The Morgan Family
Morgan is derived from “mor,” the sea, and “gan,” born. The surname is of Welsh origin and is variously spelled Morgen, Morgain, Morgaine and others. Several Morgan men were early immigrants to Berkeley County in the 1700s. The progenitors of four of the Morgan lines in the Shepherdstown area are Morgan Morgan, Thomas Morgan, Daniel Morgan and Richard Morgan. Their relationship, if they were related in Wales is not known and we know of no American relationships of the families from the present genealogical study.
Col. Morgan Morgan (1 Nov 1688-17 Nov 1766) is traditionally believed to have founded the first settlement in present-day West Virginia and is credited with founding the first church in what is now West Virginia. Thomas Morgan purchased land on Sleepy Creek in Berkeley County in 1741. The third Morgan, Daniel Morgan, also not related to the Morgans that married with the Bedinger family, was born 6 July 1736 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey and settled near Charles Town, Virginia in 1754. Daniel Morgan is of interest here because he played a prominent part in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. He was commissioned captain by the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1775 to form and command a company of riflemen to reinforce the colonial army at the siege of Boston. Daniel Bedinger served under General Daniel Morgan in the Southern campaign. He volunteered his company for Benedict Arnold's Quebec campaign. When Arnold was wounded at Quebec, Morgan took command and was later captured by the British. He was freed through a prisoner exchange in 1776 and was promoted to colonel. His famed "Morgan's Rangers" of sharpshooters distinguished themselves in the American victory at Saratoga. Passed by for promotion, Morgan retired from the army in 1779, but was recalled in 1780 and was made a brigadier general. In a brilliant victory at the battle of Cowpens in South Carolina, he defeated the numerically superior British forces. Daniel Bedinger was with the Virginia Militia of sharpshooters who served under General Morgan at the battle of Cowpens. After the war Morgan, a Federalist, served as Congressman from 1797 to 1799. In his first race for Congress, Daniel Morgan was defeated by Robert Rutherford, a Jeffersonian Democrat. He ran again in 1797 and defeated Rutherford. He died in Winchester, Virginia 6 July 1802.
Richard Morgan
Richard Morgan (1700-1763), the head of the Morgan family of principal interest in our Bedinger family history. Richard Morgan's son Abel Morgan married Elizabeth Bedinger the daughter of Henry Bedinger and Mary Magdalena von Schlegel. Richard Morgan was a gentleman whose family came from Wales to America in the seventeenth century. “Richard ap Morgan”, as he frequently signed his name in early documents, was one of the first settlers in the neighborhood of Mecklenburg, now called Shepherdstown. In 1734 Richard Morgan received one of the first grants of 500 acres from Lord Fairfax, selling some land to Thomas Shepherd, who founded Shepherdstown. By 1768 he and his sons William and Jacob had accumulated 4,046 acres of Fairfax grant land. During the French and Indian War, he served as Captain raising troops and defending the area from Indian raids. Captain Richard Morgan and his son, William, accompanied Colonel Adam Stephen of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, with a company of riflemen from Mecklenburg to join General Braddock at Fort Cumberland during the French and Indian War.
The will of Richard Morgan is given below from the book “Historic Shepherdstown” with some of the comments by the author, Danske Dandridge.[i]
In the Name of God, Amen. This fourteenth day of November, one thousand, seven hundred and sixty-three, I, Richard Morgan of Frederick County & Coll. of Virginia, being sick and Weak in body, but of
perfect mind and Memory thanks be to the Almighty God for his Mercies, and calling to mind the Mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I therefore recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it and Body to the earth to be buried in a christian-like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors herein named. Imprimis I will that all just Debts and funeral charges be paid first and Discharged.
Item I give to my daughter Mary Swearingen one hundred acres of land lying and being in Frederick County and Coll. of Virginia, a tract adjoining my home Plantation on the West.
Item I give to my daughter Sarah Morgan one hundred acres of Land being a part of the Aboves'd Tract.
Item I give to my daughter Olive Stockdon one hundred Acres of land being part of the aboves'd Tract, and it is my Will that the above division of land shall be at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named.
Item I give to my son William Morgan four hundred Acres of land Joining on the River Potomack on the East Side Shephards Town or Macklenburg for the use of his three eldest sons, Ralph, George, Abraham.
Item, I give to my son Isaac Morgan the plantation adjoining Captain Van Swearingen's which has been called Isaac Morgan's, containing two hundred and fifty acres.
Item I give to Samuel Stockdon son of John Stockdon of Maklenburg ninety eight Acres of Land adjoining Edward Lucas's.
Item I give to Richard Morgan and John Morgan, sons of Jacob Morgan, two hundred and Eleven Acres of Land adjoining the s'd Jacob Morgan's Land, and to be divided at the Discretion of my Executors.
Item I give to Jean Morgan, daughter of Jacob Morgan the Lott I bought of Dr. John Briscoe with all the Improvements thereon.
Item I give to my son William three Acres of the upper end of my Meadows Joining to the twelve Acres he had of me heretofore.
Item I give to my son Jacob Morgan five pounds to be levied out of my Estate.
Item I give to my son Abel Morgan all my home plantation, and Nineteen Acres being the remainder of the tract I have left to my three daughters.
Item I give to Robert Pearis, & it is my will that he have the land which was in dispute between him and me, he paying what costs hath already been about s'd land at.the discretion of my Executors.
Item I will that my Executors make over to James Brown a title for four hundred and ninety Acres whereon he now lives, on his paying or discharging all debts or dues to me.
Item I will that my Executors make over to York Henery Bechtol one hundred Acres of Land Joining to the great spring where he now lives.
Item it is my Will that my Executors make over a Right to Charles Hedges, son of John Hedges, for two hundred Acres of Land at the foot of the North Mountain, he the said Hedges paying what Quit rents and
Land Tax is Due on s'd Land.
Item I Will that the plantation I bought of Edward Teague, & the lot I bought of Ezekiel Hickman & the lot I bought of John James be kept on rent till such time as all my just debts are paid & discharged, and it is my will that the s'd Teagues & the afores'd two Lots after the s'd debts are paid, they, with all my personal Estate not otherwise willed, be equally divided between my seven children named herein before.
Item I do appoint my son William Morgan & my son in law Thomas Swearingen executors of this my last Will and Testament revoking Disallowing all other Wills, Legacies or Testaments by me before,
Rattifieing & confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto my Hand & Seal the day & year first above Written.
igned sealed and published and pronounced in the
presence of
Henry Bedinger -- Peter Bedinger
John Champion. Richard Morgan
(Seal)
At a Court held for Frederick County December 6th 1763, The Last Will and Testament of Richard Morgan, Deceased, was produced in Court by William Morgan and Thomas Swearingen the Executors therein named who made oath thereto and the same being proved by the oaths of Henry Bedinger, Peter Bedinger and John Champion Witnesses thereto it is ordered to be recorded and upon the motion of the said Executors who entered into bond with Van Swearingen & Henry Bedinger their securities in the penalty of one thousand pounds conditioned for their due and faithful Administration of the s'd Estate certificate is granted them for obtaining a Probate in due
form.
For the Court.
Ja. Keith C. C.
From this curious old will we learn many things. Richard Morgan's children were, first, William, who was a brave officer of the Revolution. He raised a company in the neighborhood of Shepherdstown early in the year 1777. At the close of the war he had been promoted to a colonelcy. The other sons of Richard were Isaac, Jacob, and Abel. His daughters were Mary, the
wife of Thomas Swearingen, Sarah, unmarried at the time the will was made; and Olive, who married John Stockton.
John and Charles Hedges were, no doubt, the founders of Hedgesville, and the will shows that Richard Morgan at one time owned a very large tract of land, or probably two tracts, as it does not seem likely that his acres extended in an unbroken
line all the way from Mecklenburg to the foot of the North Mountain. His descendants acquired more land, but the family multiplied very rapidly, and many of them sought new fields in Kentucky and Tennessee.
There is no mention of any slaves in the will of Richard Morgan. The first settlers in Berkeley County owned few Negroes but these became more plentiful as time went on. Indentured servants were as common as Negro slaves, and their lot was often cruelly hard.[ii]
[i] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., pp.
39-41.
[ii] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., pp.
39-43.
Col. Morgan Morgan (1 Nov 1688-17 Nov 1766) is traditionally believed to have founded the first settlement in present-day West Virginia and is credited with founding the first church in what is now West Virginia. Thomas Morgan purchased land on Sleepy Creek in Berkeley County in 1741. The third Morgan, Daniel Morgan, also not related to the Morgans that married with the Bedinger family, was born 6 July 1736 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey and settled near Charles Town, Virginia in 1754. Daniel Morgan is of interest here because he played a prominent part in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. He was commissioned captain by the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1775 to form and command a company of riflemen to reinforce the colonial army at the siege of Boston. Daniel Bedinger served under General Daniel Morgan in the Southern campaign. He volunteered his company for Benedict Arnold's Quebec campaign. When Arnold was wounded at Quebec, Morgan took command and was later captured by the British. He was freed through a prisoner exchange in 1776 and was promoted to colonel. His famed "Morgan's Rangers" of sharpshooters distinguished themselves in the American victory at Saratoga. Passed by for promotion, Morgan retired from the army in 1779, but was recalled in 1780 and was made a brigadier general. In a brilliant victory at the battle of Cowpens in South Carolina, he defeated the numerically superior British forces. Daniel Bedinger was with the Virginia Militia of sharpshooters who served under General Morgan at the battle of Cowpens. After the war Morgan, a Federalist, served as Congressman from 1797 to 1799. In his first race for Congress, Daniel Morgan was defeated by Robert Rutherford, a Jeffersonian Democrat. He ran again in 1797 and defeated Rutherford. He died in Winchester, Virginia 6 July 1802.
Richard Morgan
Richard Morgan (1700-1763), the head of the Morgan family of principal interest in our Bedinger family history. Richard Morgan's son Abel Morgan married Elizabeth Bedinger the daughter of Henry Bedinger and Mary Magdalena von Schlegel. Richard Morgan was a gentleman whose family came from Wales to America in the seventeenth century. “Richard ap Morgan”, as he frequently signed his name in early documents, was one of the first settlers in the neighborhood of Mecklenburg, now called Shepherdstown. In 1734 Richard Morgan received one of the first grants of 500 acres from Lord Fairfax, selling some land to Thomas Shepherd, who founded Shepherdstown. By 1768 he and his sons William and Jacob had accumulated 4,046 acres of Fairfax grant land. During the French and Indian War, he served as Captain raising troops and defending the area from Indian raids. Captain Richard Morgan and his son, William, accompanied Colonel Adam Stephen of Martinsburg, Berkeley County, with a company of riflemen from Mecklenburg to join General Braddock at Fort Cumberland during the French and Indian War.
The will of Richard Morgan is given below from the book “Historic Shepherdstown” with some of the comments by the author, Danske Dandridge.[i]
In the Name of God, Amen. This fourteenth day of November, one thousand, seven hundred and sixty-three, I, Richard Morgan of Frederick County & Coll. of Virginia, being sick and Weak in body, but of
perfect mind and Memory thanks be to the Almighty God for his Mercies, and calling to mind the Mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I therefore recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it and Body to the earth to be buried in a christian-like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors herein named. Imprimis I will that all just Debts and funeral charges be paid first and Discharged.
Item I give to my daughter Mary Swearingen one hundred acres of land lying and being in Frederick County and Coll. of Virginia, a tract adjoining my home Plantation on the West.
Item I give to my daughter Sarah Morgan one hundred acres of Land being a part of the Aboves'd Tract.
Item I give to my daughter Olive Stockdon one hundred Acres of land being part of the aboves'd Tract, and it is my Will that the above division of land shall be at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named.
Item I give to my son William Morgan four hundred Acres of land Joining on the River Potomack on the East Side Shephards Town or Macklenburg for the use of his three eldest sons, Ralph, George, Abraham.
Item, I give to my son Isaac Morgan the plantation adjoining Captain Van Swearingen's which has been called Isaac Morgan's, containing two hundred and fifty acres.
Item I give to Samuel Stockdon son of John Stockdon of Maklenburg ninety eight Acres of Land adjoining Edward Lucas's.
Item I give to Richard Morgan and John Morgan, sons of Jacob Morgan, two hundred and Eleven Acres of Land adjoining the s'd Jacob Morgan's Land, and to be divided at the Discretion of my Executors.
Item I give to Jean Morgan, daughter of Jacob Morgan the Lott I bought of Dr. John Briscoe with all the Improvements thereon.
Item I give to my son William three Acres of the upper end of my Meadows Joining to the twelve Acres he had of me heretofore.
Item I give to my son Jacob Morgan five pounds to be levied out of my Estate.
Item I give to my son Abel Morgan all my home plantation, and Nineteen Acres being the remainder of the tract I have left to my three daughters.
Item I give to Robert Pearis, & it is my will that he have the land which was in dispute between him and me, he paying what costs hath already been about s'd land at.the discretion of my Executors.
Item I will that my Executors make over to James Brown a title for four hundred and ninety Acres whereon he now lives, on his paying or discharging all debts or dues to me.
Item I will that my Executors make over to York Henery Bechtol one hundred Acres of Land Joining to the great spring where he now lives.
Item it is my Will that my Executors make over a Right to Charles Hedges, son of John Hedges, for two hundred Acres of Land at the foot of the North Mountain, he the said Hedges paying what Quit rents and
Land Tax is Due on s'd Land.
Item I Will that the plantation I bought of Edward Teague, & the lot I bought of Ezekiel Hickman & the lot I bought of John James be kept on rent till such time as all my just debts are paid & discharged, and it is my will that the s'd Teagues & the afores'd two Lots after the s'd debts are paid, they, with all my personal Estate not otherwise willed, be equally divided between my seven children named herein before.
Item I do appoint my son William Morgan & my son in law Thomas Swearingen executors of this my last Will and Testament revoking Disallowing all other Wills, Legacies or Testaments by me before,
Rattifieing & confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto my Hand & Seal the day & year first above Written.
igned sealed and published and pronounced in the
presence of
Henry Bedinger -- Peter Bedinger
John Champion. Richard Morgan
(Seal)
At a Court held for Frederick County December 6th 1763, The Last Will and Testament of Richard Morgan, Deceased, was produced in Court by William Morgan and Thomas Swearingen the Executors therein named who made oath thereto and the same being proved by the oaths of Henry Bedinger, Peter Bedinger and John Champion Witnesses thereto it is ordered to be recorded and upon the motion of the said Executors who entered into bond with Van Swearingen & Henry Bedinger their securities in the penalty of one thousand pounds conditioned for their due and faithful Administration of the s'd Estate certificate is granted them for obtaining a Probate in due
form.
For the Court.
Ja. Keith C. C.
From this curious old will we learn many things. Richard Morgan's children were, first, William, who was a brave officer of the Revolution. He raised a company in the neighborhood of Shepherdstown early in the year 1777. At the close of the war he had been promoted to a colonelcy. The other sons of Richard were Isaac, Jacob, and Abel. His daughters were Mary, the
wife of Thomas Swearingen, Sarah, unmarried at the time the will was made; and Olive, who married John Stockton.
John and Charles Hedges were, no doubt, the founders of Hedgesville, and the will shows that Richard Morgan at one time owned a very large tract of land, or probably two tracts, as it does not seem likely that his acres extended in an unbroken
line all the way from Mecklenburg to the foot of the North Mountain. His descendants acquired more land, but the family multiplied very rapidly, and many of them sought new fields in Kentucky and Tennessee.
There is no mention of any slaves in the will of Richard Morgan. The first settlers in Berkeley County owned few Negroes but these became more plentiful as time went on. Indentured servants were as common as Negro slaves, and their lot was often cruelly hard.[ii]
[i] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., pp.
39-41.
[ii] Dandridge, Danske, 1910, Historic Shepherdstown, The Michie Company, Printers, Charlottesville, Virginia, 389 p., pp.
39-43.