William Lincoln Morgan, a native of South Otter township, who is
known as an energetic and progressive farmer, is of English descent and
his character for reliability and persistence may be ascribed to traits
inherited from a long line of sturdy ancestry. He has never hesitated to
push forward in any business undertaking when a favorable opportunity
presented and as a result has gained valuable experience, his efforts
being abundantly rewarded.
Born April 29, 1864, he is a son of
Thomas and Harriet (Walton) Morgan, the former of whom was born in
England and the latter in New York state. The grandfather on the
maternal side was George Walton, a native of England. Thomas Morgan, the
father, emigrated to the United States and came to Macoupin county in
1849, settling on a farm in South Otter township. Here he continued
until 1890, when he retired from active labor. He died in 1910. In the
family of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan were twelve children, five of whom
survive, namely: Mrs. Mary E. Cain, of Oklahoma; Mrs. Florence Lawrence,
of Carlinville; Mrs. Minnie Johnson, also of Carlinville; Thomas, Jr.,
who lives at Reno; and William Lincoln.
Mr. Morgan, of this
sketch, attended the common schools of South Otter township and grew to
manhood with the laudable desire to make the best use of life and attain
an honorable name in the world. At the age of nineteen he began farming
with his father, but the year following, having a desire to see the
world, he went to Kansas. He returned to South Otter township in 1885
and applied himself to farming for a year, at the end of which time he
entered the restaurant business at Jacksonville, Illinois, continuing
later in the same line at Galesburg. In 1890 he returned to Macoupin
county and ran a store in Shaws Point township until 1896, when he
removed to Racine, Wisconsin,, and for two years was identified with the
restaurant business in that city. He spent the following three years in
Rochester and Syracuse, New York, and in 1901 returned to the home farm
in South Otter township where he has since remained. He raises the
grains adapted to the soil and climate of Macoupin county and also feeds
live stock for the market. Under his careful and systematic management
both branches of the business are highly profitable.
On the 15th
of September, 1891, Mr. Morgan was married in Girard to Miss Lena
McMahan, of South Otter township, a daughter of W. H. and Adeline
(Curtis) McMahan, the former of whom was born in Green and the latter in
Scott county, Illinois. The grandfathers of Mrs. Morgan were Henry
McMahan, of Illinois, and James Curtis, who was a native of Virginia. To
this union, of Mr. and Mrs. Morgan three children have been born:
Curtis, William Cand Helen.
Fraternally, Mr. Morgan is
identified with Peach Tree Lodge, No. 633, M. W. A.; politically, he
votes in support of the principles and candidates of the republican
party. He takes a lively interest in affairs of the neighborhood and is
a good friend of education, having served faithfully for eleven years as
a member of the school board. Although now living on the farm where he
was born, he has had an extensive acquaintance with the world and has
possessed unusual opportunities for the study of human nature. Always
wide-awake, intelligent and willing to learn, he has made practical
application of his knowledge and is, therefore, one of the highly
respected men of the township.
Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 449-450.
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