On this day — October 22: Jesuit historian John Morris, born in Ootacamund
John Morris, an English Jesuit priest and historian born in Ootacamund, died on October 22, 1893.
AI-generated contextual illustration of 19th-century Ootacamund; it does not depict John Morris or a specific event. Image: MyNilgiris.
October 22, 2026 | On this day in Nilgiris history
John Morris, a Jesuit priest and historian who died on October 22, 1893, was born in Ootacamund (now Udhagamandalam). His connection to Nilgiris history is his birthplace.
A scholar born in Ootacamund
The Jesuit Online Necrology records Morris’s birth in Ootacamund on July 4, 1826, and his death in Wimbledon, London, on October 22, 1893. The Dictionary of National Biography (1885–1900) also identifies him as an English Jesuit priest and writer born at Ootacamund.
Morris studied Catholic Church history and antiquities and joined the Jesuits in 1867. His life is one documented link between 19th-century Ootacamund and wider historical networks. The sources establish his Nilgiris connection through his birthplace.
October 22: his death anniversary
A historical note from Jesuit Archives UK says Morris died suddenly while preaching in Wimbledon on October 22, 1893. A contemporary obituary published in 1893 also records his birth at Ootacamund and biographical details.
