Willis Franklin Morgan was born about 1835 in Kentucky. He married twice. His first wife was Lydia Jane Cook, daughter of Frederick and Ruth Cook. Together they were the parents of Herman B. Morgan. Lydia died between 1860 and 1871. On 19 Oct 1871 Frank Morgan married Nancy Ann (Underwood) Groves Gore. ( Note: Nancy was the step-mother of Herman B. Morgan and the aunt of his wife, Rebecca Emaline Smith.) They had the following children:
1. Willis Franklin Morgan b. Oct 1874 he married in 1908 to Della in Jackson County, Illinois and had a daughter Madeline. He died 3 Mar 1936 in Jackson County, Illinois.
2. Allen Lewis Morgan b. 1875 he married Minnie E.E. Ballance 27 Feb 1897 in Union County, Illinois. They had the following children: Eva, Elbir, Elma, Allen Louis and Orvil.
3. Andrew Morgan b. 1877 in Union County, Illinois. Not much is known about him.
The Jonesboro Gazette lists Frank Morgan on 25 Mar 1882. It states that Frank Morgan died 19 Mar 1882 of Sciatic Rheumatism. Nancy died 18 May 1893.
Herman B. Morgan was born April 1860 in Hardin County, Illinois. he was the son of Franklin and Lydia Jane (Carter) Morgan. He married 2 Aug 1877 in Union County, Illinois to Rebecca Emaline Smith, daughter of William Kenley Smith and Gabrilla Augustine Underwood. (Note: Gabrilla is the sister of Herman's step-mother, Nancy Underwood Morgan) They had the following children:
1. Martha Isabelle Morgan b. 6 Nov 1879 in Union County, Illinois. She married James Jacob Tweedy, son of Isaac and Emma Caroline (Penrod) Tweedy on 28 Jan 1896 in Union County. They had the following children: infant, Elsa, Alvin, Melvin, Bernice, Ralph, Rufus, Dorothy Lee, Carl and Paul. Martha died 17 Jun 1962 in St Louis, Missouri.
2. Minnie Morgan b. July 1880 in Union County. She married about 1899 to George Smith and had Oscar, Mildred and Elva. She died around 1930.
3. Aura Jane Morgan b. 14 Mar 1884 in Alto Pass, Union County. She married 4 April 1903 to William Oscar Baggett. They had Dan, Essie Alean and Laura. Aura died 11 December 1934 in Randolph County, Illinois.
4. Marshall Monroe Morgan b. 14 Sep 1892 in Alto Pass, Union County. He married twice. First he married Mae Amos in 1919 in Louisiana. He then married Orin Dorman 27 October 1941 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They were the parents of Opal May Morgan Patin. He died 28 April 1958 in Bunkie, Avoylles, Louisiana.
5. William Edward Morgan b. 1 April 1894 in Alto Pass, Union County. He married three times. He married Laila Hughes, Rose Whittingham and Fanny. With Fanny he had a son, Herman Morgan. He died 21 Aug 1969 in Bunkie, Louisiana.
6. Charlie Morgan died young.
After Herman's wife's death on 2 Feb 1907, Herman stayed in Union County until sometime before 1920. In 1920 and 1930 he is listed in Avoiles County, Louisiana. He died around 1935 in Baskin, Louisiana.
Pictures:
Left: William Oscar Baggett and Aura Jane Morgan Right: William Edward Morgan
Pictures Left and Right are of Herman B. Morgan
Left: Nancy Ann Underwood Morgan Right: Mildred with mother Minnie Morgan Smith.(Minnie is holding a grandchild)
Left to Right: Marshall Monroe Morgan, Martha Isabelle Morgan Tweedy, Minnie Morgan Smith and William Edward Morgan. This was taken at Minnie's house in East St Louis, Illinois. Aura was deceased by then, so these were the living siblings. This was about 1951.
Martha Isabelle Morgan and Aura Jane Morgan. Taken about 1915
Sources:
1860, 1870,1880,1900, 1910 census of Hardin and Union Counties (Illinois)
1860, 1870 census of Searcy County, Arkansas
Marriage and Death Records of Union County, Illinois
Archives of the Jonesboro Gazette as researched by Darrel Dexter.
1920 and 1930 Census of Avoiles County, Louisiana
Opal Patin