-MORSE.

Miss Bertha Florence Alden and Mr. Willard M. Morse were happily married last night at the home of the bride's sister, Mrs. James T. Elwell, Como avenue and Fifteenth avenue southeast. President J. W. Strong, of Carleton College, Northfield, officiated and was assisted by Rev. Geo. Padlock. The bride, a handsome young lady, wore a very pretty gown of cream surrah, with a veil and corsage bouquet of roses. Two little sisters of the bride dressed in white, each carrying a basket of pretty flowers, and a little brother carrying a bouquet escorted the bride and groom. About 100 guests were present, who after congratulating the young couple and wishing them all possible happiness in this life, sat down to partake of refreshments that were served by May & Sun.

Newspaper Articles

New York Times, July 16, 1890⁹²⁵⁷

A MILLION-DOLLAR FIRE

SECURITY WAREHOUSE COMPANY STORES AT MINNEAPOLIS DESTROYED.

MINNEAPOLIS, July 15.—The large seven-story warehouse of the Security Warehouse Company on First Street and Fourth Avenue North, owned by Wood & Morse, was entirely destroyed by fire, together with its contents, this afternoon, entailing a loss of nearly a million dollars. The fire caught upon the second floor of the building, and is supposed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion. It soon spread to the upper floors, which were filled with agricultural implements, while on the fourth floor were 500 tons of binding twine, which added fuel to the flames.

As soon as possible the firemen got to work, but were hampered by the intense heat. It was impossible for one to approach within 500 feet of the burning building unless his face was protected. Two men, W. W. Morse, on of the proprietors, and the engineer, were rescued by means of ladders from the fourth floor. They were almost blinded and suffocated by the dense smoke, which overhung everything, making it impossible to distinguish anything at a distance of ten feet.

On the south side was the large storehouse of the John Deere Company, which was saved by the heroic work of the firemen, although at one time it seemed as if the building was doomed to be crushed by the falling wires. Just at the rear stood the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad roundhouse, in which six engines stood in stalls. They were quickly removed, as it was feared that the house would be crushed by the walls, but happily this was not the case.

Upon the north stood a three-story stone building owned by Matt Kees and occupied as a dwelling house by a number of Jewish families. This was crushed flat, as was a one-story frame building used as a shipping room, in which was stored a quantity of machinery.

The burned warehouse was erected in April of this year, and was used as a storage and transfer warehouse, and was one of the largest establishments of its kind in Minneapolis. It cost about $50,000 and was insured for $35,000. The proprietors say they will rebuild at once.

The first floor was occupied as a shipping room, the second by offices, the third by the Appleton Manufacturing Company, the fifth and sixth by general storage, and the seventh by furniture.

The losses are as follows: National Cordage Company, binding twine, $235,000, insured; William Deering & Co. of Chicago, $125,000; Emerson, Talcott & Co., Rockford, Ill., $25,000; Grand Detour Plow Company, Dixon, Ill., $25,000; American Road Machine Company, Philadelphia, $10,000; Appleton Manufacturing Company, Appleton, Wis., $35,000; O. S. Kelly & Co., Springfield, Ohio, $10,000; L. Waterbury & Co., New York, $100,000; Wood & Morse, $50,000; miscellaneous loss, at least $200,000.

In addition to these amounts are the losses of individuals who had furniture stored. There was a large quantity of silverware burned. All the insurance save that on the building was held outside the city, and consequently the names of companies and amounts cannot be learned at this time.

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Minneapolis Morning Tribune, December 31, 1940⁵²⁶²

WILLARD W. MORSE, president of the Security Warehouse Company, came to Minneapolis in 1882, when the population was bout 40,000—when there wasn't a foot of paving in the city, and the wooden sidewalks were pock-marked with the brads from lumberjack's boots.

His first job was "clerking" for E. H. Steele, who owned the Boston One-Price Clothing Store—Mr. Steele soon decided that he was of more value in the office and transferred him—after two years he went to James McMillan and Company as bookkeeper and in 1886, with his savings of $500 and faith in himself and the future of the city, he took over the four-year old Security Warehouse Company, which was the first warehouse business in the state—and after "50 years of working like a nailer on the same corner" has developed it to its presnt operation of 16 large wholesale and manufacturing buildings in the city.

He became interested in the development of transportation on the Upper Mississippi in 1925 and in 1926 was appointed operating manager of the Barge line—and during his 7 years of service developed the fleet to 6 steamers and 45 barges.

He is a well-known figure in warehouse administration circles, having been president of both the state and national Warehousemen's Association—has been a trustee of Carleton College for many years, and has given freely of his time and money to civic projects.

He exercises in the winter by fishing in Florida and in the summer by walking to and from the Minneapolis Club for lunch each day—tried golf "once," but couldn't see "chasing a pill around a pasture."

He once had a farm but not any more—urban life pleases him—is known as the "original Hoover man" in Minnesota—reads "everything"—prefers history and biography—"The Life of J. P. Morgan" is the best new one—fiction doesn't interest him especially—"it is just somebody's guess."

He's a radio fan—news commentators first and then music interest him—likes opera, but wants it performed by top-notchers, and that goes for instrumental music as well.

He is a New Englander—and believes heartily in the old principles of work and thrift—fell in love with Minneapolis when he came here 58 years ago and still believes that it will become one of the nation's great centers in education, music, and art—as well as in commerce and manufacturing.

Obituaries

Minneapolis Morning Tribune, May 11, 1948⁵²⁶¹

WILLARD W. MORSE

Funeral services for Willard W. Morse, 83, 1635 W. Twenty-sixth street, prioneer warehouseman who died Sunday, will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Plymouth Congregational church, with burial in Lakewood cemetery.

A close friend of former president Herbert Hoover, Mr. Morse was a key figure in development of transportation on the Upper Mississippi river.

He was president of Security Warehouse Co., the first merchandise warehouse in this area, which he founded in 1883. He also was the first manager for Federal Barge Lines when its service was extended to Minneapolis.

Survivors include his wife, the former Bertha Alden; two sons, Willard A. and Guilford A.; and two daughters, Mrs. Harvard S. Rockwell and Mrs. Herbert McCune Richardson, all of Minneapolis.

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Minneapolis Morning Tribune, May 26, 1961⁵²⁶⁰

MRS. BERTHA ALDEN MORSE

Memorial services for Mrs. Bertha Alden Morse, 94, 1635 W. 26th St., who died Thursday will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Plymouth Congregational church chapel.

She lived in Minneapolis 89 years. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1888 and married the late Willard W. Morse, founder of the Security Warehouse Co. She was a member of Plymouth church, the Woman's club of Minneapolis, the Colonial Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Woman's Christian association and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra association.

Survivors include two sons, Willard A. and Guilford A., and two daughters, Mrs. Harvard S. Rockwell and Mrs. Herbert M. Richardson, all of Minneapolis; three sisters, Mrs. George S. Grimes, Minneapolis; Mrs. Archie Wheeler, Washington, and Mrs. Ruth Aldrich, Ojai, Calif., and a brother, Lyman Alden, Minneapolis.

Census Records

Date	Location	Enumerated Names
June 11, 1870⁴⁵⁸³	Spring Valley, Fillmore, Minnesota	Albert Martin Alden Maria Elizabeth Shedd Elizabeth Emma Alden William Albert Alden Jane Marcia Alden Bertha Florence Alden Edwin Worcester Alden
June 7, 1880⁴⁵⁸⁴	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Albert Martin Alden Elizabeth Emma Alden William Albert Alden Jane Marcia Alden Bertha Florence Alden Edwin Worcester Alden
June 13, 1900⁶¹⁶	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Willard Whitcomb Morse Bertha Florence Alden Willard Alden Morse Guilford Alden Morse Mildred Morse Eliza Rowell
April 22, 1910⁷⁸	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Willard Whitcomb Morse Bertha Florence Alden Willard Alden Morse Guilford Alden Morse
January 8, 1920⁶¹⁴	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Willard Whitcomb Morse Bertha Florence Alden Priscilla Alden Morse Willard Alden Morse
April 18, 1930⁶¹⁵	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Willard Whitcomb Morse Bertha Florence Alden
1940²⁶⁷⁶	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Willard Whitcomb Morse Bertha Florence Alden
April 3, 1950⁹⁵³⁹	Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota	Bertha Florence Alden Harvard Seldon Rockwell Mildred Morse Daughter Son