Lizzie M. Hitchcock Morley

Following nineteenth-century etiquette, Lizzie M. Hitchcock Morley is unfailingly referred to as Mrs. George Walter Morley.  However, an outline of her community involvement gleaned from period newspapers hints at the fullness and richness of her life.  Her obituary provides a concise sketch of her life:

Morley home on the Grove in Saginaw.

“Death of Geo.  W. Morley

The death of Mrs. George Walter Morley which occurred early this morning at Atlantic City, N.J., will be received with profound sorrow by her many friends. It was hoped when she left for the east two months ago that she might return in better health. She was, however, but temporarily benefited by the change and for the last several days her family have regarded her condition as serious, but not alarming. For several years Mrs. Morley has suffered with heart disease, which was the cause of her death.

Lizzie M. Hitchcock was born Nov. 3, 1842, in Painesville, O., where she lived until her marriage, June 15, 1875. She was a daughter of Judge and Mrs. Reuben Hitchcock, neither of whom are now living. Two brothers, Peter M. Hitchcock, of Cleveland, O., Edward Hitchcock, of Northfield, Minn., and one sister, Mrs. Fred H. Morley, of Colorado Springs, survive her.

Besides her husband and his two children, Mrs. George H. Boyd and John Edward Morley, of Cleveland, O., she leaves two sons, Reuben H. and George Walter Morley, her only daughter, Sallie Marshall, having died when a child.

Mrs. Morley was devoted to her family and home; a sincere and sympathetic friend; deeply religious, being a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal church; interested in all charitable works, to which she always gave liberally; she was a woman of great refinement and culture, with gracious, charming manners.

Mr. Morley was on his way to Atlantic City, when the news of his wife’s death was received. Their sons, Reuben and Walter, were with her, as also were her friend, Mrs. C.S. Draper. They will meet Mr. Morley in Philadelphia this evening and will leave immediately for Saginaw.

No arrangements for the funeral have yet been made.”  (The Saginaw Evening News, January 4, 1897.)

Although a portrait of her husband George W. Morley, Sr. is displayed in the Morley Room at the Castle Museum, we were unable to secure a portrait of Lizzie M. Hitchcock.  

This link will take you to the history and additional photographs of Mrs. G.W. Morley’s residence in the Grove – a home for several generations of the Morley family. After her 1896 marriage, Letitia M. Boyd and husband shared the home with her father, George Morley.  This link will take you to the story of the house.

The Recipe: Mrs. G.W. Morley’s Croutons

Butter bread on the loaf and cut in slices ½ inch thick, remove the crust, and cut in small diamonds or squares, and brown in oven.

From The Saginaw Cookbook, second, 1900 edition.

CTK Interpretation:

White bread – we used Napolitano Kitchen White

Softened Butter

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butter bread. Cut off crust, and make an attempt to cut bread into precisely, cut squares or triangles - the CTK staff didn’t feel confident in attempting the suggested diamond form.

Place on cookie sheet and bake until top is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Turn croutons and bake another 4 – 5 minutes.

Although a little time consuming, these are simple to make and quite wonderful  - they are worth the effort.