James Morrison was born on 10 November 1859 at Scotch College, East Melbourne.  His father, Dr. Alexander Morrison, was principal and headmaster of Scotch from 1857 to 1903.  James grew up at Scotch and was educated there.  A few years after leaving school he became a squatter acquiring Forida Station, near Cobar, NSW.  This property had previously been in the hands of H Campbell Langree, and it appears to have been his widowed sister-in-law, Alexandra Langtree, who James married in 1891.  A son and two daughters followed. According to Nancy Adams, James' niece and author of Family Fresco, Florida proved a 'fiasco', possibly due to droughts.  However, all was looking well in 1895 when his father visited. Although ' the property was at the back of beyond' Dr. Morrison was impressed with the differnce between the improved and unimproved land.  By 1904 James and his family had moved to lusher pastures at Ensay in Gippsland.

When war broke out his son, James Alexander, enlisted and James followed suit some months later, enlisting on 31 December 1915.  He gave his age as 49 years 6 months, taking over five years off his real age.  He was 5ft 10ins, so tall for his generation.  He had a fair and healthy complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.  He was appointed as a private t the 1st Remount Unit, 3rd Reinforcements at Maribyrnong on 10 February 1916.

He embarked eight days later aboard the Ballarat.  Landing in Egypt the troops marched into Zeitoun for training.  A month later James was in hospital with what was eventually described as debility.  He age was counting against him.  He was in hospital for about seven weeks from 20 April and rejoined his unit in Heliopolis on 8 June 1916.  His capabilities improved and he was appointed lance corporal on 2 October 1918.  He never joined the trooops in the field and embarked from Egypt for return to Australia on 26 July 1919.

On arrival bacK in Australia James returned to his pastoral pursuits until failing health forced him to retire.  He died on 5 February 1934 at a private hospital in Parramatta, NSW.