Born: August 31, 1818, near Boston, Massachusetts.
Died: July 31, 1888, La Grange, Kentucky.
Buried: Valley of Rest Cemetery, La Grange, Kentucky.
Robert was the husband of Charlotte Mendenhall. His birth name was Robert William Peckham; after his father died, he entered a foster home and took the name of his foster family, Morris.
A member of the Presbyterian denomination, Morris wrote extensively on Freemasonry. He also created the first ritual for what was to become the Order of the Eastern Star.
In 1868, Morris visited the Holy Land on behalf of the Freemasons, the outcome of which was his work Freemasonry in the Holy Land. He also wrote some 300 poetical pieces.