George Kenneth Morgan

Notes:

jaspernewsboy.com
Published Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Kenneth Morgan

Services for Kenneth Morgan, 79, of Jasper were held Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home in Jasper with burial following at Olds Cemetery.
Kenneth died Monday, February 9, 2009 at Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital. A native, and lifelong resident of Jasper, he loved History and wrote for the Jasper Newsboy for over 15 years, he also wrote for the Buna, Kirbyville and Woodville papers. He wrote his book called Morgan's East Texas Tales around 1997. He loved his family and enjoyed working with wood and building all kinds of wooden things. He loved to play and sing music, playing at nursing homes every Friday. He played the guitar, banjo and keyboard. He was a WWII U. S. Army Veteran.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Dorthy Sunday Morgan of Jasper, two daughters Deborah Morgan and Laura Clark both of Jasper, sister, Judy Morgan of Jasper, four grandchildren, Brent Crowson, Shawn Crowson, Morgan West, and Heather Goodman, six great grandchildren, Megan Crowson , Kenneth Crowson, Cambria Crowson, Colby Goodman, Cierra Farmer and Tamika Lawson.

Read more: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/jasper/obits/article/Obituary-for-Kenneth-Morgan-703020.php#ixzz1M0Aq6hGh

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

Mose Morgan was a Carpenter for Kirby Lumber Company. He first worked in the shop at Kirby's big mill in Call, then at their front near Jackson Hole in Buna, and next at the logging front on the east side of the Neches River in Jasper County, south of Sheffield's Ferry. To supplement his income, he had a small truck and took on moving jobs on nights and weekends. He lost his job with the Kirby Lumber company after the stock market crash in 1929. He survived on odd jobs, hewing cross-ties with a broad axe to pay the doctor's fees for his son's birth. He managed to make twenty dollars to pay for a shack on Hurricane Beach, clearing enough land for a pea patch and a few chickens. He and a brother-in-law, Wallace Olds, moved to Wharton for a while to pick cotton for a dollar a day, sending the money home to their families. After moving back to Jasper, he drove a school bus. (From MORGAN'S EAST TEXAS TALES)

Thomas married Dorothy Lee "Dollie" Olds. Dorothy (daughter of David Amy Olds and Jane Morse) was born on 29 Sep 1905 in Texas; died on 6 Sep 1996 in Jasper County, Texas; was buried in Olds Cemetery, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Kenneth Morgan's book, "Morgan's East Texas Tales" (Copyright 1997, Dogwood Press, Rt 2, Box 3270, Woodville, TX 75959, 409/837-5519) is dedicated to his mother, Dollie Olds Morgan. She is featured in many of his vignettes. He reported she was a self-reliant woman who finally hung up her gun when she was 82.

Notes:

Kenneth Morgan recounts that his grandfather, "Tom Morgan was a big practical joker, and would go to great lengths to pull off a stunt. Once he and his brother, Eddie, were digging a well. In those days, wells were hand dug, and measured about four by four foot. Eddie was down in the well digging, while Tom reeled up buckets of dirt from the top. The well was deep enough now that a man couldn't climb out of it, and would have to have the other person haul him up with the rope.

Tom called down to Eddie, telling him to rest a minute, that he was going to get them some water. Eddie asked to be hauled up, but Tom said, no, he'd just be a minute. Eddie protested, telling Tom that Dollie, their blind mule, might wander over and fall in on top of him. Tom said no, I see her way across the field, and I'll be back before she could make it this far.

Tom promptly set out, but instead of going towards the house, he ran over to where Dolly was, pulling the bell off that always hung round her neck. Then slowly, he began circling the well. Tom meandered slowly, extending the pleasure of this trick, gradually circling in, ringing the bell. Eddie's voice grew more anxious and strained as he talked to the mule, trying to coax her away from the well.

When Tom got right up to the edge of the well, he kicked some dirt down. Eddie responded with "Whoa, you son of a bitch!" At this point, Tom could no longer contain his laughter and rolled on the ground in pleasure at his feat. Eddie, quickly realizing that his brother had pulled another stunt, told Tom that as soon as he got out of the well, he was going to kill him.

Needless to say, Tom left Eddie in the well for quite a while to simmer down before he finally lowered the rope to haul him out."

Kenneth further reported that his grandfather farmed most of his life until he became so crippled he could not walk at age sixty-nine. He remained cheerful until his death at eighty-five, and was dragged around the house and porch in a straight-chair by his grandmother, Jane Valentine Garsee Morgan. For many years he had a team of small mules named "Kit" and "Queen."

name: Thomas Marion Morgan
death date: 17 Feb 1946
death place: Jasper, Jasper, Texas
gender: Male
race: White
death age: 85 years 11 months 2 days
estimated birth date:
birth date: 16 Mar 1860
birthplace: Jasper, Jasper, Texas
marital status: Married
spouse's name:
father's name: Rubin Morgan
father's birthplace: Georgia
mother's name: Penny Causel
mother's birthplace: Georgia
occupation: Farmer
place of residence: Jasper, Jasper, Texas
cemetery: Zion Hill
burial place: Texas
burial date: 18 Feb 1946
additional relatives: X
film number: 2218231
digital film number: 4030568
image number: 2341
reference number: cn 8661

Thomas married Jane Valentine Garsee in 1889. Jane was born on 12 Jul 1873 in Louisiana; died on 14 Jan 1961 in Texas; was buried on 15 Jan 1961 in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jane Valentine Morgan
death date: 14 Jan 1961
death place: Texas
gender: Female
race: W
death age: 87 years
estimated birth date:
birth date: 12 Jul 1873
birthplace: Texas
marital status: Widowed
spouse's name:
father's name:
father's birthplace:
mother's name:
mother's birthplace:
occupation: Housewife
place of residence:
cemetery: Zion Hill
burial place: Jasper County, Texas
burial date: 15 Jan 1961
additional relatives:
film number: 2116709
digital film number: 4166563
image number: 3170
reference number: 09878

David married Jane Morse in 1900. Jane (daughter of John Wiley Morse and Sally Whitmire) was born on 25 Jun 1876; died in 1969. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In a column titled "Grandma Olds saw first train to Buna and man on the moon" Jasper New Boy columnist Kenneth Morgan wrote:

"....Much more is known about the Morgan family, who came to Texas from North Carolina and Georgia before the Civil War. Great grandfather Reuben L. Morgan fought from the Confederacy and lost his life in this tragic war. His father's name was John Morgan. John's father was Reuben Sr.......

When Reuben first migrated to Texas, he was accompanied by his brother Malalchi, and his uncles Daniel and Duncan Morgan."

Mr. Morgan generously provided futher details about his paternal grandparents in a letter dated June 8, 1999 to Melinda Strong. He said the "Reuben L. Morgan was born in Decatur, GA in 1835. When his father, John Morgan died, around 1850, Reuben, his brother Malachi with his wife Tomsie Williams, their Uncle Duncan with his wife Eliza Kelley, and their mother, Hannah Kelley, left Georgia and settled the community of Erin, Texas. One of their descendants, Alfred Morgan, reports that they brought two or three slaves, one of them an infant boy named George, who took on the the Morgan name. It is possible that a family of Caswells accompanied them, also bringing with them Reuben's future wife, Penelope Caswell, who also was born in Georgia, in 1832. Another possible member of the original group, and probably a sister to Penelope, Rebecca Caswell Hays is indicated by the 1860 census as having lived with Rueben and Penelope. Rebecca was listed as age 24, born in Georgia.

Rueben and Penelope were married in Jasper County in December 1858, their first child was John Edward, or Eddie born in 1859, then Thomas Marion who was born in 1860. The Civil War broke out about this time, and Reuben and Malachi both enlisted and served. According to Kenneth Morgan, the were in the 13th Texas Cavalry, General Walker's division. They fought in the Battles of Mansfield, Jenkin's Ferry, and Pleasant Hill.

During the war their mother got sick and Duncan sent for them to come home. It was decided that Malachi would stay and care for his mother and both families, and that Rueben would go back to war. It was during this leave that Penelope became pregnant with Rose Caroline or "Sissie", who was born June 26, 1862. Rueben did not live to see his youngest child. He fell ill with dysentary and it is believed that he died on May 20, 1864, in a military hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1860 Census
Texas, Jasper County, P. O. Newton
Enumerated Aug 1860
Page 51, Stamped 410
338-338
R L Morgan 25 M Farmer 400 300 Ga
Penelope Morgan 28 F Ga
John Morgan 2 M Tx
Thomas Morgan 3/12 M Tx
Rebecca Hays 24 F Ga

Rueben married Penelope Caswell on 1 Dec 1857 in Jasper County, Texas. Penelope was born on 7 Jun 1831 in Georgia; died on 19 Nov 1917 in Kirbyville, Jasper County, Texas; was buried on 21 Nov 1917 in Zion Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Kenneth Morgan wrote that after she was widowed, Penelope supported her three children "by taking in other people's wash. In 1899, at the age of 67, Penelope applied for a pension from Rueben's service. In her application, it states that she had lived in Jasper County since 1850, and that she owned 50 acres of land valued at $50. She stated that she had no income and was in feeble health. Apparently, Penelope could not write, because the application bears an "X" in place of her signature. She died on November 19, 1917 in Kirbyville, TX. The cause of death was listed as old age."

Penelope Morgan
death date: 19 Nov 1917
death place: Kirbyville, Jasper Co., Texas
gender: Female
race: w
death age: 87 years 9 months 13 days
estimated birth date:
birth date: 07 Jun 1831
birthplace: Ga
marital status: Widowed
spouse's name:
father's name: Wm. Caswell
father's birthplace:
mother's name: Penelope Caswell
mother's birthplace: Ga
occupation:
place of residence: Kirbyville, Jasper Co., TX
cemetery: Zions Hill
burial place: Jasper Co., Tx
burial date: 21 Nov 1917
additional relatives:
film number: 2073215
digital film number: 4165784
image number: 2042
reference number: 31759

This was how her family was listed on the transcription of the 1880 census per FamilySearch:

Census Place:Precinct 3, Jasper, Texas Source:FHL Film 1255313
National Archives Film T9-1313 Page 15
RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
Penelope MORGAN Self F W W 49 GA Occ:Keeping House Fa: GA Mo: GA
Thomas MORGAN Son M S W 20 TX Occ:Works On Farm Fa: GA Mo: GA
Rosella MORGAN Dau F S W 18 TX Occ:At Home Fa: GA Mo: GA

(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Texas, Newton County
Enumerated 27 Oct 1850
96-96
Martin, H. Hare 23 M Farmer Ga
Elizabeth Hare 26 F Ga
Wm. Edmond Hare 1 M Tx
Jane Caswell 24 F Ga
Penny Caswell 20 F Ga
Polly Caswell 18 F Ga
William Caswell 16 M Ga
Rebecca Caswell 14 F Ga (Married a HAYS per 1860 census, and living with Penelope and Rueben MORGAN in Jasper County, TX)
Sylvester Caswell 12 M Ga
John Caswell 10 M Ga
Columbus Caswell 8 M Ga

1860 Census
See notes for Rueben Morgan

1870 Census
Texas, Jasper County, Subdivision 23, PO Jasper
Enumerated 3 Aug 1870
Page 49 Stamped 507
380-381
Morgan, Penelope 34 F W Keepign House 350 15p Ga
Morgan, E 11 M W Tx
Morgan, Thomas 10 M W Tx
Morgan, Rose E 9 F W Tx

James married Melinda Dunn on 15 Nov 1871. Melinda was born before 1855; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of David Dunn.

John married Sally Whitmire. Sally was born before 1855; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]