Charles Morgan (1814-1902) was born on Halloween in 1814 to Benjamin and Tacy Morgan. His father Benjamin was a blacksmith and owned a shop nearby the family home on Skippack Pike. Charles was a birthright member of the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends.
He had limited education at the common schools in Whitpain, but served as an apprentice in shoemaking for 4 years. He later moved to Philadelphia to continue his practice.
Fun Fact #1: Charles was the grandson of Morgan Morgan, who was known for naming the town "Pigeontown" before it was renamed to Blue Bell.
On August 1, 1839, he was contracted a severe cold, resulting to close his shoemaking business in Philadelphia. He hoped to recover from his sickness by leaving the city and settling to the Wyoming Valley.
Thriving in Wilkes-Barre
Charles was "two days and three nights reaching Harrisburg on the old Columbia railroad." He then traveled to Wilkes-Barre by the Pennsylvania Canal.
When he arrived at Wilkes-Barre, he was impressed with the beautiful landscape and the population of 1,200 people. When he recovered from his health, he spent several weeks fishing at the Susquehanna River and hunting on the mountains. When the frosty weather came, Charles' health was recovered.
He's been running his shoemaking business in Wilkes-Barre until he was in partnership with John Kline in 1843, naming their business "Kline & Morgan." The two ran a successful business manufacturing boots and shoes, and it was during this time machinery was not yet introduced. It wasn't until after the death of his partner, Charles became in charged of the business, and introduced the "first machine-made goods ever brought to Wilkes-Barre." With manufacturing introduced in the city and in his shop, there was no need for boots and shoes to be made by hand.
In 1868, Charles purchased a hardware shop from Isaac Wood and conducted both his hardware and shoe stores for 2 years. He then became partners with his son Jesse in his shoe store. He was active in the business for 15 years until his sons succeeded him, naming the firm "C. Morgan's Sons."
"Relative to the marked progress of Wilkes-Barre and the Wyoming Valley Mr. Morgan remarks that upon taking a retrospective glance of the long years that have elapsed since his arrival, it is difficult to comprehend the enormous prosperity which has visited this section and the development of its natural resources. Not until after the late Civil War and Wilkes-Barre show any particular advance, but since that period the progress of this municipality has been wonderful. He has noted these changes, and the village of 1839 of 1,200 people is to-day a teeming business and commercial centre of 55,000 or 58,000 inhabitants. Who can predict with certainty the progress that awaits this city and valley during the next fifty-eight years, the time that Mr. Morgan has resided in Wilkes-Barre?"
- The Historical Record, Volume 7
He visited Whitpain later in his life to visit his old friends. According to the 1850 census data, his parents remained in Whitpain while Charles lived in Wilkes-Barre.
Bibliography
"Birds eye view of Wilkes-Barre, Pa." Wikimedia Commons. Accessed January 15, 2022. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Birds_eye_view_of_Wilkes-Barre,_Pa._(2675064226).jpg.
"Benjamin Morgan (1775-1855)." FamilySearch. Accessed January 15, 2022. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/K29F-KM1/benjamin-morgan-1775-1855.
"Born In Whitpain." Ambler Gazette. January 9, 1902. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/3999/rec/1.
Bradsby, H.C. History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Selections. (Chicago: S.B. Nelson & Co., 1893): 1191-1192.
Hayden, Horace Edwin. Genealogical and Family History of the Wyoming and Lackawanna Valleys Pennsylvania, Volume 1. (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906): 521-523.
Historical sketches : a collection of papers prepared for the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Volume 5. (Norristown: Historical Society of Montgomery County, 1915): 206.
Johnson, F.C. The Historical Record, A Quarterly Publication Devoted Principally To The Early History of Wyoming Valley And Contiguous Territory With Notes and Queries, Biographical, Antiquarian, Genealogical, Volume 7. (Wilkes-Barre: Press of the Wilkes-Barre Record, 1897): 122.
Johnson, F.C. The Historical Record of Wyoming Valley, Volume 11. (Wilkes-Barre: Press of the Wilkes-Barre Record, 1902): 75-77.
Morris, William E, and Smith & Wistar. Map of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: from original surveys. [Philadelphia: Smith & Wistar, 1849] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012590207/.
Smith, Samuel Robert. The Wyoming Valley in 1892. (Scranton: The Scranton Republican Party, 1892): 48-49.
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