The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-15

New YORK Feb. 14-Ex-Governor Edwin
ID. Morgan died at 3 o'clock this morning.
MIR. Morgan never wholly recovered from the
sickness of last year though, despite his
great age, he partially rallied. In December
and January he was troubled with symptoms
OF heart disease and an affection of the kid
neys. He was down town, however, last
| Saturday He was comfortable Sunday, but
did not go out, owing to the disagreeable
weather. About 5 o'clock P. NJ. his illness
became serious, the danger arising from the
weakness of his heart, aud since then he al
most steadily declined.
Mr. Morgan was born in the town of Wash
ington, Berkshire county Massachusetts,, on
Feb g. 1911. His early education was limited
and when fifteen years old he entered his
uncles store at Hartford, Conn, where his
energy and ability soon gained him an in
terest in the business. How he began
life is thus related by himself: Il was
seventeen years old, and was living at
Washington, Berkshire county, Mass, the
same county in which Williams College is
located. One fine moonlight night in the
winter my uncle drove up from Hartford
and proposed that 1 should go to work for
him. He had wholesale and retail grocery
business-principally wholesale-and the
idea pleased me. The result was 1 went
The first year he was to give me $40 and
board the second year $50, and the fourth
year $780, hadn't been there long before l
found the work was pretty hard; for | was
the only clerk, and l thought the pay too
small. | spoke to uncle about it, and he
said if | would stay he would do better by
me than he had originally agreed. He said
he had already told his wife no iptan1nd RI
do better by me. decided to stay. and at
the end of the year | found l had drawn $50.
He told ME to balance my account and call it
square. was disappointed, for l expected
more. He wanted to know what proposed
to do and said | would stay the second
year tor 500. He said this was too much,
that he would give me $75 l objected but
he finally told me if l would remain, that
the next year he would take me into part
nership and give me one-third the profits.
accepted the offer, and the next year, when
was partner at twenty years of age the
profits were $4,000, and my share 50, 000"
In 1886 he removed to New York and en-
gagged in the grocery business, for time
with brother, afterward with Norris Earle,
and then alone In few years he attained
an enviable position in the trade, and for
long time afterward he was one of the largest
and most active importers in that city Hav-
ing full knowledge of the statistical posi-
ton of the goods in which he dealt and clear
perception of the demands of the trade at
home and abroad, he conducted his opera
tons with remarkable success and rapidly
accumulated q fortune Although he long
since surrendered the personal supervision of
the details of the business, he was the head
of the well-known firm of T.. D. Morgan a.
Co., which has business relations with all
parts of the world.
Mr.. Morgan's active participation in the
politics of New York State began in 1910,
l.. IL I'll Il
York city. In the fall of the same year he
was chosen State senator, and In the follow
ing year he was elected to the same position.
From 1855 to 1858 he held the Office of COM
missioner of emigration. At the close of his
term in the Senate, Mr.. Morgan began to
turn his attention to national politics. A
delegate from New York city to the May
conference at Pittsburg in 1856, he was there
appointed chairman of the national COM
mittee, and i'll that capacity he called to
order the first convention of the Republican
party at Philadelphia, in June of the same
year. Two years later he was elected Gov
ernor of New York, and his administration
was so popular that in 1860 he was reelected
by an overwhelming majority Dur
ing his second term the civil war
broke out and to the support of the
government he devoted all his
energies. His administration takes rank
with those of Andrew, Morton and other dis
tinguished war Governors" During the
twenty months of his administration in time
of war he sent forward 223, 900 men.
In the following convention Governor
Morgan was not a candidate, but the Legis-
lature chosen in that canvass elected him to
the United States Senate for the term ending
in 1869. In this Office he served several
important committees including those on
commerce. on finance, on the Pacific railroad
and on military affairs. On the retirement
OF Mr.. Fessenden from the office of Secretary