Mount Etna Morris
1949-1953; 1957-1961; 1965-1969

Mount Etna Morris (Democrat), the thirty-first state treasurer, was born in Dadeville, Missouri on September 1, 1900. He was educated in the Dadeville Public Schools, Walnut Grove High School, Southwest Missouri State College and the University of Missouri.  He served his country in World War I. Mr. Morris organized and operated the Peoples Bank of Miller, Missouri, from 1928-1936, and represented Lawrence County in the legislature for two terms, from 1932-1936.  In 1936 he became executive officer of the Trenton National Bank, also serving as chairman of the Committee on Legislation of the Missouri Bankers Association and a member of the Board of Regents of Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville.  He became commissioner of the State Division of Finance in April 1945, and then appointed director of the newly created Department of Revenue on July 1, 1946.  In November 1948, Mr. Morris was elected to the office of state treasurer at the annual salary of $7,500.  He was able to operate with fewer employees (28) because of the transfer of tax agencies to the Department of Revenue.  Upon expiration of his term as state treasurer, Governor Phil M. Donnelly reappointed him Director of Revenue where he served through 1956, when he was again elected state treasurer at the increased salary of $15,000 per year, with a total of 24 employees.  He married to Miss Helen Adamson of Everton on December 24, 1922 and they had two children.  He died on July 8, 1988.