Guide to the Papers of the Morgan Family, 1768-1938

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Papers of the Morgan Family
Creator
Morgan family
Collection Number
MSS#367
Extent
.50 cubic feet (1 box)
Date
1768-1938
Abstract
George Morgan formed a partnership with John Baynton and Samuel Wharton forming the firm Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan in 1760. The firm of Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan dealt mainly in trading of such items as beer, sugar, cordwood, and foodstuffs. Furthermore, the firm had a trading post at Fort Pitt. George Morgan was particularly involved with trading with the Native Americans where his dealings gained him the confidence and friendship of the tribes of Western Pennsylvania, especially the Delaware. His experience with the Native Americans led to his appointment as United States Indian Agent of the Middle Department in 1776. After living in Princeton, New Jersey he moved to his final home of Morganza in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1796. These papers include a ledger, two note books containing genealogical and personal information, newspaper clippings, and copies of correspondence.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
This guide to the collection was originally prepared by Daniel J. Lavoie II on September 27, 2002. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in Fall, 2003.
Sponsor
This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

Biographical Sketch of the Morgan Family

George Morgan's exact birth date is unclear but available resources record his birth date as being either 1741 or 1743. Although his birth date is one of contention it is known that he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1760 he formed a partnership with John Baynton and Samuel Wharton forming the firm Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan. Later in 1764 George Morgan married John Baynton's daughter Mary. The firm of Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan dealt mainly in trading of such items as beer, sugar, cordwood, and foodstuffs. Furthermore, the firm had a trading post at Fort Pitt, which frequently brought the young George Morgan to Western Pennsylvania. George Morgan was particularly involved with trading with the Native Americans where his dealings gained him the confidence and friendship of the tribes of Western Pennsylvania, especially the Delaware

His experience with the Native Americans led to his appointment as United States Indian Agent of the Middle Department in 1776. The headquarters of the Middle Department was located at Fort Pitt, a location that George Morgan was already familiar with in his business ventures with the firm Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan. As United States Indian Agent he was instructed to convince the Native Americans of the good wishes of Congress and also win their confidence and friendship. He was also to inform the Native Americans that Congress had formulated a plan to continue trade throughout the war. Finally, he was instructed to protect the Native Americans from the whites and foster their "adopting the arts of a civilized life". As part of his duty as Indian Agent he supplied provisions, gifts, and ammunition to all friendly Native Americans. Later he became Deputy Commissary General of Purchases at Fort Pitt while retaining his appointment as Indian Agent. During this time Morgan was promoted to Colonel in 1777. After gaining the loyalties of the Native Americans, especially the Delaware, and completing Congress' policies of keeping the Native American neutrality he resigned his position in May 1779.

After living in Princeton, New Jersey he moved to his final home of Morganza in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1796. In August of 1806 Morgan received a letter from his old friend from the Revolution, Aaron Burr. Burr who was currently in Pittsburgh wished to stop by Morganza to visit Colonel Morgan who consented to his friend's wishes. During Burr's visit he discussed his ideas of the possibilities of overthrowing the Federal Government. George Morgan and his son Thomas, who was also present, was shocked by these comments and reported these events to Thomas Jefferson. In the end both George and his son Thomas testified at Burr's trial in Richmond, Virginia. George Morgan died at Morganza on March 10, 1810.

George Morgan's marriage to Mary Baynton on October 24, 1764 produced 11 children but only five survived to adulthood. The five children who survived include John (1770-1817), Ann (1772-1812), George (1780-1829), Thomas (1784-1855), and Maria (1787-1869).

Scope and Content Notes

The Morgan Family Papers are housed in one archival box and are arranged alphabetically by folder title. These papers include a ledger, two note books containing genealogical and personal information, newspaper clippings, and copies of correspondence. The ledger primarily documents George Morgan's business transactions on behalf of Baynton, Wharton, and Morgan and as Deputy Commissary General of Purchases at Fort Pitt. Some names of interest in the Ledger are Colonel Daniel Brodhead, Thomas Hutchins, Mathew Ritchie, and Joseph Parkinson. The ledger has been indexed by George Morgan. The Ledger also contains botanical specimens that were collected by the donor, Miss Julia M. Harding.

The small notebook relates to George Morgan and his family's dealing with his property in Prospect N.J., Morganza PA., and West Florida. The authorship of this manuscript remains uncertain. The notebook also contains daybook information from a lawyer possibly Thomas Morgan, Esq., George Morgan's son. The daybook information contains financial transactions with clients, and dates of court appearances.

Of particular interest is a medium sized notebook belonging to George Morgan and then later to Thomas Morgan Esq., as his name appears on the first page. This notebook was indeed given to Thomas by his father George Morgan due to the genealogical information it contained. The contents include an essay concerning "The Memorial presented to Congress on behalf of Israel Pemberton & others", a copy of a letter proposing Morgan replace Colonel Steel in Western Pennsylvania, a copy of a speech given by "The Delaware Chiefs in Council at my House" concerning the presentation of land to George Morgan and his subsequent refusal of the offer. Also included in this notebook are genealogies of the Morgan and Baynton families and an unfinished statement concerning the advantages and disadvantages of an unknown person's land grant on the Mississippi River. This notebook also contains several George Morgan signatures.

On August 17, 1945, the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania received transcripts of three letters and one speech from the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture. Also included was a list of the Society's archival holdings concerning George Morgan. The first letter is from Sam Young to George Morgan and concerns vessels from Europe containing supplies of foodstuffs. The second letter is from George Morgan to Brigadier General Edward Hand at Fort Pitt and concerns Commissary business. The third letter is to Joseph Reed Esq. from John Baynton concerning his duties as D. Pay M. Gen. to the troops on the Western Frontiers of Virginia. Finally, the speech is of Colonel George Morgan to the Delawares, Shawnees, and Cherokees at his first meeting with them at New Madrid in April 1789.

Also included in this record group are copies of correspondence to George Morgan. Included are two letters from George Washington concerning George Morgan's affairs as an Indian Agent, and a letter from John Hancock that includes instructions from Congress regarding George Morgan's directives as Indian Agent in Western Pennsylvania.

Three separate press clippings in this record group include articles on George Morgan's notebook and correspondence. Two clipping are from The Washington (Pa.) Reporter titled "Local Women Possesses Valuable Old Letters" and deals with Susanna B. Morgan and her possession of four separate letters to George Morgan by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and Benedict Arnold. The second clipping from the Pittsburgh Press deals with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania's exhibition of "Old Pictures and Letters" included in the article is a transcript of the speech 'The Delaware Chiefs in Council at My House" found in the medium notebook.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection came in several accessions in 1919-1945.

Acc# 1919x Gift of William T. Beatty, 1919, (Notebook).

Acc# 1931x Gift of Mr. W. Duane Morgan, 1931, (Copies of correspondence).

Acc# 261 Gift of Miss Julia M. Harding, Feb. 16, 1934, (Ledger).

Acc# 1938x Gift of Earle R. Forrest, 1938, (Newspaper clippings. Historian and author of newspaper clippings).

Acc# 1945 Gift of the Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture. Aug. 17, 1945. (Transcripts of three letters and one speech).

Preferred Citation

Papers of the Morgan Family, 1768-1938, MSS #367, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Daniel J. Lavoie II on September 27, 2002.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Robert O. Stakeley on November 11, 2003.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.

Container List

George Washington & John Hancock Correspondence [reproductions], 1776-1779
Containers
Box 1, Folder 1
Ledger Book, 1770-1783
Containers
Box 1, Volume 1
Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture [transcripts], 1768-1789
Containers
Box 1, Folder 4