James Morris, probably Foster County's best-known attorney, was born in Bordulac Township January 2, 1893 on his father's homestead on Section 1 of that township. He was the son of David T. and Martha (Henderson) Morris; his father of Welsh descent died in 1903.

James Morris attended the local schools until the age of 16 when he and his mother moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he finished his high school courses and entered the University of Cincinnati Law School. He graduated with the LL.B. Degree in 1916 and returned to North Dakota the next year. After passing the bar examinations he began the practice of law in Bordulac. Shortly thereafter he came to Carrington and joined the C.B. Craven practice.

He spent about a year and a half in the armed forces in World War I returning to Carrington in 1919. In 1920 he ran for and was elected States Attorney and served two terms (1920-1924). In 1928 he was appointed assistant Attorney General for North Dakota and in 1928 he was elected Attorney General. After serving one term, returned to private practice in Jamestown. In 1933 he was elected Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court and served until he retired in 1964. He served for a time as a member of a three-judge war crimes tribunal at Nuremberg, Germany in 1947.

James Morris was a charter member and the first Commander of the Carrington American Legion Post and active in veterans' affairs. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Kiwanis Club and the Disabled American Veterans. After his retirement he and his wife lived in Bismarck. He married Ameba N. Nagel of Cincinnati in 1917; they had one daughter Janette Fay (Mrs. Floyd Reynolds). He died July 20, 1980 and is buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 219