MORRIS AND AGNES STECK FAMILY

George A. Steck, father of Morrison, was born on a southern Pennsylvania farm in Franklin County, on the eastern slopes of "The Great Barrier" (Appalachians). The homestead was not far from Mercerburg, a borough on the turnpike that ran from Carlisle to Chambersburg. George was the third son of six strong and healthy boys that were blessed to Philip and Eva (Alchburch) Steck, and with their help the farm took shape.

Sometime in the middle 1850's, George and his younger brother, John, left for the new state of Iowa. They filed claim to public lands in Lucas County and returned to Ohio and Pennsylvania. In Ohio they married the Crall sisters, Rebecca and Carolyn. After visiting in Pennsylvania, they returned to Iowa with their brides and built their cabins and started a long, joyous, love-filled life.
Meanwhile Jacob Steck, George's oldest brother, had purchased land in Illinois, his farm was northwest of Naperville, joining the south Mathias Barkdoll's noted Warrenhurst Stock Farm. This farm was famous for its prize Percheron horses.

Back in Iowa, George's family continued to grow. On June 2, 1863 the sixth child was born, and Rebecca gave the boy the name of Morrison Ellsworth. He joined his three brothers Henry, Samuel and Stephen and his two sisters Linda and Sophia. Following his birth, there were two more brothers---Jacob and George--- and two more sisters, Mary and Martha.
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Morrison grew to manhood, and at the age of 21, in the year 1884, he bid farewell to his family and friends, and began to walk to Naperville to visit his uncle Jacob and cousins. He walked from Russel, Iowa, following the Burlington Railroad and Route 34, and hitching an occasional ride on a wagon. While visiting with his uncle, he was informed that a farmer, John Erb I, was in need of an experienced hired hand, especially livestock.

While working on the Erb farm, Morris began to court Sarah Agnus, John's oldest daughter. About a year after the death of Sarah's mother, she and Morris were married. They stayed on the farm to help raise the younger children, until they moved to a farm they purchased south of Naperville that had been the Leppert estate. Springbrook Creek ran through the western edge.

They later purchased the Boebel farm of 100 acres on the north side of the original farm.
Five sons, Harlan, Les, Lloyd, Doyle and John and a daughter were born to Morris and Agnes. But tragedy came when their only daughter died in infancy. The boys became well known in the Naperville area. Harlan farmed the Steck farms all his life. Les farmed the Bapst, George Martin and Hartman farms. From 1924 to 1961 he farmed the Charlie Shiffler farm southwest of Naperville. He was township commissioner and was known to thousands of the town's children as Santa Claus. Lloyd farmed west of Warrenville all his life. Doyle farmed the Caroline Mitchell farm for many years, and was a Fire Engineer for Naperville until his retirement. John worked for the Naperville Boiler Works and would help his brothers on the farms every chance he could.

On February 4, 1923 Morris suffered a double paralytic stroke, which left him crippled for eleven years. He had been a director in the Springbrook School and an active worker in the old Milk Producers Association. He was still a member of the Church of the Brethren when he passed away peacefully on August 9, 1934

Kenneth Johnson and they have Kevin and Carrie.Caroline Jean married Donald Sigmund and their children are Roger and Kenneth. The following are descendants of Morris and Agnes Steck.

Harlan married Ruth Myers and their children are Virginia (Harold Olsen), Glen (deceased) and Catherine Gayle (Willard Hill).Leslie married Reba Otto.Lloyd married Lillis Ferry. Their daughter is Grace (Richard Schmidt).Doyle married Esther Hollingsworth. Their children are Charles, Caroline Jean, (Donald Sigmund), Marilyn Robert Grewe and Robert (Shirley Soverign).John married Audrey Wells and their children are Johnell (Alden Bos) and Sandra (Floyd Page). There are two more generations of the Morris and Agnes Steck family tree.