Morgan Morgan facts for kids

Morgan Morgan (born November 1, 1688 – died November 17, 1766) was an important American pioneer. Many people believe he started the very first lasting settlement in what is now West Virginia at a place called Cool Spring Farm.

A Pioneer's Life

Early Years

We don't have many records about Morgan Morgan's early life or schooling. He was born on November 1, 1688. We know this because a church he helped build, Morgans Chapel at Bunker Hill, recorded his age when he died. He was likely born in Glamorganshire, Wales, during the time of King William III.

Moving to America

Morgan Morgan came to America by himself when he was about 24 years old. This was around 1712 or 1713. He arrived in Delaware. Soon after, he got married to Catherine Garretson in 1713. Their first child, James, was born in 1715.

Morgan started a business as a merchant and tailor in a place now called Christiana. A merchant buys and sells goods, and a tailor makes clothes. He seemed to have some money and was well-respected. He also worked as a magistrate, which is like a local judge. In 1723, he bought a large piece of land, about 245 acres (almost 1 square kilometer). Most of this land was good for farming.

Morgan Morgan is sometimes wrongly said to have moved to West Virginia in 1727. But he was still living in Delaware then. He was working as the coroner for New Castle County. A coroner investigates deaths.

First Settlement Claim

Morgan Morgan moved to what is now West Virginia in 1731. In 1734, he became a magistrate, helping to keep the peace. He likely received a large land grant of 1,000 acres (about 4 square kilometers) in December 1734.

For a long time, people believed he was the first person to settle permanently in this area. However, it's now thought that German-speaking settlers might have arrived earlier, possibly as early as 1727, in the area now known as Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Morgan Morgan died in Bunker Hill, which is in Berkeley County, West Virginia. He was buried in the Morgan Chapel Graveyard.

His Family

Colonel Morgan Morgan and his wife Catherine Garretson had several children:

• James Morgan
• Ann Morgan
• David Morgan
• Charles Morgan
• Henry Morgan
• Evan Morgan
• Zackquill Morgan (who founded Morgantown, West Virginia)
• Morgan Morgan II

Because of his important roles in colonial Virginia, his female descendants could join the Colonial Dames of America.