2nd wife:  Alice Carroll

1st wife:  Caroline Chestnut

Photographs

Children with Vinie
Children with 1st Wife
Father's page

Biography

1874

Wiley was the sixth child / fourth son of seven children born to William John Morrell and Martha Elizabeth Sanders Morrell. He was born near Harold, Florida on February 15, 1874.

1895

Wiley married Caroline Chestnut around 1904.

1909

After the death of Vinie Louisa Cooper on January 9, 1909, Wiley petitioned the County Court of Santa Rosa for the guardianship of Wade and Alfred Cooper. In July of 1909, Wiley divorced his wife, Caroline Chestnut.

1912

Wiley married his second wife, Alice Carroll, on May 5, 1912 in Milton, Santa Rosa County, Florida. Seven months later he was murdered on December 24, 1912 by Ed Taylor. Wiley's final resting place is next to Vinie Louisa Cooper in the old Cooper Cemetery near Cooper basin.

notes

He was still married to Caroline when he fathered two sons with Vinie Louisa Cooper. It wasn't until after Vinie's death in 1909 that Wiley started proceedings to divorce his wife Caroline Chestnut. In his last will and testament he left all his worldly position to his wife Alice and his two sons. Jasper and Dewey. There was no mention of his two sons by Vinie Louisa Cooper.

Below is the court record of Wiley's petition:

IN THE COUNTY JUDGE'S COURT SANTA ROSA COUNTY, STATE OF FLORIDA.
To the Honor of J. T. Wiggans County Judge of said Court.
Wiley Morrell brings this his petition to your Honor and shows.

1. That on the 9th day of January A. D. 1909 Viney Cooper died leaving the following infant children namely, Wade Cooper age five (5) years and Alfred Cooper age one (1) year, that said children are now left orphans without either parents.

2. That the said Viney Cooper had previously taken up homestead entry No. 35988 for the North East quarter of section 36, township 2 North of range 27 West, in Santa Rosa County, State of Florida, consisting of 160 Acres of land.

3. That the said Wade Cooper and Alfred Cooper heirs of the said Viney Cooper deceased, are now living with your partitioner's mother and sister and are without any one to look out for their interest in said property other than your partitioner, that your partitioner since the death of the said Viney Cooper has been managing and controlling and looking out for the best interest of the said children since the death of their said mother but that there is no one who's legal duty it is to look after and care for the interest of said minors, by reason where of it is necessary for a guardian of the estate and persons of the said minors should be appointed.

Your partitioner therefore prays your Honor that you appoint your partitioner guardian of the estate and persons of the said minors until they should become of lawful age. And also in duty bound your partitioner will every pray etc.

The document had Wiley's (X) mark, because he could neither read nor write. 

Six days after the death of Wiley Morrell, on December 30, 1912, Wade Cooper and his younger brother, Alfred Cooper, were placed under the guardianship of Fred Phillips by J. T. Wiggins, the County Judge of Santa Rosa County.

It is believed that Fred's wife's name was Nance Morrell one of the sisters of Wiley Morrell...