Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-04-09
Death of Mr.. William Morgan.

The people of this community were
much surprised and grieved on Friday
Of last week by the announcement Of
the death of one of our oldest and most
respected citizens, Mr.. William Morgan,
which occurred at his residence in this
place, about o'clock, in the morning
of that day.
His death was sudden and unexpected,
as he was in his usual health until the
end of life came to him. During the af-
ternoon preceding his death he was
working in his garden, and was upon
! the street until nearly bedtime. He
arose in the morning about clock and
went down stairs TO start the fires.
| Shortly afterwards he called to his wife
and asked her to send for physician.
Drs. J. p. Carter and Morgan Morgan
were soon with him and administered
remedies, but without effect, and he
died most calmly, sitting in his chair,
about o'clock. The cause of death is
said TO have been spasmodic asthma and
congestion of the lungs
Mr.. Morgan was the eldest son Of the
late Jephthah and>Mrs. Eleanor Morgan
and was born at the old, original Nor
gan homestead, near Shepherdstown,
Va, April 8, 1923. He had therefore
nearly completed his S0th year of earth
ly life. He was of Scotch Welsh lineage,
descendant of Col. Richard APP Nor
gan, who was born in Wales and came to
America when young man, receiving
large grants of land from Thomas. Lord
Fairfax, under King George II. These
he located near hepherdstown and on
which it is said he built the first house
ever erected in the Shenandoah valley.
Mr.. Morgan bore the given name Of
his grandfather and great grandfather,
both Of whom were officers in the Amer
lean army during the Revolutionary
War. The latter was one Of the 100
Virginia riflemen who assembled at a
spring on his lands and made thence
the historic Decline March to Boston
famous in song and story-at the be-
ginning of the struggle which gave the
colonies their independence. The ar
rival of these rlfiemen upon the plains
of Cambridge, on the 10th of August,
l115, was greeted with rounds Of cheers
by the patriotic forces there gathered.
and moved the Commander-lnC Chief,
General Washington, to tears Of JOY.
They were the first troops from the !
south side Of the Potomac that joined |
him there.
Mr.. Morgan first came to this neigh |
borhood, when about Is years of age, |
with the family of his father, who had |
Just purchased the farm now owned and !
occupied by Mr.. Jas. w, Campbell, |
about three miles north Of this place.
He lived in this section until the year |
,bn, l. Il -,
nOis, making the trip with his wife by !
private conveyance. Here he lived for |
30 years, enjoying the esteem Of the peO- |
pie and being called by them to various |
positions Of trust and honor. About five |
years ago he came TO this place to spend !
the remainder Of his days among the ia !
miliar scenes of his youth. He was a |
man of kind heart and social disposition |
who liked to meet with his friends and |
neighbors and to entertain them at his |
home.
Although the summons came sudden |
ly it did not ind him unprepared. |
When young man he joined the Pres |
byterian church at this place and for |
more than half a century has lived an |
unobtruSive but earnest conscientious |
Christian life. Although loving his |
own branch of the Church, he was lib |
eral in his feelings towards other de-
nominations. Many of his nearest rela-
tives were and are members Of the Pro- |
testant Episcopal Church. His grand |
father was prominent official of that |
faith in ShepherdStown, and when the |
old church at that place needed repairs |
he had it remodeled at his own expense |
and buried his father under the chancel. |
Mr.. Morgan was married i'll 1871 to |
Miss Annie Ward Lamom, who survives |
him. He leaves two brothers, J. p. |
Morgan, of Eureka. Kansas, and the ed
itor of this paper GerardStoWN Times.
William Morgan was the eldest
grandson of Capt. William Morgan, Of
Revolutionary fame, and the late Mrs.
Elizabeth Swearingen Markell, Of this
place, was a granddaughter.