USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania and a genealogical and biographical record of its families, Vol. III > Part 29
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In 1890, Mr. Mohr was married to Sally Haines, a daughter of James and Emma (Kline) Haines. They are members of the Linden Street Methodist Episcopal church.
His father, Charles Meckling Mohr, son of Andrew Mohr, was born March 21, 1832, in Upper Milford township, educated in the town- ship school and brought up on a farm. He first learned the trade of blacksmith which he carried
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
on for ten years, from 1852 to 1862, and after- ward engaged in the general store business at East Macungie for twelve years, conducting at the same time a small truck farm which was situated on the opposite side of the road. Later he removed to Allentown. After living in re- tirement for a time, he died April 2, 1912, at the advanced age of eighty-one years, and was buried at Macungie. He was married to Sarah Kern, a daughter of David and Susanna (Neu- moyer) Kern and they had four children: Edwin K., m. Ist Allie Eldridge, by whom he had one child, Esther P., and upon her decease, married Elizabeth Taylor, who lived at Chicago, Ill .; Hannah K., who died single; Meda Cornelia, m. Emmanuel Schoenly and they have two chil- dren, Elmer H. and Edwin O .; and Oliver K. They were members of the Old Zionsville Re- formed church, and afterward became connected with the Macungie Lutheran church, which the father served for many years as elder until the time of his decease. The widow has made her home with the son, Oliver.
MORELL FAMILY.
Adam Morell was born in Bavaria, Dec. 10, 1826. After attending the public school he worked at farm labor until he became of age. Then he entered the army and served a period of five years. In 1852 he emigrated to America and landed at New York City, where he re- mained one year ; then he located at Allentown. He first worked for a time in the iron ore mines beyond Emaus, after which he was employed at the Lewis Furnace at the foot of Gordon street until he was sixty years old; then he served as janitor of the Tenth ward public school for six years. He was a member of the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, and of Zion Reformed church. He died June 30, 1906, and was buried in Union Cemetery. In 1852, upon his arrival at New York City, he was married to Catharine Epp, daughter of Peter, a stone mason, of Bavaria, and they had ten children: Francis; John; Charles; William; Mary, at home, with her widowed mother, at 532 Liberty Street ; Eliza; George, who died when sixteen years old ; Edward; Henry, and one died in infancy.
Francis Morell, the eldest son, was born in 1853. After attending the public school, he learned the trade of blacksmith and worked for a time at the axle works. He subsequently served as a letter carrier and also as the city sanitary inspector ; and for some years he has been en- gaged as an insurance collector. He was married to Sarah Sterner, of Allentown, and they had two children: Mabel, m. Edward Houckman,
who have a son, Woodrow, and Maud, who died in infancy.
John Morell, second son of Adam, was born in Allentown on Dec. 15, 1855. After attending the public school, he began working in a brick- yard while still a boy, and afterward was em- ployed in the Allentown Rolling Mill for a num- ber of years, until 1893, when he engaged in the grocery business at No. 253 Gordon street. He continued there three years; then he pur- chased the property at No. 524 Liberty street and here he has carried on the business until the present time. In 1879, he was married to Anna M. Baumgartner, daughter of Gottlieb and Mary (Leuthi) Baumgartner, of South Whitehall, and they had four children : William J .; Florence E., m. Anton Jerant, of Hungary, and they have a daughter, Anna Maria; Eva, and Edwin J .- the first and third having died in infancy.
EDWIN JOHN MORELL, son of John, was born where he resides, No. 524 Liberty street, on Nov. 4, 1893. He attended the parochial school of the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart until he was graduated, after which he took up the study of music and became a musician.
Charles Morell, third son of Adam, was born at Allentown in 1858. He received a limited education in the public school and was put to work at an early age in a brickyard. Afterward he worked in a rolling mill four years, then learned the trade of plumber which he has since followed. In 1880, he was married to Emma J., daughter of Edward and Eliza Menges, and they had three children: Alice, m. Henry Y. Monier; George and Ruth, the last two having died in infancy.
William Morell, fourth son of Adam, was born in 1860 and educated in the public school, after which he learned the trade of cigarmaker. He was employed for a number of years in the shipping department of the C. R. R. of N. J., and afterward, of the Kleppinger wholesale store. In August, 1914, he started conducting a retail grocery business. He was married to Mary Tombler, daughter of Thomas, of Allen- town, and they have two children: William, m. Caroline Gehman, and Esther.
Henry, the youngest son, married Anna Schock and they have five children : Clarence, m. Mamie Miller, who have a daughter, Emily; Helen, m. Warren Zehner, who have a son, Carl ; Margaret, Jennie and Frederick, who died when five years old.
WILLIAM H. MOREY.
William H. Morey, of Slatington, was born at Harlem, N. Y., Aug. 30, 1839, and while a
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
little boy, only five years old, he was placed in a Children's Home in New York City, on
account of the illness of his parents, and there he was kept five years, both father and mother having died in this time. He then worked on a farm in New Jersey for five years, after which he secured employment at a hotel along the North River in New York City, where he met a drover from Bath, Northampton county, (George Schaeffer) who took him along home. There he worked on a farm for nearly two years when he learned shoemaking under Adam Bellesfield, near Shoenersville, and he followed this trade in the vicinity of Bath for sixteen years. He then worked at farming until the Civil War broke out and responding to the call for troops he enlisted in Company C, of the 159th Regi- ment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry for nine months. After his discharge from the army, he returned to Upper Saucon township and followed his trade several years; then he located at Slat- ington in 1882, and engaged first in the produce business and later in the baking business, which he carried on fifteen years and retired to private life. He was a charter member of G. A. R. Post No. 284, and also of the Vigilant Fire Company No. 2, at Slatington, and a member of the K. G. E.
In 1860, Mr. Morey was married to Eliza Snyder, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Froe- lich) Snyder, of Hanover township, and they had two children: Meda, m. to Wm. M. Sell, and Aquilla, m. to B. F. Hunt. They were members of the Reformed Church. He died Jan. 2, 1912 and was buried in the Union Ceme- tery. He was active in the church affairs for many years and served as a deacon and elder.
Mr. Morey's father, John Morey, was a sailor by occupation and resided at Harlem, N. Y., where he died in 1845. He had two chil- dren : William H., and Isabella, who died young.
JOHN MORGAN.
John R. Morgan, of North Whitehall town- ship, represents the Welsh element of the colony's early emigrators. The progenitor of the family was Thomas Morgan, an iron worker, a native of the district of Caernarvon, in the northern part of Wales, and settled in Carvenon town- ship, Berks county, Pa. The exact date of his coming to this country is not definitely known, but is supposed to have been before 1725. His son, Jacob, who was born in 1716 became one of the most prominent figures in colonial history of Berks county. In 1755 he was commissioned captain of a company of provincial troops and was actively engaged in military service until 1760. In June, 1776, he represented the county VOL. III -- 10
in the provincial conference, and in 1777 was a member of the constitutional convention. He served in various capacities in raising troops for the continental army and was usually addressed (Colonel). He officiated as judge for the years of 1768, 1769, 1772, and 1774 to 1777, and a justice of the lower district of the county from 1771 to 1779. He died Nov. 11, 1792 and was buried in the St. Thomas Episcopal graveyard at Morgantown. A branch of this family, so says family tradition, settled at Durham, in Bucks county, and were employed at the iron furnace there. We find James Morgan, the father of General Daniel Morgan, of Revolutionary fame, lived near Durham in 1736, when his son, Dan- iel, was born. There seems to be a difference of opinion as to who the father of James Morgan was. The late General W. W. Davis, of Doyles- town, claiming that he was a son of John Mor- gan, who died at Durham, in 1743, while War- ren S. Ely claims that he was a son of Thomas and Jennet Morgan, both, however, agree that the Morgans are of Welsh extraction and that the two branches are of the same blood. Tradi- tion has it that James Morgan used to boast that he had four sons in the Revolutionary War. Daniel and his brother, John, settled in the Shen- andoah valley, about 1745. Daniel was a team- ster in Braddock's ill-fated expedition, and when the war for independence broke out he organized a company of riflemen and became famous. He was with Arnold in his Canadian expedition, took part in the battles of Bemis Heights, Stillwater, Saratoga, Brandywine, Whitemarsh, and Mon- mouth; served under Green, in North Carolina, and for his conduct at the Battle of Cowpens, Congress voted him a gold medal and appointed him a brigadier general. He was also present at the surrender of Cornwallis. At the close of the war he returned to his farm. He served one term in Congress and died at Winchester, Va., July, 1802. Daniel so overshadowed his broth- ers that their services have been forgotten. One of them received as a reward for his services a tract of land in Monroe county, which was later occupied by one of his sons. This is the line of the family represented by the subscriber.
To James Morgan, of Monroe county, and his wife, a Miss Bennett, were born four sons and five daughters, of which the names of the sons were: James; Bennett; Madison, and Thomas. James Morgan died in 1843, aged 63 years, and was buried in the Presbyterian cemetery at Stroudsburg.
Thomas B. Morgan was born Nov. 11, 1832 in Monroe county, and was a coach trimmer and saddler by trade. After a short stay in Blairs- town, N. J., he came to Mechanicsville, Lehigh
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HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
county, and entered into the employ of John Hess. He was married to Sarah, a daughter of John and Abigail ( Miller) Romig. This union was blessed with five children: John R .; James, deceased; Edwin, of Topton, Pa .; Annie, mar- ried to Dr. A. H. Balliet, of Allentown, and Charles, of Altoona, Pa. Mr. Morgan was a highly respected citizen, served two terms as school director in his native township, was elected sheriff of Lehigh county in 1877, and refused a nomination for the legislature. He and his family were members of the Unionville Reformed congregation, in which he served as deacon and elder, and where his remains repose. He died May 21, 1910.
John R. Morgan, business man, miller, and farmer, was born at Romig's Mill, June 17, 1858. He was educated in the public schools and learned the art of milling and for a period of thirty years operated Romig's mill. In 1897 he built a portable saw-mill, which he operated until 1910. Mr. Morgan is president of the Morgan Portland Cement Company, and owns one hun- dred acres of valuable cement land in North Whitehall township, besides many other splendid properties. He resides in a beautiful and com- fortable home in Schnecksville, which he built in 1905. Mr. Morgan is one of those quiet forces, which have so materially developed the resources of the county. He and his family are members of the Unionville congregation, in which he now serves as an elder. In 1882 he was married to Sarah A. Geyer, a daughter of Jona- than and Elisabeth (Steimnger) Geiger. She died Nov. 10, 1909, aged 52 years.
The mill in which Mr. Morgan passed many of his busy years is known as Romig's mill. It was erected by Adam Romig in 1790 (see Romig family). It was a saw- and grist-mill combined of which the saw-mill was erected first. The present structure, a fine specimen of the early mills, was erected in about 1826, and continued in the name until 1896, when Mr. Morgan be- came the owner and operated it until 1910, when he leased it to Lewis Wotring, who operated it until the following year, when, on account of needed repairs, it was abandoned. Adam Romig built the mill for his son, Peter, who operated it for a long time, until succeeded by his son, Peter J .; Owen, son of Peter, Jr., later operated it and thus it came down the line until Mr. Morgan finally became the owner. The stone dwelling opposite this old saw-mill, was erected in 1811 by Peter Romig, Sr., and the brick house by Owen Romig, and it was occupied by him until his re- moval to Catasauqua.
GEORGE M. H. MORGAN.
George Morris Harrison Morgan, engaged in the laundry business at Slatington since 1904, was born at Catasauqua Jan. 6, 1889, and when a year old his parents moved to Slatington where he at- tended the public schools until 1904. He then entered the employ of Warren E. Desch and as- sisted him in establishing the laundry business at Slatington, the first attempt in that line, and he continued with Mr. Desch until 1908, when he purchased the business and embarked in the new enterprise for himself. He has carried it on for himself in a successful manner with increasing patronage until the present time, the work being still done at Allentown. Mr. Morgan has af- filiated with the Knights of Friendship and the Knights of Malta, at Slatington.
The father of Mr. Morgan was Charles G. Morgan, a native of Monmouthshire, in Wales. He was born March 17, 1838, and emigrated to the United States in 1861, settling at Catasau- qua, in Lehigh county, where he was employed in the rolling mill until 1890. He there ac- companied the proprietors who removed their plant to Slatington, and he continued in their employ for forty-seven years as shipping clerk and also pay-roll clerk until his decease, Nov. 4, 1908. He married as his second wife, Mary Morriss (born March 9, 1850) daughter of David Morriss, of Catasauqua, and by her had nine children: Anna (m. Rev. I. F. Frankenfield, resident minister at Tower City), George M. H., Raymond A., James G. (of Tower City), Maud, Ruth Ellen, and three died young. By a previous wife (who died in -) he had four children: Emma (m. Harry Shuler, and died 1912), Hattie, Lizzie, and Mary Ann (m. Charles -). He and the family were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
David Morriss, the father of the Mr. Mor- gan's second wife, was born at Cardiff, Wales, in 1813. He emigrated to the United States in 1846, and settled at Catasauqua where he pur- chased an iron foundry and operated it for a number of years. He then went to Watsontown in the employ of the Lehigh Valley R. R. Co., and served first as superintendent of the car shops and then of the company's car shops at Buffalo for a considerable time. He lived in retirement for about twenty years at Cherry-Creek and died Aug. 16, 1912, at the remarkable old age of ninety-nine years.
Mr. Morriss' wife was Elizabeth Voyle, of Scotland. She was born at the Cape of Good- Hope on Aug. 8, 1832, and died March 28, 1878. They had seven children: Mary (Mrs.
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
W. WALLACE MORGAN.
The late W. Wallace Morgan, for many years one of the foremost and active and influential citi- zens of Slatington, having ever the interests of his home town at heart, championing every project looking to the upbuilding of its business and so- cial enterprises, was a native of Slatington, Penn- sylvania, born April 25, 1870, fourth child and third eldest son of William and Margaret ( Mar- shall) Morgan.
W. Wallace Morgan, familiarly known as "Wallie," attended the schools of Slatington until eleven years of age, when he began work in the slate quarries, and later entered the employ of the Eagle Store Company, of Slatington, and his faithfulness soon won for him the management of the business, though still a boy. When eighteen years of age he entered the employ of A. P. Ber- lin in the Washington Slate Company's office, where the foundation of his career in the manu- facture and sale of slate was laid, and where he remained for five years and was considered a valu- able employee. His relations with the above firm were reluctantly severed, in 1893, when he be- came associated with the Provident Slate Com- pany, with which concern his proficiency had long been an indispensible asset. The many years of continuous peaceful business relationship without one instance of friction, or one word of anger, will long gender pleasant recollections in the hearts of his employer and his fellow employees. He served as confidential bookkeeper for A. S. Haines. Being active for a lifetime in the slate business, he had a keen grasp of the situation, and was a strong advocate at the time of his demise of putting the slate industry upon a stronger business basis. He was a member of the firm of Dilliard, Haines & Morgan ; director and treasurer of the Washington Slate Company; for years was a member of the Star Slate Company, of Slatington, which was long operated by the Morgan Brothers, all practical and successful business men, upon whom the loss of the keystone member of the fam- ily, and the leadership of their business councils, have fallen with double force. He was also named as a receiver for the Collins School Slate Com- pany.
In politics Mr. Morgan was a Progressive Re- publican, applying his well defined principles of righteous administration of city, county, state and national politics, and would always vehemently denounce any movement that he considered tar- nished by an impure motive to thwart the purpose and will of the people, and at the time of his death was a member of the State Committee. He took a keen interest in municipal affairs in the
slate borough, serving as councilman. Under the administration of President Roosevelt he was postmaster of Slatington, filling the unexpired term of John Roberts, who died while in office, and at the end of the term Mr. Morgan was re- appointed for a full term, and during his incum- bency gave that office prestige by proficient man- agement.
Mr. Morgan was an ardent lover of good fel- lowship and was largely connected with fraternal societies, being a Mason of high rank. He was a member of Slatington Lodge, No. 440, Free and Accepted Masons; Slatington Chapter, No. 292, Royal Arch Masons; Allen Commandery, No. 20, Knights Templar, of Allentown; Rajah 'Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Reading; he served in the Blue Lodge as Worshipful Master and was High Priest of the Chapter. He was also a member of Woodmen of America, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and Knights of Pythias. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Church, served as trustee and elder for several years, and was liberal in his support of the same, taking an active in- terest in its welfare.
Mr. Morgan married, Oct. 18, 1898, Ella Kern, daughter of the late Thomas Kern, the Slatington lumber dealer, who died Jan. 12, 1914. They were the parents of two daughters: Lillian Farrel and Clara Kern, both of whom are stu- dents in the Slatington school.
Mr. Morgan died at his home in Slatington, July 3, 1913. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Margaret Morgan, of Slatington ; his wife, daugh- ters, and five brothers: Alexander B., John W., Samuel M., Alfred S., Dr. Robert D. Morgan, .* of Slatington, and one sister, Mrs. John Boyle, of Catasauqua. By his death Slatington has lost one of its most prominent citizens, a man who could truly be called four-square, a self-made man, whose judgment on many subjects was often sought by people as an authority, and his advice was often put to good purpose, through which he made a host of friends and admirers, attracted to him undoubtedly through a warmth of disposi- tion that cheered every one with whom he came in contact, and his quick grasp of the difficult problems into which he seemed to look with a keen, cool insight, that made him stand out with deserving distinctness. The funeral services were conducted by his pastor, the Rev. Mr. Boal, of the Presbyterian Church, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Peters, of the Reformed Church. At the cemetery the Masonic ceremonies were carried out, the funeral being held under their auspices, in accordance with the wish of the deceased.
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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL.
Morgan), Annie (m. James McHenry, London, Ontario, Canada), Lizzie (m. James Shepherd, of Danville, Ill., he having died), George (Mid- dletown, N. Y., master mechanic of L. V. R. R. Co. shops), Frederick (m. Emma -, residing at Erie, Pa.), David (m. Sarah Fry, of Neff, Pa., residing at Detroit, Mich.), William (also at Middletown).
The branch of the Morgan family which is located at Slatington, in Lehigh county, traces its history in America to John Morgan, a native of Scotland, who was born March 8, 1808, and emigrated in the spring of 1855. He settled at Slatington and remained there for six years when he moved to Ohio and engaged in farming. He continued in this occupation for a number of years, then returned to Slatington to engage in the slate business with his son, William, and he continued in it until his retirement. He died March 2, 1885. He was married to Susan Black, also a native of Scotland, born in 1804 and died in 1873. They were burned at Slat- ington. They had two sons: William and John.
WILLIAM MORGAN, the elder son, was born in Wigtonshire, Scotland, on August 21, 1831, and there he assisted his father at farming until he became nineteen years old when he emigrated to America. The first year was spent in the state of New York, then he went to Slatington and engaged in the slate business as a contractor, coming to employ upwards of forty men, and re- alizing a large share of success as a reward of his persevering efforts and economy. Though a very busy man, he nevertheless found time to show a proper interest in the political welfare of his community and this was appreciated by his fellow citizens, for he was elected to serve as a town councilman and borough treasurer for several terms respectively and also as the chief burgess for one term, and these public offices were filled by him with the same degree of honor and fidelity as he gave to his own personal affairs.
He was enlisted in the Civil War in 176th Regt., Penna. Vol., to rank as commissary ser- geant from Nov. 20, 1862, and in active service in South Carolina; and was discharged at Phila- delphia, Aug. 18, 1863. For some time he was actively engaged in recruiting service at Slating- ton.
On November 2, 1862, he was married to Margaret Marshall, a daughter of Samuel and Mary A. (Davidson) Marshall, natives of Scot- land but resident at Slatington, and they had seven children: Edith (married John Boyle, of Catasauqua) ; Alexander B .; John W .; W. Wal- lace ; Samuel M .; Alfred S .; and Robert Dalby. They were active members of the Presbyterian
Church, which he served as deacon for a time, filling the office when he died, July 23, 1898. His wife was born Feb. 11, 1840, and she resides at Slatington.
ALFRED S. MORGAN, son of William and Margaret, was born in the borough on October 9, 1875, and here he has since resided. He re- ceived his education in the public schools and graduated from the high school in 1892, and after teaching public school for two terms he attended the East Stroudsburg State Normal School from which he was graduated in 1896. He then re- sumed teaching school at Slatington and con- tinued for six years, during the last three years having acted as assistant to the principal of the high school.
In 1902 he and his two brothers, Alexander B. and W. Wallace, became the owners of the Star Slate Co., which they operated for nine years, when they associated themselves with the Wash- ington Slate Co. (now one of the largest slate operations in the Slatington district), and he be- came the business manager and secretary which positions he has filled until the present time.
Mr. Morgan affiliated himself with the Slat- ington Lodge 440, F. and A. M. and Royal Arch Chapter 292 ; the Allen Commandry, No. 20 K. T., at Allentown, and the Rajah Temple, at Reading ; also with the following secret societies : O. U. A. M. In politics he is a Republican and he served as a director of the Slatington school board from 1902 to 1908, filling the office of president for two years and of treasurer for two years.
In 1903, Mr. Morgan was married to Jennie Roper, daughter of the late D. D. Roper, Esq., of Slatington, and they have two children: Eve- lyn Amy and May R.
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