Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-05-16
A Bit of Interesting Local History.

Judge Daniel B. Lucas, OF Charies
Town, writing to The Winchester Star
on an articlein that paper referring to
Surgeon D. L. Morgan says:
l enclose slip cut from a recent
number of the Star, which reads:
Last year when Surgeon d. L. Nor
gan, L. S. N, a lneal descendant of the
Morgan family, of which Gen. Danl
Morgan was prominent member, visit
ed Winchester, he was interviewed by
Capt. Jas. NJ Haymaksr Capt. Hay
maker is president OF the Morgan Mem
orial Association aud DR.. Morgan prom
ised him not only contribution, but
copy of an original painting of Gen.
Morgan, that he had at home. This
copy is now here and will be used to
make a cut from which the Generals
picture will be printed in the memorial
book.
81 am very much afraid your Mem
orial Association isabout to be- led into
serious error bv an unintentional mis-
take. Surgeon D. L. Morgan is not
descended from General Daniel Nor
gan, but is a descendant, according to
to my understanding, Of Richard Ap
Morgan, who settled near Shepherds
town about the year 1874.
"The celebrated General Daniel
Morgan, of revolutionary fame, to
whom you are about to erect monu-
ment was born and lived near the
village of Nineveh, now in Warren
county, Va, as will appear by refer
ence to the History of the Lower Shen-
andoah Valley, edited by J. Z. Nor
ris. On the contrary, Richard Ap
Morgan in the year 1874 came from
Pennsylvania and opened grade for
a tract of land in the immediate neigh
borhood of Shepherdstown, on or near
the Cohongoruton.
General Levi Morgan, for whose
monument, in Wetzel county, the Leg
islature of West Virginia appropriated
$500, was born, it is said, near Bunk
er Hill, in Berkeley county, and was
no doubt of the same family as Rich
ard Ap Morgan. There is no tradi-
tional or historical evidence that these
people were in any degree related to
General Daniel Morgan, of Winches-
ter, although there is no evidence to
the contrary.
Colonel William A. Morgan, lately
of Shepherdstown, was a lineal de-
scendant of Richard Ap Morgan and
at his death was the owner of the cell
ebrated Morgan Springs, near that
village, and the father of Surgeon D.
L. Morgan. If the latter has any
portrait or likeness of Daniel Morgan,
| am satisfied it is not the Daniel
Morgan whom you seek to memorial
ize. 1t is probably the likeness of
his great grandfather's brother, who
married Polly Bediuger, my great
grandfather's sister.
Several year, before the death OF
Colonel William A. Morgan, who had
been appointed President of the West
Virginia Sons Of Revolution, be wrote
to me to know which of his ancestors
was distinguished in the Revolutionary
War and whether he was in anyway re-
lated to General Daniel Morgan. |
replied that there was no relationship
that I knew Of, or of which l had ever
heard, and sent him a copy Of the en-
closed furlough of which l have the
all in the handwriting and
signed by General Washington
To all whom this writing shall come +;
Il certify that Edward Lucas, Gent, is
a Lieutenant in a Company Of Volun-
teers in the service of the United States
of America, commanded by Captain
William Morgan.
Given at Headquarters this 25th day
of February l777.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
&" l write this simply to prevent
your Association from falling into his
torical error. You can verify all that
l have said by referring to 'Kercheval's
History Of the Valley and the His
tory Of the Lower Shenandoah Valley
by Norris.