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Morris was reared in [[Amarillo]], Texas, where his mother was an elementary school teacher.<ref name=utsa/> His family business, the C. B. Morris Company, was among the first family farm corporations in the state. As a youth, he attained the rank of [[Eagle Scout]]. He received a Bachelor of Arts; two master's degrees, one in community planning and the other in [[Slavic languages]], and the Ph.D. in geography and planning. All of his studies were at the [[University of Texas at Austin]], at which he also competed in [[fencing]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?pid=184352934#sthash.KOeAHMFC.dpuf|title=John Miller Morris, Jr.|publisher=''Austin American-Statesman''|date=March 5, 2017}}</ref>

Morris was reared in [[Amarillo]], Texas, where his mother was an elementary school teacher.<ref name=utsa/> His family business, the C. B. Morris Company, was among the first family farm corporations in the state. As a youth, he attained the rank of [[Eagle Scout]]. He received a Bachelor of Arts; two master's degrees, one in community planning and the other in [[Slavic languages]], and the Ph.D. in geography and planning. All of his studies were at the [[University of Texas at Austin]], at which he also competed in [[fencing]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?pid=184352934#sthash.KOeAHMFC.dpuf|title=John Miller Morris, Jr.|publisher=''Austin American-Statesman''|date=March 5, 2017}}</ref>

His study ''El Llano Estacado'' is the definitive work on the history, geography, peoples, and culture  of the region of West Texas known as the "Staked Plains".<ref name=obit/> He also authored ''A Private in the Texas Rangers: A. T. Miller of Company B, Frontier Battalion''<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-private-in-the-texas-rangers-john-miller-morris/1114291339|title=A Private in the Texas Rangers|publisher=[[Texas A&M University]] Press|date=2001|isbn=9780890969649|access date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> and ''Taming the Land: The Lost Postcard Photographs of the Texas High Plains''.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-the-land-john-miller-morris-jr/1112053618|title=Taming the Land: The Lost Postcard Photographs of the Texas High Plains|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|date=2009|isbn=9781603440370|accessdate=March 6, 2017}}</ref>

His study ''El Llano Estacado'' is the definitive 2003 work on the history, geography, peoples, and culture  of the region of West Texas known as the "Staked Plains".<ref name=obit/> He also authored ''A Private in the Texas Rangers: A. T. Miller of Company B, Frontier Battalion''<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-private-in-the-texas-rangers-john-miller-morris/1114291339|title=A Private in the Texas Rangers|publisher=[[Texas A&M University]] Press|date=2001|isbn=9780890969649|access date=March 6, 2017}}</ref> and ''Taming the Land: The Lost Postcard Photographs of the Texas High Plains''.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-the-land-john-miller-morris-jr/1112053618|title=Taming the Land: The Lost Postcard Photographs of the Texas High Plains|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|date=2009|isbn=9781603440370|accessdate=March 6, 2017}}</ref>

He procured awards from the University of Texas Regents for "Outstanding Teaching" and the Minnie Stevens Piper professorship for his teaching and academic achievement. UTSA Dean Dan Gelo said that Morris brought "an infectious enthusiasm and abundance of energy to the classroom, and it's not unusual for students to [have taken] multiple courses from him because they enjoyed his teaching so much. He also is [was] a challenging teacher. His courses and grading standards are [were] known to be difficult, making [his] consistently positive student evaluations all the more impressive."<ref name=utsa>{{cite web|url=http://www.utsa.edu/today/2012/05/morris.html|title=John Miller Morris is named 2012 Piper Professor|author=Rebecca Luther|publisher=University of Texas at San Antonio|date=May 15, 2012|accessdate=March 6, 2017}}</ref> He was a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, the Texas State Historical Association, and the West Texas Historical Association. At the time of his death in San Antonio from complications of surgery, he was the outgoing president of the WTHA and had been preparing for the annual meeting to be held April 7-8 in Lubbock.<ref name=obit/>  

He procured awards from the University of Texas Regents for "Outstanding Teaching" and the Minnie Stevens Piper professorship for his teaching and academic achievement. UTSA Dean Dan Gelo said that Morris brought "an infectious enthusiasm and abundance of energy to the classroom, and it's not unusual for students to [have taken] multiple courses from him because they enjoyed his teaching so much. He also is [was] a challenging teacher. His courses and grading standards are [were] known to be difficult, making [his] consistently positive student evaluations all the more impressive."<ref name=utsa>{{cite web|url=http://www.utsa.edu/today/2012/05/morris.html|title=John Miller Morris is named 2012 Piper Professor|author=Rebecca Luther|publisher=University of Texas at San Antonio|date=May 15, 2012|accessdate=March 6, 2017}}</ref> He was a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, the Texas State Historical Association, and the West Texas Historical Association. At the time of his death in San Antonio from complications of surgery, he was the outgoing president of the WTHA and had been preparing for the annual meeting to be held April 7-8 in Lubbock.<ref name=obit/>