1900 B. N. Morris Canoe

[Bill Thurlow]

I recently checked out a 17' B. N. Morris canoe serial #419, built in 1900 I believe from what research I've done. That's the good news, the hull of the canoe is in good condition because at some point it was fiberglassed, that's some of the bad news. also both stems are in poor condition and have had poor past repairs. If anyone wants to save this canoe I can put you in contact with the owner in Maine. The canoe is located in Maine.

 

[Michael Grace]

Please share photos of the canoe, any interesting details, and the serial number if possible. It would be interesting to see them. Thanks for trying to help save this one.

 

[Bill Thurlow]

Will post some pictures tomorrow.

 

[MGC]

Pictures and details...
I am curious to learn more about your research that dates the canoe. If the build date is determined from the Morris dating table I created, keep in mind that there are a number of assumptions that lead to those serial number assignments including most importantly that I accepted what has long been assumed to be correct, that Morris began putting tags on his canoes in 1900. As far as I have able to tell, there has never been any specific information located that confirms that assumption. It is simply accepted if you choose to use my table to assign a date. There were of course other assumptions made in the creation of the table, assumptions that were once included along with it. Those assumptions did not all find their way into Katherine's book.
What is best said if you use the Morris Dating table, is that a canoe is built Circa 1900 (in this case) rather than that is specifically built then. It is possible it was built in 1899, or possibly 1901. I have no way of knowing that with certainty.

Also take into consideration that Morris created a direct to market sales channel and offered his Veazie canoes for sale. An short deck Veazie will have a distinctive deck style, but the long deck canoes and later ones are easily mistaken for Morris canoes. There is currently a discussion on this site about brass tag #320, which was originally believed to be a Morris, until a Veazie decal was identified on it's coaming.
Hence the need for photos and details. Morris characteristics changed over time so knowing what to look for can help to validate what the tag is trying to tell us.

Whatever the case, that sounds like a pretty cool canoe.
Mike

 

[Bill Thurlow]

Yes I just used your table, I believe it was a short deck canoe, however, not much is left of them. The stems have had a very bad repair job at some time in it's life. I would take it on myself if I didn't have six canoes now, two of which are Morris. I have three of them still waiting for restoration. I will see if the owner can send me a picture or two of the decks. It's about an hour and half from me not easy for me.

Bill

 

[MGC]

The location of the tag suggests a newer canoe (newer than 1900) or possibly a Veazie. The tags began appearing on the stem around 1908.
Hopefully there is enough left of the decks to use them for identification.

 

[ReedLeb]

Thanks for posting about this Morris. I also have a Morris, along with tooo many other project canoes. I'm in NH and wondering where in Maine it is located? I might consider a look see at it.

 

[Bill Thurlow]

The canoe is located on Mount Desert Island (MDI), I only have this picture of the deck. Will be getting more tomorrow.

 

[MGC]

That's a Veazie with the so called (and earlier) keyhole decks.
If there is any associated provenance it might be useful for determining Veazie build dates.
Based upon what we can see, it is a canoe that likely dates between 1908 and 1913/14ish.
What I find interesting is the relative low numbers of canoes that Morris built with the Veazie branding. Considering that he continued to offer Veazie's through 1919/20, there were relatively few of them built, or so it seems,
There may be some of these that have been incorrectly identified as Morris canoes.
If not for (in this case) the suspiciously low SN and the distinctive deck, how would you know? In later years (post 1913ish) when they shared the same short decks, you would not be able to tell them apart.
That was the case with SN 320. Were it not for the faded decal I found on the coaming, it is identical to any other Morris with long decks, except with a low SN.

Mike

 

[Bill Thurlow]

Thanks Mike, An important fact I forget to mention was that the ribs are mortised into the inwale. I received another picture of the other deck, however even less of it is still there.

 

[MGC]

You are welcome, Bill.
The jury is out on those mortised inside rails. For a builder as revered, the mortised ribs stand out .
Anyone who has ever had to deal with replacing or repairing them has probably uttered a few choice words about them.
Rushton copied that design in his early rag canoes and quickly saw the light. Morris kept on building them that way on his closed rail hulls. It becomes quite obvious why canoes were eventually made with open gunwales.

 

[Bill Thurlow]

Thanks I forwarded the info to the owner, hopefully we can find someone who wants to save it.

 

[ReedLeb]

Thanks for the info Bill. I love going to MDI but not in the cards right now.
If I had it, it would just sit under cover until I found someone to take it on.
I hope someone can at least get it somewhere safe and then on to someone who can put the time and effort into it.

 

[Todd F]

I need to make a trip north to CT in the not too distant future. While MDI is quite further would hate to see it go to waste.

 

[Bill Thurlow]

I won't let it go to waste, if no one is going to take it on I will save it myself.

 

[1905Gerrish]

Thats my old canoe. Not sure how it made it up that way!

 

[Todd F]

Bill, will hit you up in a PM

 

[Bill Thurlow]

Zachary: Do you have any history on this Morris?? The gentlemen I think collected things, 4 canoes, jeep etc. Still trying identify one of the canoes.
Bill

 

[MGC]

As has been previously noted, the canoe is a Veazie.
One might argue that a Veazie is a Morris, but Burt made a very deliberate effort to separate those businesses.
Referring to it as a 1900 Morris is misleading. The canoe is not that early.

 

[1905Gerrish]

Bill,
Honestly, I can't remember where I got the canoe from not that it matters. I took this photo of it 10 years ago and I can't even remember who I sold it to. I'm either getting too old, or I've dealt with too many canoes over the years. I did know it was a Veazie-Morris when I sold it and I had notified Kathy of the serial number. It did have some really nice spray foam for flotation with the glassed over decks.
Zack