Monday, October 14, 2013

Leonidas Morgan "FOUND"

Leonidas Morgan April 28, 1847 - May 10, 1923

Twenty-three-year-old Leonidas Morgan was in Salt Lake City in 1870 working as a school teacher in his brother John Morgan’s college. He lived with his brother and sister-in-law Helen Melvina “Mellie” Morgan, and their 5-month-old baby daughter.

Since that time Leonidas Morgan has been elusive—one of John Morgan’s missing siblings.

John Morgan noted Leonidas’ kindness to him during an 1883 visit to Chicago, Illinois.

1883, November 8, Up early this a.m. and took the 6:44 train into Chicago. Lon [Leonidas] assisted us and was very kind.

Other than that I have had no luck locating him. This morning after reading James Tanner’s post on the value of probate records, I followed one of the links he provided.

Ever looking for my Great Great Grandfather Garrard Morgan’s actual place of death and the date he died, I searched for his name in Illinois. And up came,

“Garrard Morgan in entry for Leon Morgan,
“Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947”
Leon Morgan died May 10, 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, at 76. He was born April 28, 1847 in Greensburg, Ind. to Garrard Morgan and Eliza Hamilton. His occupation was Salesman Advertijements [sic], and he was married to Mary E. Morgan.

Instead of Mary E. as his wife appeared in more than one census, her name is Marie Rice Morgan. She was married to Leon Morgan on November 27, 1895 in Pittsfield, Berkeshire, Massachusetts. Leon’s parent as they appear on the Massachusetts, Marriages, 1695-1910 records are Gaward Morgan and Eliza H. Hamilton. That is a very different way to write Garrard. Perhaps that’s the way it sounded to a clerk, or the way it looked from someone’s handwriting.

Their children are, Sarah D. H. Morgan, born October 5, 1896 in E. O. Essex, New Jersey, and Leon Morgan, born November 18, 1897 in E. O. Essex, New Jersey. From “New Jersey, Births and Christenings, 1660-1980”

Leon Morgan family is found in Chicago, Cook, Illinois Census 1910, 1920, 1940.

3 comments:

  1. This is wonderful sleuthing, Bessie!

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  2. While searching for some background on Leon Morgan, born 1897, I came upon this fascinating indepth history. IF you would like some extensive details of Mr Morgan, please feel free to contact me. I had known him from probably 1986 until his death in 2002 at the age of 104.
    Although this entry will be signed with my account on Wordpress, from my millinery history blog, my name is Mary Robak. My email is maryrobak@comcast.net.

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