Tag: Morgan Morgan

February 17, 1735: Morgan Morgan Commissioned As Captain of Berkeley Co. Militia

On February 17, 1735, pioneer Morgan Morgan was commissioned a captain of militia in present Berkeley County. Nearly three centuries later, a successor to Morgan’s militia regiment is still going strong.

The militia’s original purpose was to protect settlers against Indian raids. Then, in the early decades of the nation, the militia took part in every American conflict: from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War. One of the first state militia units reorganized after the Civil War was the Berkeley Light Infantry.

In 1889, this unit became part of the new West Virginia National Guard’s First Infantry, which represented the northern part of the state. This regiment served in the Spanish-American War and World War I. As the 201st Artillery, the unit was again mobilized during World War II and the Korean War. More recently, it was deployed during the Persian Gulf and Iraq wars.

Today, the 201st can trace its roots to the original militia company founded by Morgan Morgan in 1735. As such, the 201st Field Artillery of the West Virginia Army National Guard is perhaps the oldest military unit in the nation.

October 17, 1785: Virginia General Assembly Establishes Morgan's Town

On October 17, 1785, the Virginia General Assembly established Morgan’s Town. It was named for Zackquill Morgan, the son of pioneer Morgan Morgan. Zackquill had settled in the area in 1771 and laid out the town in 1783.

In the early days, Morgantown, as it became known, consisted primarily of what is now the city’s downtown. It featured a few water-powered businesses and was a jumping-off point for boat builders heading north to Pittsburgh. The town began to take off with the founding of the West Virginia Agricultural College in 1867. Renamed West Virginia University the following year, the school would become the centerpiece of Morgantown.

In 1886, the arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad sparked a regional boom in coal, oil, and gas. It also gave rise to Morgantown’s glass industry and the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, both of which attracted an influx of immigrants.

Today, thanks in large part to the university, Morgantown is one of the state’s fastest-growing cities. In 2012, it had about 31,000 residents, placing it in a virtual tie with Parkersburg as West Virginia’s third-largest city.

October 17, 1785: Virginia General Assembly Establishes Morgan's Town

On October 17, 1785, the Virginia General Assembly established Morgan’s Town. It was named for Zackquill Morgan, the son of pioneer Morgan Morgan. Zackquill had settled in the area in 1771 and laid out the town in 1783.

In the early days, Morgantown, as it became known, consisted primarily of what is now the city’s downtown. It featured a few water-powered businesses and was a jumping-off point for boat builders heading north to Pittsburgh. The town began to take off with the founding of the West Virginia Agricultural College in 1867. Renamed West Virginia University the following year, the school would become the centerpiece of Morgantown.

In 1886, the arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad sparked a regional boom in coal, oil, and gas. It also gave rise to Morgantown’s glass industry and the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, both of which attracted an influx of immigrants.

Today, thanks in large part to the university, Morgantown is one of the state’s fastest-growing cities. In 2012, it had about 31,000 residents, placing it in a virtual tie with Parkersburg as West Virginia’s third-largest city.

November 17, 1766: Pioneer Morgan Morgan Died

Pioneer Morgan Morgan died on November 17, 1766. Generations of schoolchildren grew up being taught that Morgan was the first permanent white settler in present West Virginia. Now, though, we know that others came before him.

A native of Wales, Morgan emigrated in 1712 to Delaware, where he worked as a tailor and a coroner. In 1731, he settled in the Bunker Hill area of present Berkeley County. Four years later, he received a land patent in the region for 1,000 acres. He was an influential member of the Bunker Hill community and helped found Christ Episcopal Church. Today, his grave is part of the church’s cemetery, and a log cabin he built stands nearby.

So, if Morgan Morgan wasn’t West Virginia’s first permanent white resident, then who was? The answer might forever be a mystery. We do know that by the time Morgan arrived in 1731, some white settlers already lived here. One possibility for the earliest settlement is a community known only as Potomoke. Some historians believe that Potomoke, which was settled as early as 1717, could be the site of modern-day Shepherdstown.

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