Lewis Marion Morgan

Lewis married Annie Rosella Smallwood on 9 Nov 1912 in Jasper County, Texas. Annie was born on 23 Feb 1879; died on 7 Apr 1973; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Travis Marion Morgan was born after 1913; died in 1916 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas.

Notes:

Kenneth Morgan recounts that his grandfather, "Tom Morgan was a big practical joker, and would go to great lengths to pull off a stunt. Once he and his brother, Eddie, were digging a well. In those days, wells were hand dug, and measured about four by four foot. Eddie was down in the well digging, while Tom reeled up buckets of dirt from the top. The well was deep enough now that a man couldn't climb out of it, and would have to have the other person haul him up with the rope.

Tom called down to Eddie, telling him to rest a minute, that he was going to get them some water. Eddie asked to be hauled up, but Tom said, no, he'd just be a minute. Eddie protested, telling Tom that Dollie, their blind mule, might wander over and fall in on top of him. Tom said no, I see her way across the field, and I'll be back before she could make it this far.

Tom promptly set out, but instead of going towards the house, he ran over to where Dolly was, pulling the bell off that always hung round her neck. Then slowly, he began circling the well. Tom meandered slowly, extending the pleasure of this trick, gradually circling in, ringing the bell. Eddie's voice grew more anxious and strained as he talked to the mule, trying to coax her away from the well.

When Tom got right up to the edge of the well, he kicked some dirt down. Eddie responded with "Whoa, you son of a bitch!" At this point, Tom could no longer contain his laughter and rolled on the ground in pleasure at his feat. Eddie, quickly realizing that his brother had pulled another stunt, told Tom that as soon as he got out of the well, he was going to kill him.

Needless to say, Tom left Eddie in the well for quite a while to simmer down before he finally lowered the rope to haul him out."

Kenneth further reported that his grandfather farmed most of his life until he became so crippled he could not walk at age sixty-nine. He remained cheerful until his death at eighty-five, and was dragged around the house and porch in a straight-chair by his grandmother, Jane Valentine Garsee Morgan. For many years he had a team of small mules named "Kit" and "Queen."

name: Thomas Marion Morgan
death date: 17 Feb 1946
death place: Jasper, Jasper, Texas
gender: Male
race: White
death age: 85 years 11 months 2 days
estimated birth date:
birth date: 16 Mar 1860
birthplace: Jasper, Jasper, Texas
marital status: Married
spouse's name:
father's name: Rubin Morgan
father's birthplace: Georgia
mother's name: Penny Causel
mother's birthplace: Georgia
occupation: Farmer
place of residence: Jasper, Jasper, Texas
cemetery: Zion Hill
burial place: Texas
burial date: 18 Feb 1946
additional relatives: X
film number: 2218231
digital film number: 4030568
image number: 2341
reference number: cn 8661

Thomas married Jane Valentine Garsee in 1889. Jane was born on 12 Jul 1873 in Louisiana; died on 14 Jan 1961 in Texas; was buried on 15 Jan 1961 in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jane Valentine Morgan
death date: 14 Jan 1961
death place: Texas
gender: Female
race: W
death age: 87 years
estimated birth date:
birth date: 12 Jul 1873
birthplace: Texas
marital status: Widowed
spouse's name:
father's name:
father's birthplace:
mother's name:
mother's birthplace:
occupation: Housewife
place of residence:
cemetery: Zion Hill
burial place: Jasper County, Texas
burial date: 15 Jan 1961
additional relatives:
film number: 2116709
digital film number: 4166563
image number: 3170
reference number: 09878

Notes:

In a column titled "Grandma Olds saw first train to Buna and man on the moon" Jasper New Boy columnist Kenneth Morgan wrote:

"....Much more is known about the Morgan family, who came to Texas from North Carolina and Georgia before the Civil War. Great grandfather Reuben L. Morgan fought from the Confederacy and lost his life in this tragic war. His father's name was John Morgan. John's father was Reuben Sr.......

When Reuben first migrated to Texas, he was accompanied by his brother Malalchi, and his uncles Daniel and Duncan Morgan."

Mr. Morgan generously provided futher details about his paternal grandparents in a letter dated June 8, 1999 to Melinda Strong. He said the "Reuben L. Morgan was born in Decatur, GA in 1835. When his father, John Morgan died, around 1850, Reuben, his brother Malachi with his wife Tomsie Williams, their Uncle Duncan with his wife Eliza Kelley, and their mother, Hannah Kelley, left Georgia and settled the community of Erin, Texas. One of their descendants, Alfred Morgan, reports that they brought two or three slaves, one of them an infant boy named George, who took on the the Morgan name. It is possible that a family of Caswells accompanied them, also bringing with them Reuben's future wife, Penelope Caswell, who also was born in Georgia, in 1832. Another possible member of the original group, and probably a sister to Penelope, Rebecca Caswell Hays is indicated by the 1860 census as having lived with Rueben and Penelope. Rebecca was listed as age 24, born in Georgia.

Rueben and Penelope were married in Jasper County in December 1858, their first child was John Edward, or Eddie born in 1859, then Thomas Marion who was born in 1860. The Civil War broke out about this time, and Reuben and Malachi both enlisted and served. According to Kenneth Morgan, the were in the 13th Texas Cavalry, General Walker's division. They fought in the Battles of Mansfield, Jenkin's Ferry, and Pleasant Hill.

During the war their mother got sick and Duncan sent for them to come home. It was decided that Malachi would stay and care for his mother and both families, and that Rueben would go back to war. It was during this leave that Penelope became pregnant with Rose Caroline or "Sissie", who was born June 26, 1862. Rueben did not live to see his youngest child. He fell ill with dysentary and it is believed that he died on May 20, 1864, in a military hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1860 Census
Texas, Jasper County, P. O. Newton
Enumerated Aug 1860
Page 51, Stamped 410
338-338
R L Morgan 25 M Farmer 400 300 Ga
Penelope Morgan 28 F Ga
John Morgan 2 M Tx
Thomas Morgan 3/12 M Tx
Rebecca Hays 24 F Ga

Rueben married Penelope Caswell on 1 Dec 1857 in Jasper County, Texas. Penelope was born on 7 Jun 1831 in Georgia; died on 19 Nov 1917 in Kirbyville, Jasper County, Texas; was buried on 21 Nov 1917 in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Kenneth Morgan wrote that after she was widowed, Penelope supported her three children "by taking in other people's wash. In 1899, at the age of 67, Penelope applied for a pension from Rueben's service. In her application, it states that she had lived in Jasper County since 1850, and that she owned 50 acres of land valued at $50. She stated that she had no income and was in feeble health. Apparently, Penelope could not write, because the application bears an "X" in place of her signature. She died on November 19, 1917 in Kirbyville, TX. The cause of death was listed as old age."

Penelope Morgan
death date: 19 Nov 1917
death place: Kirbyville, Jasper Co., Texas
gender: Female
race: w
death age: 87 years 9 months 13 days
estimated birth date:
birth date: 07 Jun 1831
birthplace: Ga
marital status: Widowed
spouse's name:
father's name: Wm. Caswell
father's birthplace:
mother's name: Penelope Caswell
mother's birthplace: Ga
occupation:
place of residence: Kirbyville, Jasper Co., TX
cemetery: Zions Hill
burial place: Jasper Co., Tx
burial date: 21 Nov 1917
additional relatives:
film number: 2073215
digital film number: 4165784
image number: 2042
reference number: 31759

This was how her family was listed on the transcription of the 1880 census per FamilySearch:

Census Place:Precinct 3, Jasper, Texas Source:FHL Film 1255313
National Archives Film T9-1313 Page 15
RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
Penelope MORGAN Self F W W 49 GA Occ:Keeping House Fa: GA Mo: GA
Thomas MORGAN Son M S W 20 TX Occ:Works On Farm Fa: GA Mo: GA
Rosella MORGAN Dau F S W 18 TX Occ:At Home Fa: GA Mo: GA

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Texas, Newton County
Enumerated 27 Oct 1850
96-96
Martin, H. Hare 23 M Farmer Ga
Elizabeth Hare 26 F Ga
Wm. Edmond Hare 1 M Tx
Jane Caswell 24 F Ga
Penny Caswell 20 F Ga
Polly Caswell 18 F Ga
William Caswell 16 M Ga
Rebecca Caswell 14 F Ga (Married a HAYS per 1860 census, and living with Penelope and Rueben MORGAN in Jasper County, TX)
Sylvester Caswell 12 M Ga
John Caswell 10 M Ga
Columbus Caswell 8 M Ga

1860 Census
See notes for Rueben Morgan

1870 Census
Texas, Jasper County, Subdivision 23, PO Jasper
Enumerated 3 Aug 1870
Page 49 Stamped 507
380-381
Morgan, Penelope 34 F W Keepign House 350 15p Ga
Morgan, E 11 M W Tx
Morgan, Thomas 10 M W Tx
Morgan, Rose E 9 F W Tx

Notes:

John was said to have died in South Carolina before his family moved to Georgia. However, since he was married in Georgia he probably actually died after the move to Georgia, but before the family moved on to Texas and Florida.It appears that he did die prior to the 1840, because his widow, Hannah Morgan is listed as the head of household in the "1840 Decatur County Georgia Census Index " (Frances T. Ingmire, Mountain Press).

John's five children, along with a 28 year old "Mrs. Morgan," are listed in the 1850 Decatur County, GA census in household #521. They live nearby to the McLemores, Boyetts, Morgans, and Kellys. It appears that John may have remarried, as his apparent widow, age 28, was too young to be the mother of any but the very youngest of his five children, who ranged in age from 14 to 23. This potential second wife would have been born circa 1822.

The online Decatur County, Georgia census for 1850 lists the family as follows:

521 521
Morgan Mrs.? 28 F SC
Morgan Malachi 23 M Laborer GA
Morgan Wm. 18 M Laborer GA
Morgan Maria 20 F GA
Morgan Reubin 16 M Laborer GA
Morgan Martha 14 F GA

John married Hannah Kelley on 1 Mar 1827 in Decatur County, Georgia. Hannah (daughter of Malachi Kelley and Sarah Singletary) was born before 1810 in South Carolina; died after 1840. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the marriage records, and from the estate settlement of her father, Malachi Kelley, it appears that John Morgan was married to Hannah Kelley, and that she was the mother of his children. Hannah Morgan is listed as living next door to Malachi Kelly in Decatur County, Georgia at the time of the 1840 federal census.

Her household was composed of the following members:
2 males 5-10
1 male 10-15
1 female under 5
1 female 5-10
1 female 20-30

It appears from the 1850 Decatur County, Georgia census, that Hannah may have also died before 1850, as her children are living with a 28 year old "Mrs. Morgan." Unless her age is in error, however, the woman listed on the census appears to be too young to be the mother of the children.

The Estate of Malichi Kelley (Hannah's father) was probated in 1857, and Hannah was not an heir. However, two of her children Malichi Morgan and Kizzie Morgan were heirs. It would therefore appear that Hannah Kelley Morgan died sometime before 1857. There was, however, a Hannah Morgan who was granted a land patent for 252 acres of land in Jasper County, Texas on October 23, 1858 (Patent #204. Vl 18, File No 156). Could this possibly be a different Hannah Morgan?