Reece and Lucretia (Crawford) Morgan of Vigo County

'The following is from notes dictated by Frances Ann MORGAN (Mrs. VALENTINE) sometime before 1913 to a granddaughter in TN. Retyped in 1996 by Dennis NICKLAUS. Dennis received a copy of this from Miss Mary MORGAN of Indianapolis. Mary noted about Frances & her recollections:

"She was elderly at the time. We have proved the Crawford info. except the wrong brother was unmarried." Dennis' notes below are in square brackets [].'

1. REECE MORGAN of Virginia, of Scotch-Irish descent. His father, who was well educated for a lawyer is thought to have come from Wales, and had four children, Reece, John, Katherine, and David.

Reece MORGAN married Lucretia CRAWFORD, supposed to have been married in Kentucky on the Kentucky River. Reece MORGAN'S children were: David, Elisabeth, William, Deborah, Reece, Jr., Valentine, Lucretia and Orson. Reece MORGAN'S father probably married a woman named JONES, for JONES appears in Reece MORGAN'S name, Reece Jones MORGAN. Reece MORGAN lived to be sixty-two years old, his wife to be eighty-seven years old. Reece MORGAN, his wife, daughter and son are buried in the Lykins Graveyard near Battle Row, Prairie Creek Township, two miles west of where their son, Valentine MORGAN, is buried.

LUCRETIA CRAWFORD MORGAN was born in the mountains of Kentucky, her sister Martita, could scarcely see the sun before nine o'clock A.M., the mountains were so high. She, Lucretia, had a brother down on the Kentucky River making salt who was bitten by a rattlesnake, and she was sent for. When she went to wait on her brother, who recovered, she met Reece MORGAN and married him later. Lucretia's brother, William, was drowned. Another, Archie, was killed by a tree falling on him. One sister, Celia, lived at Bloomington, Indiana. She married a COLE. One sister of Lucretia MORGAN, Martita, lived in the mountains of Kentucky, married a COLE, brother of Celia's husband. Lucretia's brothers and sisters were Celia, Martita, Oliver, Valentine, Orson, Archie, and William.

William CRAWFORD was a great swimmer and would often contend in matches. Once in a match he began cramping and his faithful old darkey seeing him failing, begged the whites who were watching to let him plunge in and aid him, but they would not let him, and the young man died. His body was brought out. His darkey called him "Marse Billy". William was the favorite in the race.

Valentine and Orson CRAWFORD likely married. It is not known if Oliver married. Archie lived to be about eighty years, never married. He was very well blessed with this world's goods and at his death a neat sum was sent to Lucretia in Indiana.

The CRAWFORDS were slave owners and when Lucretia married, she took two colored girls to live with her for the interest of her money. Her husband, Reece MORGAN, thought it was not right to own slaves. Once early in the early times, the Indians would steal the CRAWFORD horses, until they built a pen to keep them in, but this did not daunt the red man, for they came by night and while one tore down the pen, others guarded the door and stole a very fine stallion. They, after peace, confessed to the theft.

Lucretia CRAWFORD MORGAN and her husband were members of the Christian Church, becoming members at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, at a Camp Meeting. Reece MORGAN always returned thanks at his table but Valentine, who had been a little wild, did not follow the example of his father. Valentine came into the church when it was organized at Middletown. He, Valentine, served as elder, deacon and trustee of the church.

[2.] Katherine MORGAN married a Mr. REVILLE ["Joseph Reveal" pencilled in], had a daughter, lived to be very old, went blind, always talked of dying, doctered with Indian herbs; once each year she would make a trip to get Indian herbs.

3. David MORGAN, brother of Reece MORGAN. One of the boys, John or David, married and had a daughter. Grandma Francis Ann MORGAN saw the son when he was a widower. Daughter's name thought to be Mariah, the boy's name was John; he had two children. Both the brothers of Reece MORGAN died.

4. John MORGAN, brother of Reece MORGAN, unknown.

[The following is pencilled in in the margin: Nicholas Co, KY will probated Feb 1808. His will mentions a daughter Murriah and a son Jefferson and wife Agnes. - In other words, Frances' account switches John and David.]'

The obituary of Frances Ann (THOMPSON) MORGAN is on the Vigo County, Indiana page: Vigo County Obituaries

Back to Vigo County Biographies Index
Back to Vigo County Biographies Project