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Jesse Cornelius Morgan Sr.

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Jesse Cornelius Morgan Sr.

Birth
Porter County, Indiana, USA
Death
1 Jan 1936 (aged 88)
Newton, Harvey County, Kansas, USA
Burial
Newton, Harvey County, Kansas, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Kansan, Saturday, January 4, 1936


A long and interesting life comes to a close with the passing of Jesse Cornelius Morgan, born Feb. 16, 1847, in Porter county, three miles west of Valparasiio, Indiana. He was the son of Isaac and Sarah Blachly Morgan, the youngest of a family of ten children and the last survivor.

His ancestors were early settlers of America. His fathers ancestors settled in the Virginia's before the Revolutionary War and took part in that great conflict. His mother's ancestors came to America in 1635 and settled in Massachusetts. The pioneering spirit of his ancestors caused them, generation after generation, to go westward and many descendants are found in all parts of the United States.

In 1840 or 1841, Isaac Morgan decided to come to Kansas but when he reached St. Joseph, Mo., he learned that Kansas land was not open for settlement and turned back. After residing four years in Lewis county, Mo., he returned to Indiana and it was not until 1855 the family moved to Pawnee where the first territorial capital was built. Mr. Morgan enjoyed recalling that he played around the building as a little lad during the convening of the first territorial legislature in July, 1855. Governor Reeder, the first territorial governor was a guest in the Morgan home at that time and a souvenir presented by him was always a prized keepsake of Mr. Morgan.

When Pawnee was abandoned, after the survey which placed it on government reserve, the family moved back to the Kansas Missouri border in what is now Miami county and there the lad grew to manhood. He learned something of the life of the border warfare and often told thrilling stories of the tragedies and fighting when all men were armed ant the atmosphere was tense with the spirit of revenge.

Mr. Morgan remembered when John Brown was quest in the home and at evening prayers, Brown who was a preacher, prayed"That never should peace rest upon the land until slavery was abolished forever." He remembered Jim Lane and hearing him make a wonderful address. Jim Lane was known and loved by the Morgan family group who were all anti-slavery people.

The horrors of Quantrell and his raids were vivid memories and a grim reminder of a visit to the Morgan home was the prints of guns of Quantrell's men o the old walnut bureau made from trees which grew on their land. One panel was crashed in but was replaced by the same specie of walnut. This old bureau was valuable relic of the deceased.

At the outbreak of the Civil War his four brothers enlisted but he was to young to join.However, before the war was over he joined Company I, 7th Reg. Kas. Vol. Militia, made up of old men and boys, and saw active service when he helped build up breast works from the Missouri river to Pilot Knob to protect the city of Leavenworth.

When he was eighteen he went with a group of thirty-five men who drove the wagon-train thru form Fort Leavenworth along the old Santa Fe Trail and over the Raton mountains, into New Mexico. The experience was the great adventure of the young men of his day. It required thirty yoke of oxen to the team, and ten teams to the wagon-train.

At one place where they camped he was sent to the spring for water.Just as he arrived there and Indian was raising a bucket to drink. The action caused the Indians blanket to part in the middle and the youthful plainsman was horror stricken when he beheld five scalps hanging from his belt. One was long with a glint of gold in the sunshine.

At Great Bend this cavalcade was given military escort for the remainder of the journey. It was there that Mr. Morgan remembered the meeting with Kit Carson and the governor of Colorado who camped with them at dinner. These two men were en route to a gathering of the Indian tribes, for a peace meeting at a place now located in Wichita. They, too , had a military escort.

Mr. Morgan often recalled the Shawnees, the Delawares, the Wyandottes and the Miami tribes, and the family was never harmed by any of them. His mother was woman beloved by all settlers to whom she was known as "Aunt Sally" even to some Indians.

He made much of his educational opportunities, attending school usually held by some member of the family, at the Quindaro school in Wyandotte and business college. He worked for two years on the Union Pacific railroad, and then taught school in Miami county.

In 1871, after selling his Miami county land, he went into the mercantile business in Olathe, Kansas. On Dec. 7, 1871 he was married to Clara M. Duffield and they moved to quarters above the store. The following year they moved to harvey county, arriving on December 17, 1872, and locating on a homestead ten miles east of Newton. In 1881 the family moved to Newton.

Late in the fall of 1873, in the company with two old neighbors, J. W. Johnson and Josh Cutler, he went on a buffalo hunt. He proudly recalled that he was the only one of the trio that shot a buffalo. The three joined a group of professional hunters from Emporia, who were getting the buffaloes for the hides. They returned with their wagons loaded with buffalo meat, sufficient for the winters supply for themselves and neighbors. This was one of the last big hunts for soon after the government placed a ban on further killing the buffalo herds.

Mr. Morgan engaged in the mercantile business in Newton in the eighties. he always enjoyed salesmanship work and at one time was engaged with the Lehman hardware company selling implements for the late Sam Lehman. later and for a number of years he was manager of the Singer Sewing machine Company in Newton and surrounding territory.

On June 16, 1888 his wife Clara died. A son, Robert died on Nov. 17, 1887, at the age of fourteen years; an infant daughter, Cora Belle, died march 18, 1875. After the death of his wife he took the three children to their aunt in Illinois and returned to Newton.

On February 17, 1891 he married his present wife, Ida jane Collins, at Eureka, Kansas. For almost 45 years they have resided in Newton, the past 38 years in the present home at 1001 East Ninth street, where he passed away at 12:00 o'clock noon, January 1, 1936. Mr. Morgan is survived by his wife, son, Ashton E. and wife Effie; daughter, Nellie, (Mrs. W. H. Von Der Heiden) and husband; son, Jesse Cornelius Jr. and wife Flora; grandson, Clifford A. and wife Mable, and great grand daughter, Judy Lu; grandson, Richard C. and wife Catherine and great grandson and daughter, Richard C. and Mary Patricia; and a grand daughter, Helen K. Morgan. Also Mrs. Morgan's brothers,Joseph,Milton and Fred Collins of Guthrie Oklahoma. Who were like sons to him, having spent many years of their early life at his home, and grand niece, Mrs. Eva L. Baker of San Francisco, California, who was a special favorite and who came to help care for him in his last illness. In addition there are many relatives and friends.

This fine old frontiersman is gone, but his blood flows o n in the veins of his descendants, even to the fourth generation. May they, as well as he did, prove worthy of the heritage of noble pioneer ancestors.
Kansan, Saturday, January 4, 1936


A long and interesting life comes to a close with the passing of Jesse Cornelius Morgan, born Feb. 16, 1847, in Porter county, three miles west of Valparasiio, Indiana. He was the son of Isaac and Sarah Blachly Morgan, the youngest of a family of ten children and the last survivor.

His ancestors were early settlers of America. His fathers ancestors settled in the Virginia's before the Revolutionary War and took part in that great conflict. His mother's ancestors came to America in 1635 and settled in Massachusetts. The pioneering spirit of his ancestors caused them, generation after generation, to go westward and many descendants are found in all parts of the United States.

In 1840 or 1841, Isaac Morgan decided to come to Kansas but when he reached St. Joseph, Mo., he learned that Kansas land was not open for settlement and turned back. After residing four years in Lewis county, Mo., he returned to Indiana and it was not until 1855 the family moved to Pawnee where the first territorial capital was built. Mr. Morgan enjoyed recalling that he played around the building as a little lad during the convening of the first territorial legislature in July, 1855. Governor Reeder, the first territorial governor was a guest in the Morgan home at that time and a souvenir presented by him was always a prized keepsake of Mr. Morgan.

When Pawnee was abandoned, after the survey which placed it on government reserve, the family moved back to the Kansas Missouri border in what is now Miami county and there the lad grew to manhood. He learned something of the life of the border warfare and often told thrilling stories of the tragedies and fighting when all men were armed ant the atmosphere was tense with the spirit of revenge.

Mr. Morgan remembered when John Brown was quest in the home and at evening prayers, Brown who was a preacher, prayed"That never should peace rest upon the land until slavery was abolished forever." He remembered Jim Lane and hearing him make a wonderful address. Jim Lane was known and loved by the Morgan family group who were all anti-slavery people.

The horrors of Quantrell and his raids were vivid memories and a grim reminder of a visit to the Morgan home was the prints of guns of Quantrell's men o the old walnut bureau made from trees which grew on their land. One panel was crashed in but was replaced by the same specie of walnut. This old bureau was valuable relic of the deceased.

At the outbreak of the Civil War his four brothers enlisted but he was to young to join.However, before the war was over he joined Company I, 7th Reg. Kas. Vol. Militia, made up of old men and boys, and saw active service when he helped build up breast works from the Missouri river to Pilot Knob to protect the city of Leavenworth.

When he was eighteen he went with a group of thirty-five men who drove the wagon-train thru form Fort Leavenworth along the old Santa Fe Trail and over the Raton mountains, into New Mexico. The experience was the great adventure of the young men of his day. It required thirty yoke of oxen to the team, and ten teams to the wagon-train.

At one place where they camped he was sent to the spring for water.Just as he arrived there and Indian was raising a bucket to drink. The action caused the Indians blanket to part in the middle and the youthful plainsman was horror stricken when he beheld five scalps hanging from his belt. One was long with a glint of gold in the sunshine.

At Great Bend this cavalcade was given military escort for the remainder of the journey. It was there that Mr. Morgan remembered the meeting with Kit Carson and the governor of Colorado who camped with them at dinner. These two men were en route to a gathering of the Indian tribes, for a peace meeting at a place now located in Wichita. They, too , had a military escort.

Mr. Morgan often recalled the Shawnees, the Delawares, the Wyandottes and the Miami tribes, and the family was never harmed by any of them. His mother was woman beloved by all settlers to whom she was known as "Aunt Sally" even to some Indians.

He made much of his educational opportunities, attending school usually held by some member of the family, at the Quindaro school in Wyandotte and business college. He worked for two years on the Union Pacific railroad, and then taught school in Miami county.

In 1871, after selling his Miami county land, he went into the mercantile business in Olathe, Kansas. On Dec. 7, 1871 he was married to Clara M. Duffield and they moved to quarters above the store. The following year they moved to harvey county, arriving on December 17, 1872, and locating on a homestead ten miles east of Newton. In 1881 the family moved to Newton.

Late in the fall of 1873, in the company with two old neighbors, J. W. Johnson and Josh Cutler, he went on a buffalo hunt. He proudly recalled that he was the only one of the trio that shot a buffalo. The three joined a group of professional hunters from Emporia, who were getting the buffaloes for the hides. They returned with their wagons loaded with buffalo meat, sufficient for the winters supply for themselves and neighbors. This was one of the last big hunts for soon after the government placed a ban on further killing the buffalo herds.

Mr. Morgan engaged in the mercantile business in Newton in the eighties. he always enjoyed salesmanship work and at one time was engaged with the Lehman hardware company selling implements for the late Sam Lehman. later and for a number of years he was manager of the Singer Sewing machine Company in Newton and surrounding territory.

On June 16, 1888 his wife Clara died. A son, Robert died on Nov. 17, 1887, at the age of fourteen years; an infant daughter, Cora Belle, died march 18, 1875. After the death of his wife he took the three children to their aunt in Illinois and returned to Newton.

On February 17, 1891 he married his present wife, Ida jane Collins, at Eureka, Kansas. For almost 45 years they have resided in Newton, the past 38 years in the present home at 1001 East Ninth street, where he passed away at 12:00 o'clock noon, January 1, 1936. Mr. Morgan is survived by his wife, son, Ashton E. and wife Effie; daughter, Nellie, (Mrs. W. H. Von Der Heiden) and husband; son, Jesse Cornelius Jr. and wife Flora; grandson, Clifford A. and wife Mable, and great grand daughter, Judy Lu; grandson, Richard C. and wife Catherine and great grandson and daughter, Richard C. and Mary Patricia; and a grand daughter, Helen K. Morgan. Also Mrs. Morgan's brothers,Joseph,Milton and Fred Collins of Guthrie Oklahoma. Who were like sons to him, having spent many years of their early life at his home, and grand niece, Mrs. Eva L. Baker of San Francisco, California, who was a special favorite and who came to help care for him in his last illness. In addition there are many relatives and friends.

This fine old frontiersman is gone, but his blood flows o n in the veins of his descendants, even to the fourth generation. May they, as well as he did, prove worthy of the heritage of noble pioneer ancestors.


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