Amanda (Hatton) Morrison

Amanda “Mandy” Hatton Morrison was born on November 5, 1879, in Kentucky, the daughter of John Hatton and Mary Pitts Hatton. In 1880, she was just a six-month-old baby living with her parents in Powell County, Kentucky — the beginning of a life that would be deeply rooted in the hills and hollows of eastern Kentucky.

She grew up during a time when families relied on the land and on one another. Like many girls of her generation, Mandy’s childhood would have been filled with chores, younger siblings, church gatherings, and the steady rhythm of rural life. Her early years were shaped by hard work, close family ties, and the traditions that defined Appalachian communities.

On April 18, 1896, in Menifee County, Kentucky, Mandy married Ephraim Morrison. Their marriage bond was recorded in Frenchburg, and the union marked the beginning of nearly six decades of shared life. Together they built a home and raised a family in the Leatherwood and Indian Creek areas of Menifee County.

Census records through the years show Mandy as a farm wife and homemaker, devoted to her household and children. Life was not easy, but it was steady. She lived through the turn of the century, two world wars, the Great Depression, and the many changes that came to rural Kentucky in the 20th century — all while keeping her family anchored.

Mandy was known to be an active member of the Church of God, a faith community that would have provided spiritual comfort and social connection throughout her life. Church was often the center of community life, and her membership speaks to her values and the role faith played in her daily world.

She was widowed in 1951 after the passing of her husband, Ephraim. Even in her later years, she remained connected to her large and growing family. When she passed away in 1965 at the age of 85, she left behind not only children, but generations of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren — a living legacy of the life she had built.

Amanda “Mandy” Hatton Morrison was laid to rest in Fagan Cemetery in Menifee County, Kentucky, the same hills where she had spent most of her life. Her story is one of endurance, faith, family, and the quiet strength of a woman who helped shape generations to come.