The Morris Family Trust was established in 2021, bequeathed from Dan & Lois Morris to their grandchildren. Over the course of their lifetime, Dan and Lois assembled a remarkable collection of family photographs, letters, documents, antiques, and Americana that spans more than a century.

Daniel Thomas Morris was born June 1, 1928 in Lansing, MI, a son of George and Teresa (Cline) Morris. He proudly served with the US Navy as a radioman from 1946-1948. On September 22, 1951, he married Lois Brink and they were married for 68 years. Daniel enjoyed his farm, hunting, and Detroit Tigers baseball. He was on the Victor Township Board of Trustees for 38 years, Clinton County Zoning Board of Appeals for 32 years and a Charter Member of Laingsburg Ambulance (Now LSW Emergency Services). Prior to his retirement in 1986, he had been employed by Motor Wheel for 38 years.

Lois Elaine Morris was born November 24, 1931 in Laingsburg, Michigan, the daughter of John S. and Vera (Gilbert) Brink. She was a graduate of Laingsburg High School and went on to attend Lansing Business College. She married Daniel Morris in Laingsburg on September 22, 1951, celebrating 68 years of marriage. Lois enjoyed shopping, traveling, and antique collecting. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Laingsburg, a member of the Round Lake Ladies Club, and a former member of the Laingsburg Community Singers. She worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for 35 years and was a member of the American Businesswomen’s Association.

Later in life, Dan cared for his mother, Teresa (Morris) Wing. Simultaneously, Lois cared for their next-door neighbor of 60 years, Ina Halsted. The Morris grandchildren have many cherished childhood memories with both 'Grandma Toby' and 'Nan'. After their respective passings in 2006 & 2009, Dan & Lois lovingly stewarded the personal & familial belongings of both ladies, now part of the MFTA collection.

This archive exists to sort, catalog, properly store, and ultimately share that collection. The materials represent the histories of the Morris, Brink, Halsted, and Wing/Cline family lines, as well as a broader record of life in Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, Michigan.

Alongside the family material, the collection includes Victorian-era artifacts, historic relics, and a wide variety of rare antiques collected by Dan over many decades.

We are not professional historians — only novice family history buffs working through the collection piece by piece. If you have additional information about any item, a correction, or a story to share, we would love to hear from you.