The Portland daily press., 1864-01-22
COMMUNICATIONS.


Everybody in the county of Cumberland,
and great many in other counties. are ac-
quainted either personally or by reputation,
with Jonathan Morgan, Bachelor of Arts.
He is an odd stick, - relic Of other years,
and the representative individual of no particu-
lar generation or tribe of men. He is man
by himself and bis character is most peculiar.
Having for many years been a lawyer and
justice of the peace, he is generally known
and addressed by the respectable title Of
sqaire-and it would be difficult to find q
man in this part of the world who has not
heard something about Squire Morgan, Coun-
selor at Law. This man was born in the town
of Brimfeld in lwlat was them Hampshire
county, in the State of Massachusetts, on the
fourth day Of March, in the year Of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and seventy
eight, nearly two years after the declaration OF
American independence at Philadelphia, and
five years before the closing OF the Revolution
amid all the darkness, and wrath, and fear,
and trial of a young nation, = nations of
strong hands aud fierce hearts, Just breaking
out from unwilling submission to a despotic
monarchy into the fullness and glorious bloom
OF Liberty. Though he was but child at
this time, he grew 10 manhood SO near the pc
riod of>our fathers early trouble and subse-
qnent redemption, that he may be said to have
lived 10 the hour of peril; and he has brought
down with him through long life many incl
dents Of the great war that are not to be
found in books. He remembers what his
mother told him Of lhe Dark Day in the time
OF the struggle, when the stars came out at
noontide, and the cattle went lowing home
from the pastures, and the dusk OF night hung
at an unMonted hour over the devoted land.
Unwritten incidents and stories of those days
make his conversation interesting. And then
there are but few mea or women who have
such extensive and accurate knowledge of our
country's history and political affairs from the
beginning until now, as he has. No one is
more accessible, more accommodating, more
easily drawn into conversation, or more free
TO give land excepting in regard TO a few de-
partmenis of learning, concerning which he
will hear no reason, TO receive) Information
than he is. There is but little in the world
about which he cannot tell you something.
His father was farmer, and Jonathan in
his boyhood went barefooted to school, played
rough and tumble in Winter and in Summer,
learned at home TO liye temperately, and in
this way grew up TO be = stroug and active
young fellow, capable of swinging a ~ythe,
training q colt, or teaching a country school.
His early experience in the way of keeping
school was considerable He often boasts
that he taught through the term in schools
where stouter men than he ever was had not
been able TO keep their footing. In the sum
mer Of eighteen hundred he entered the class
Of Sophomores at Browns College In Proyi-
dence, RI. Sixty-four years ago-snd Jonathan
Maxcy, ID. d., was at that time President of
the College. He remained at this place two
years, and at the end OF that time followed
DIR. Maxcy to Union College in Schenectady,
New York, where be graduated in the Spring
of eighteen hundred and three. DIR. Maxey
continued TO be at the head of Union College
until his place there was given up 10 the cele-
brated DIR. Mott, who at the time Morgan was
student in the University had the situation
of Pastor in "a Congregational Church at
Schenectady.
After Morgan took his diploma aud his
Bachelors degree, he kept school at Water
ford, New York State, during the winter Of
eighteen hundred three and four. in which
place he studied Law in the Office of Counselor
Schoonhoyen till the next summer, when he
returned TO his native town and entered the
Office of his uncle Abner Morgan, q lawyer Of
nrfu xvl, hor xJ
tober In eighteen hundred and four. Some
time in this month he went to Cincinnati IN
Ohio, at which place he was admitted TO prac-
tice in all the courts. but still continued in his
old labor Of teaching school, until he was driy-
en- from the country by his fear of being seized
with .ferer and ogue which he supposed was
something more severe than his constitution
would be able to bear up under. lie did not
wait for the disorder to take hold on him and
break down his health: but giving heed to the
victims that fell about him one by one. he
shook hands with his friends and started on
his way TO New England. He came again TO
the place where he was born. and went as q;
student into the Office OF Counselor Pynchon.
He soon became one OF the Hampshire Bar.
and went from Biimfeld to Shrewsbury in
Worcester county, Massachusetts,, where he
continued for six years in the practice of Law
having manufacturing business on his hands
at the same time. And here will mention
an event which will give an idea of the old
mans horsemanship in the day OF his cousage
AMI strength. He was once upon a journey
into another part of the country, and when he
hal come to place about thirty miles from
home, he happened to meet with man who
had thoroughly untamed colt that he wanted
to sell. The animal had never been saddled
nor bridled. Morgan liked the colt and bought