Alexander Hamilton Copley passed away on this day in 1948. He had been born in the Morrisville House to a widowed mother, and spent his childhood as an orphan bouncing from relative to relative.

Copley learned the pharmaceutical trade by working in a pharmacy, then worked professionally in Massachusetts. During his life, Copley contributed significantly to Morrisville’s development, providing money and land for Peoples Academy, reportedly donating $250,000.

His donations were many, and he created the Copley Fund before his death. The local hospital is named for him.

Image courtesy Images Of America: Around Morristown by Shaun C. Bryer.