July 30, 2013
William Dinsmore Morgan was born around 1827 in Illinois. He was a descendant of Colonel Morgan Morgan. The descent from Colonel Morgan down to William Dinsmore Morgan is summarized as follows:
1. Colonel Morgan Morgan (1688-1766). Morgan Morgan was born in Wales and was educated in London, England. After he emigrated to the United States at the age of twenty-four, he married Catherine Garretson: they had eight children. Morgan Morgan was for some time a merchant, and served as a magistrate, in what is now the State of Delaware. Thereafter, he settled in what is now Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, West Virginia. He became a community leader: he served as a justice and as a captain of militia; he helped build roads. At some point Morgan Morgan acquired the title "Colonel". He is reported to have consulted with George Washington. Colonel Morgan died at Bunker Hill. Some historians have written that he was the first non-Indian settler of West Virginia. A state-erected monument to Colonel Morgan marks the site of his Bunker Hill cabin. Click here to see a photo of the monument and cabin.
2. David Morgan (1721-1813). David Morgan, son of Colonel Morgan Morgan, was born in Delaware. David married Sarah Stevens: they had eight children. Sarah was a Quaker. David was known as "The Indian Fighter" because of the many Indian battles in which he participated. He was a skilled surveyor: historians recorded that David Morgan and George Washington together surveyed several areas. David was a Revolutionary War soldier; he served in the Virginia militia. He died near what is now Rivesville, West Virginia. The State of West Virginia erected a monument to David Morgan at Rivesville.
3. Morgan "Mod" Morgan (1746-1829). Morgan "Mod" Morgan, son of David Morgan, was born in what is now West Virginia. Mod married Drucilla Prickett: they had thirteen children. Mod was a Revolutionary War soldier: he served as a lieutenant in the Virginia militia. He owned slaves. Mod Morgan died in what is now Monongalia County, West Virginia.
4. Achilles Morgan (1772-1860). Achilles Morgan, son of Morgan "Mod" Morgan, married Susannah Scott: they had eleven children. Around 1821, Achilles left his home in what is now West Virginia and moved to what became Vermillion County, Illinois. He was a community leader; one historian wrote that Achilles was one of the leading citizens of Vermillion County. Achilles served on Vermillion County's first Board of County Commissioners. He was a captain in the Vermillion County Rangers: that unit defended against Indian attacks. Achilles Morgan died in Vermillion County.
5. Morgan Morgan (1803-?). Morgan Morgan, son of Achilles Morgan, married Elizabeth "Betsy" Jones in Illinois: they had at least five children. Morgan Morgan is said to have left Illinois with the intention of settling in Texas. Whether he ever made it to Texas is not known. In 1839, his wife (probably then a widow), applied for a Texas land grant. She was granted 640 acres of land in what is now Panola County, Texas.
6. William Dinsmore Morgan (Abt 1827-1888). William Dinsmore Morgan (commonly known as W. D. Morgan) was the son of Morgan Morgan and wife Elizabeth "Betsy" Jones Morgan. The 1850 Panola County, Texas Census shows that on October 1, 1850 W. D. Morgan was living in Panola County with his mother and siblings. On November 13, 1850 W. D. Morgan married Lodema Fairchild (daughter of Philo Fairchild and Mahala Wickson Fairchild) in Grimes County, Texas.
W. D. and Lodema Morgan had seven sons. While raising these children, W. D. and Lodema lived in what is now Lee County, Texas (except for a short stay in Jackson County, Texas).
After their sons were grown, W. D. and Lodema divorced. Thereafter, Lodema and sons lived for a time near Paige in Bastrop County, Texas. By 1900 Lodema and most of the sons had settled in the Smyrna community of Milam County, Texas (sons Franklin Morgan and Alonzo Morgan apparently died before 1900). Lodema died on August 13, 1917 and was buried at Smyrna Cemetery.
After divorcing Lodema, W. D. Morgan married Lodema's sister Helen "Ellen" Fairchild. W. D. died around August of 1888, soon after Helen had given birth to their son: Richard Womack Morgan. W. D. was buried at Chriesman Chapel Cemetery near Deanville in Burleson County, Texas.
After W. D.'s death Helen Morgan and son Womack lived for some time around Smyrna. On September 27, 1893 Helen married W. A. M. Mathews in Milam County, Texas. Mr. Mathews apparently died by 1900, as Helen and Womack are listed on the 1900 Milam County, Texas Census as living alone in Cameron. Nothing is known about Helen's death.
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