Effie was born in 1831, the daughter of Archie Munro and Mary MacLeod of old Ruisgarry. In 1850 her widowed mother obtained 20 Ruisgarry (Brusda), to which the family moved. Effie became a house servant, marrying John Morrison in 1866. Effie's and John's fathers were good friends, who had guarded the shipwrecked Sir William Wallace together in 1834, following which Effie's father had died of exposure.

Effie and John made their home as cottars on his mother's croft at 17 Ruisgarry (Brusda). Together they had four children.