West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-03-10
THE CYCLOPHDiA OUTSIDE OF
PRESTON.
Interesting Letter From Great.
Grandson OF Hugh Morgan
sHREvE.. ONO. Feb. IS, 1898.

SHREvE.. OHIO. Feb. 10, 1898.
w. Scott Garner. Dear Sir: -
Having seen In the West Virginia
ARGUS that you are preparing
complete historical and biogrsph-
ical CvclopedIa OF Preston county.
l thought l would address YOU,
stating that 1t would be of a good
deal OF interest to the people Of
this section OF Ohio. AS n great
many prominent people here are
the descend ants Of pioneers to this
section who came here from what
is now Preson county. Some of
these pioneers were born and grew
to manhood and womunhood i'm the
present bounds OF Preston county,
and some Of them were also pioneers
to what is now Preston county
notably Hugh and James Morgan,
and Thomas Butler. aud their fam
lies. Hugh and James Morgan.
who came here, and their brothers
William an Patrick, settled on the
Dunkard bottom, now known AS
the Morris bottom, IN the year
l773-James having been with
DuRmore's expedition against the
Indians on the Ohio in 1868, when
he was but seventeen years old.
The former Preston History. does
not mention him, perh,ps for the
reason that he aud all his descend.
ants left there and came here in
the beginning OF this century. l
could, il you wish. givc the account
OF his moving to and adventures in
this then wilderness. He owned u
tract of land. now owned think
by the Potters. near Kingwood, and
the deed he made for il In 1906.
when he moved to this sect ion, is
now held AS relic by che Univer
sity Of West Virginia.
Hugh Morgan was boy only
fourteen years old when they came
TO the Dunkard bottom, having
been born Jan. l. 1859. be grew
to manhood and married Mercy
Ayers, and reared IA family of ten
children, all born IN what is now
Preston county. The six elder
were married when they left there.
The family consisted OF one son
aud nine daughters. The eldest
child and only son, Sihphen Nor
gan, married Drucilla Butler, a
daughter OF Thomas Butler, of
Bntler's fort. near Albrightsville
The Oldest daughter. Dorcas, mar
ried Jacob Funk, who built one of
the first houses in Klngwood. and
also erected the tannery known
later as the Spahr taanery. He
was an uncle or great uncle of
James Funk who lives near New
burg, and he WIS also brother of
Sarah Funk, who married o Mar
tin, some of whose descendants
still live in and about Kingwood
Hugh Morgan lived in what IS now
Preston county for n period OF forty.
one years, then sold out and came
here to Wayne county. Ohio, in
1914 or Is. He owned a portion
Of the land on which King wood
now stands. He built and lived
in the house in which ex-sheriff
Elisha Thomas now resides, and
which is probably the oldest house
now used as dwelling in Preston
county, having been built about
1900.
The Butler family also came here
as stated, aud many others Of less
note. In fact a great portion OF
this immediate section of Ohio was
settled by people from the present
limits Of your county, and we will
look forward with interest to the
completion OF your work, antici-
pating that we may beab Q to learn
much from il that will be Of inter-
est to us. assure you that you
can count on a far patronage from
this section. Wishing you sbund.
ant success, am
Yours respectfully,
DAVID BROWN.
/ r-
The new military complny here