Jacob Morgan (20)
Jacob Morgan, son of Abel Morgan and Elizabeth Bedinger, was born 5 July 1781. His father as a surgeon of a Pennsylvania regiment during American Revolution was captured and endured inhumane treatment in a British prison. His early demise, when Jacob was but three years of age, is attributed to his ill health from imprisonment during the war. Jacob, his five brothers and sisters were raised by his mother at the “Old Stone House” built by Abel’s grand-father in 1734.
After the death of her husband, Elizabeth Bedinger Morgan was left to bring up her five children as best she could. And, very well she did. She not only raised her own children, who all became prominent citizens of the county, but she raised two or more orphan children as well. One was her nephew, Henry Thomas Swearingen, the son of her sister Sarah and Benoni Swearingen. The other was Sarah Keene Bedinger, the daughter of George Michael Bedinger and Sarah Nancy Keene, whom she cared for after the death of Sarah's grandmother Mrs. Sarah Keene. |
"Old Stone House" at Morgan's Spring
Richard Morgan, grandfather of Jacob Morgan, who immigrated from Wales in 1730 was granted several thousand acres of land by King George I and Lord Fairfax. He built the Old Stone House in 1734, one of the oldest houses in West Virginia. Photograph from "Between the Shenandoah and the Potomac", Jefferson County Historical Society, Charles Town, West Virginia
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Jacob was a tall youth with dark violet eyes and black hair. He was studious, intent upon his studies, affable and courteous. In August of 1796, Jacob's grandmother, Magdalena von Schlegel Bedinger wrote in a family letter, "Daniel Bedinger and his wife and family [are] visiting Shepherdstown. Jacob Morgan intends to go with them [Daniel and Sarah (Sally) Bedinger and family, back to Norfolk] in consequence of Aunt Sally's invitation to him to spend the winter with them." [i] Thus, at the age of 15 being invited to winter in Norfolk was the beginning of a lifelong creer for Jacob in the mercantile business. His uncle Daniel Bedinger, was surveyor and was acting as chief customs officer at the Customs House. Another of of Jabo's uncles, Solomon, was in business in Norfolk as a ship's chandler supplying goods for voyages of ships out of Norfolk and a merchant. He owned several vessels engaged in importing and exporting goods. In Norfolk, Jacob became an apprentice in Solomon’s mercantile business. With his studious intelligence, attention to detail and courteous and affable nature, Jacob readily took to the mercantile busines. Jacob remained in Norfolk with Solomon and Daniel well beyond the first winter and became a close member of the family in Norfolk and useful member of the business. Family and business news of Norfolk was exchanged frequently by letters of Solomon and Daniel to their brother Henry in Jefferson County. The letters include frequent reference to the health and condition of Jacob Morgan. A letter from Daniel Bedinger in 1800 states, "Jacob Morgan has lately returned from the West Indies & is now at Norfolk in good health."[ia]
Having worked sixteen years in the mercantile business, beginning as an apprectice, Jacob became an adept business man himself. In 1808 two significant changes occurred in Jacob's life. Daniel Bedinger left his post as Navy Agent and returned to Shepherdstown and his uncle and business mentor, Solomon Bedinger, died. Jacob moved his base of operations to Alexandria, Virginia where he established his residence. He soon became a prominent member of the business community. He continued his business in the mercantile and shipping business. He owned several trading vessels and spent a great deal of time in the West Indies, England and Europe. [ii]
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In 1810 he became a director and stockholder of the Farmers Bank of Alexandria. [iii] By the year 1919, Jacob was a managing officer of the Mechanics' Bank of Alexandria.[iv],[v] In 1824 Jacob was elected President of the Fire Insurance Compan.[vi] In 1820 he was elected an officer and member of the Standing Committee of the Washington Society of Alexandria.[vii]
Jacob married Ann Harris Thompson, daughter of Jonah Thompson of Alexandria. To this marriage was born Ann Harris Thompson Morgan who married Henry Boteler of Shepherdstown,West Virginia.[viii] Ann Thompson Morgan died July 3, 1816 in Alexandria.[ix] Jacob married a second time, Mary Jaqueline Smith, daughter of Col. Augustine J. Smith of West Grove, Fairfax County, Virginia.[x] Their first child was William Augustine Morgan who became a Colonel in the Confederate cavalry and later a Deputy Sheriff of Jefferson County, West Virginia. He inherited "Falling Spring".
By 1830, Jacob Morgan had begun building his new home in Shepherdstown, to become known as "Falling Spring", on the land he had inherited on which the "Old Stone House" was located. Jacob Morgan had become wealthy in Alexandria and was accorded the office of Justice of the Peace. Perhaps one of his last official duties in Alexandria before returning to Shepherdstown was to administer the oath of offices to Edmund J. Lee,[xi] President of the Alexandria City Council, and other elected members of the Alexandria Council, the Mayor, Clerk and Auditor.[xii]
Jacob, like his grandfather, Richard Morgan, grew to be a big-hearted, public spirited man. Jacob Morgan, having amassed a fortune in the mercantile business, retired to his boyhood home in Shepherdstown where he did much for the community. Jacob began building a new house that was completed in the mid-thirties. This lovely old main house is now known as “Falling Spring”. It was completed in 1837, as a letter written by Henry Bedinger shows. The letter dated 21 June 1837 reads, "I remained at Jacob Morgan's, who resides in his elegant new house built about fifty yards west of where the log barns of our sister's [Elizabeth Bedinger Morgan’s home, the “Old Stone House”]stood." [xiii] |
Jacob Morgan House, "Falling Spring"
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Sources:
[i] Letter, Magdalene Bedinger to her son George Michael Bedinger 4 Aug 1796, Bedigner family file, Historic Shepherdstown Museum.
[ia] Letter from Daniel Bedinger to G. M. Bedinger June 23, 1800, in Dandridge, Danske, George Michael Bedinger: A Kentucky Pioneer, The Michie Company, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1909, pp. 179,180.
[ii] Steptoe, Nannie Moss, Falling Spring, Magazine of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Vol.. IX, December 1943., pp. 4-24, p. 9
[iii] Articles of Association of the Farmers Bank of Alexandria, in Alexandria Gazette
(Alexandria Virginia), Vol. X, Issue 8867, p. 2, Sept. 25, 1810.
[iv] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), Vol. XIX, Issue, 5561, p. 3, July 29, 1819.
[v] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), Vol. XX, Issue, 5743, p. 2, March 16, 1820.
[vi] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p. 3, November 4, 1824.
[vii] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), Vol. XX, Issue, 5725, p. 2, February 24, 1824. The city of Alexandria, Virginia, is located on the Potomac River across from Washington D.C., approximately twenty miles north of Mount Vedrnon. George Washington played an integral part in the town's early history and development throughout his lifetime. In 1732, all that existed on the future site of the town of Alexandria was a public tobacco warehouse near a ferry landing. On December 16, 1799 the Alexandria Gazette reported "the death of their illustrious benefactor." Washington's memorial service was held at the Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria. One month after his death, citizens founded the Washington Society of Alexandria to honor his memory of George Washington and all he had contributed to the early life of the growing port town, Alexandria, on the Potomac.
[viii] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p.3, September 25, 1837.
[ix] Norfolk Gazette and Publick Ledger (Norfolk, Virginia), July 111, 1816, p.2
[x] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p.3, June 3, 1826.
[xi] Edmund Jennings Lee I, a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, was the father of Edmund Jennngs Lee II, husband of Henrietta Bedinger. Henrietta was the daughter of Daniel Bedinger(7) and a first cousin of Jacob Morgan.
[xii] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p. 2, March 9, 1831.
[xiii] Steptoe, Nannie Moss, Falling Spring, Magazine of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Vol.. IX, December 1943., pp. 4-24, p.10
[i] Letter, Magdalene Bedinger to her son George Michael Bedinger 4 Aug 1796, Bedigner family file, Historic Shepherdstown Museum.
[ia] Letter from Daniel Bedinger to G. M. Bedinger June 23, 1800, in Dandridge, Danske, George Michael Bedinger: A Kentucky Pioneer, The Michie Company, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1909, pp. 179,180.
[ii] Steptoe, Nannie Moss, Falling Spring, Magazine of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Vol.. IX, December 1943., pp. 4-24, p. 9
[iii] Articles of Association of the Farmers Bank of Alexandria, in Alexandria Gazette
(Alexandria Virginia), Vol. X, Issue 8867, p. 2, Sept. 25, 1810.
[iv] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), Vol. XIX, Issue, 5561, p. 3, July 29, 1819.
[v] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), Vol. XX, Issue, 5743, p. 2, March 16, 1820.
[vi] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p. 3, November 4, 1824.
[vii] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), Vol. XX, Issue, 5725, p. 2, February 24, 1824. The city of Alexandria, Virginia, is located on the Potomac River across from Washington D.C., approximately twenty miles north of Mount Vedrnon. George Washington played an integral part in the town's early history and development throughout his lifetime. In 1732, all that existed on the future site of the town of Alexandria was a public tobacco warehouse near a ferry landing. On December 16, 1799 the Alexandria Gazette reported "the death of their illustrious benefactor." Washington's memorial service was held at the Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria. One month after his death, citizens founded the Washington Society of Alexandria to honor his memory of George Washington and all he had contributed to the early life of the growing port town, Alexandria, on the Potomac.
[viii] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p.3, September 25, 1837.
[ix] Norfolk Gazette and Publick Ledger (Norfolk, Virginia), July 111, 1816, p.2
[x] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p.3, June 3, 1826.
[xi] Edmund Jennings Lee I, a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, was the father of Edmund Jennngs Lee II, husband of Henrietta Bedinger. Henrietta was the daughter of Daniel Bedinger(7) and a first cousin of Jacob Morgan.
[xii] Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Virginia), p. 2, March 9, 1831.
[xiii] Steptoe, Nannie Moss, Falling Spring, Magazine of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Vol.. IX, December 1943., pp. 4-24, p.10