It almost seems like the information about Grant and the Morris factory contains typos or something... it just doesn't make sense. We know that the Morris brothers-- Bert and Charlie-- started the business. The obituary of Bert Morris from 1940 states Bert started the factory in 1892, which is consistent with catalogs and letters and such that have been discovered over the years.
This is the part that seems, to me, to contain a typo in regard to the year, and the word "opened": "Grant was born on June 16th, 1881 and when just a youth opened the Morris Canoe Company in Veazie, Maine. The year was 1909."
Grant wouldn't have been "a youth" in 1909; he'd have been 28 years of age. I'm thinking that "when just a youth" he joined the Morris Company... and that would possibly have been pre-1900... when he was a mere lad.
The connections among the canoe builders fascinate me: looking at Bert Morris' obit again, I see he was survived (in addition to his wife) by his niece, Mrs. B.L. King, and two cousins, Mrs. George White and Mrs. O.J. Fuller. I believe the niece was the daughter of Charles Morris. One of these days-- when the snow is deep and I am stuck at home with my nice, warm computer at hand-- I plan to do some genealogical research... maybe see how some of these family trees intersect.
Kathy