Today I share information about the pension application of Phillip Morgan, son of Reuben Morgan and Mary Wright, Revolutionary War veteran, originally from Georgia, married Martha ‘Patsy’ Puckett, daughter of Shippy and Mary Pukett, about 1784.  In the year 1790 or 1791 the Morgan family moved to Washington County, Kentucky.  Phillip and Patsy had a large family, one son, Reuben, and nine daughters.  Only one daughter, Patsy, died in infancy, and eleven years later a second daughter was named Patsy.  The couple’s last two daughters were given a multitude of names – Patsy Puckett Wright Morgan and Letitia Phillip Raney Morgan.  I suppose since there were no additional sons to carry these names they were given to the daughters.

Phillip Morgan’s will, written June 19, 1826, and proved October 23, 1826, lists his eight daughters, but not son Reuben.  It is quite possible Reuben received his inheritance at his marriage.  Reuben died during the cholera epidemic of 1833 – on July 4^th of that year.  His wife, Mary, died four days previous on June 30, 1833. 

Five children of Reuben and Mary Morgan are listed in the family bible (see below).  Lucy Morgan, daughter of Phillip and Patsy, married William Sanders.  Nine of their children are listed in the bible.  There are also very early births listed, including Phillip’s grandparents: Reuben Morgan, son of Phillip and Mary Morgan, was born in September of 1724; his wife, Mary Wright, son of John and Jean Wright, was born October 4, 1728.

We will start with Phillip Morgan’s will, since the pension application was initiated after the deaths of both Phillip and wife Patsy.

In the name of God, amen.  I, Phillip Morgan, of the County of Washington and State of Kentucky, knowing the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, being weak in body but perfect in mind do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to say, my desire is that my debts should be collected and after my funeral expenses and past debts are paid, I bequeath unto my beloved wife Patsy Morgan, my plantation, for her natural life time or widowhood.  I also bequeath to my wife Patsy my gray mare, one bedstead and furniture, the household and kitchen furniture, all my stock of cattle and sheep, five head of killing hogs, one brood sow, such as she may choose.  I bequeath to my daughter, Jenny Morgan, one bedstead and furniture, my cow and yearling, Nelly, and fifteen dollars in cash.  I bequeath to my daughter, Patsy P. W. Morgan, one bedstead and furniture, my black filly yearling colt and fifteen dollars in cash.  I bequeath to my daughter Letitia P. R. Morgan one bedstead and furniture, my bay yearling filly colt and thirty-five dollars in cash to make them equal to the rest of my children that is married and left me, the money out of my estate, the remaining part of my personal property that is not otherwise disposed of to be sold and within twelve months, after paying my just debts and expenses, the balance of the money, if any, to be paid out on interest after my wife’s death or marriage, my desire is that my plantation should be sold in a length of twelve months and all the balance of my estate left in my wife’s hands to be sold and the money among thereupon after all my expenses are paid to be equally divided between my children to wit, Mary Covert, Nancy Taylor, Betsy Strange, Sally Morgan, Lucy Sanders, Jenny Morgan, Patsy P. W. Morgan, Letitia P. R. Morgan.  I likewise constitute, ordain and appoint my wife, Patsy Morgan, my Executrix, and my friends Jesse Peters and William Walter, Sr., my Executors, to this my last will and testament.  In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal this 19^th day of June 1826.

Phillip Morgan

Teste.  Alexander McDonald, Daniel McDonald

At a county court began and held for Washington County at the Courthouse in Springfield on Monday, the 23^rd day of October 1826.  This last will and testament of Phillip Morgan, deceased, was exhibited in court and proved by the oaths of Alexander McDonald and Daniel McDonald, the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.

Att. John Hughes, W.C.C.

Since Phillip Morgan listed his daughters, with their married names, in his will it was easy to find their spouses and marriage dates in the Washington County marriage records.

• Mary Morgan married David Covert December 12, 1809.
• Nancy Morgan married Major William Taylor October 6, 1809.
• Betsy Morgan married James Strange April 2, 1811.
• Lucy Morgan married William Sanders July 26, 1821.

I could find no marriages for Sally, Jenny, Patsy or Letitia.

SterThe family bible was purchased by Jenny Morgan at the estate sale of her mother, for 50 cents.

Births of the Morgan Family

• Reuben Morgan, son of Phillip Morgan and Mary Morgan, his wife, born September 1724.
• Mary Morgan, daughter of John and Jean Wright, wife to the above Reuben Morgan, was born October 4, 1728.
• Phillip Morgan, son of Reuben Morgan and Mary, his wife, was born March 17, 1758.
• Patsy Morgan, daughter of Shippy A. Puckett and his wife, was born November 27, 1759.

Children of Phillip Morgan and Patsy Puckett Morgan

• Mary Morgan, daughter of Phillip and Patsy Morgan, his wife, was born March 14, 1785.
• Reuben Morgan, son of Phillip and Patsy Morgan, his wife, was born September 9, 1786.
• Nancy Morgan was born March 22, 1788.
• Betty Morgan, March 18, 1792.
• Sally Morgan, September 9, 1793.
• Lucy Morgan, August 10, 1796.
• Jane Morgan, November 14, 1800.
• Patsy Puckett Wright Morgan born December 22, 1803.
• Letitia Phillip Raney Morgan born February 18, 1806.

Births of the Morgan Family

• Patsy Elender Morgan, daughter of Sally Morgan, born September 29, 1815.
• Son of Shippy Puckett was born May 31, 1762, died January or June 22, 1802.

Deaths of the Morgan Family

• Mary Puckett, [Shippy] his wife, died March 1809.
• Reuben Morgan, son of Phillip and Mary Morgan died June 11, 1781, age 57.
• Reuben W. Morgan, son of the above, died in July 1777.
• Betsy Morgan, late of Nancy Morgan, died September 1793.
• Benjamin Morgan, son of Reuben Morgan, died 1813.
• Mary Morgan, daughter of John and Jane Wright, consort of the above.
• Reuben Morgan died 13^th January 1819, age 91.
• Phillip Morgan died September 28, 1825, age 69.
• Patsy Morgan, his wife, died July 24, 1839, age 78.
• Patsy Morgan, daughter of P. P. Morgan, died April 6,1792.
• Reuben Morgan, son of Phillip and Patsy Morgan, his wife, died July 4, 1833.
• Mary Morgan, his wife, died June 30, 1833.
• Sally Morgan, daughter of Phillip and Patsy Morgan, his wife, died October 27, 1832.

Births of the Morgan Family

• Mary Morgan, consort of Reuben Morgan, was born August 9,1792.
• William Nall Popham Morgan, son of Reuben Morgan Jr. and Mary, his wife, was born July 6, 1812.
• Phillip Hawkins Morgan was born December 31, 1818.
• Umphrey Hopkins Morgan was born March 12, 1815.
• Eliza Jane Morgan was born November 12, 1817.
• Betsy Ann Morgan was born January 12, 1821.
• Patsy Emily Sanders, daughter of William Sanders and Lucy, his wife, was born March 21, 1823.
• Minerva Jane Sanders born March 11, 1825.
• Polly Ann Sanders born November 24, 1827.
• William Preston Sanders March 22, 1829.
• Lucy Ann Sanders May 17, 1831.
• James W. Sanders January 26, 1836.
• John E. Sanders January 26, 1836.
• Cintha O. Sanders May 3, 1838.
• Henry H. Sanders October 21, 1840.

The declaration of Jesse Peters, acting Executor of Phillip Morgan, deceased, for the benefit of the heirs of said Phillip Morgan, Washington County, State of  Kentucky, being of lawful age and sworn in the County Court Washington, makes the following statement that he, the said Peters, is at this time the acting executor, he was well acquainted with Phillip Morgan and his wife Patsy, for upwards of twenty-five years and that during that time they lived comfortably together as man and wife.  I have no recollection of their marriage.  They departed this life, Phillip Morgan, September 28, 1826, his wife, Patsy, departed this life the 24^th day of July 1837, and that she remained widow until her death.  I found in his possession two discharges which will be forwarded to the commissioner of pensions.  I have no knowledge of his service or enlistment.  I know he possessed in the year 1815 upwards fifteen hundred dollars in property, two tracts of land, one 210 acres and the other 185, that I suppose one reason why he made no application for his pension that he was a very particular man with respect to fraud or any illegal practices to obtain unjust claims.  I have also produced the family record of the Bible in court for their examination and made copy for the Department of War, inspection there was nine children, two dead and seven living, the death ages will appear on the family record, all over sixteen ears of age, no guardian, the court will certify the character of Jesse Peters, he further states that the land requires a valuation of property and the pension depended on the amount of property.

Washington County, State of Kentucky

The affidavit of Sterling Morgan, being of lawful age and sworn in court as the law requires, makes the following statement, that he, a brother to Phillip Morgan, deceased, and that he well recollects that he was lawfully married to Patsy Morgan in the County of Mecklenburg, State of Virginia, and that he lived with my brother at my fathers for some time and ever lived near him.  I am acquainted of his being in the Army of the Revolutionary War with Great Britain, that he served the two terms of duty as stated.  I have no recollection of the time he served in the army, but recollect his being in service and that he is the identified Phillip Morgan as stated in the two discharges and performed the duty while living in the County of Mecklenburg, State of Virginia, and that he moved to the state of Kentucky and County of Washington in the year either 1791 or 1790, and has lived here ever since, and in the year 1815 that he owned upwards of fifteen hundred dollars of property.  I have often heard him say that he was justly entitled to both land and money as a pension and that ever since the war he had not received one cent of either money or land.  Also, I recollect his possession in his lifetime the family Bible as here produced in court.

Washington County, State of Kentucky

The affidavit of Sterling Morgan, being of lawful age upwards of seventy years, being infirm makes the following statement that the copy of the family bible here taken is a true copy, taken from the bible of my brother, Philip Moran and family, the  names of the children I perfectly recollect and a part of the record in the handwriting of my brother and the balance In the family as it fell in the hands of his widow and was sold by Jesse Peter the executor that the said bible is in the possession of the family at this time, given under my hand this 31^st day of May 1842.

Sterling Morgan

Sworn to before me as a said Justice of the Peace for said county and stated given under my hand this 31^st day of May 1842.

Robert S. Mitchell

State of Kentucky

Washington County

I, William B. Booker, Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do certify that the within is a true copy of the affidavit of Sterling Morgan, filed in my office (on the application of Phillip Morgan’s heirs to get said Phillip Morgan’s pension) sworn to before me in open court.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at Springfield this 31^st day of May 1842

W. B. Booker

Augusta, November 27, 1777

Phillip Morgan, a private soldier in Capt. Isaac Hick’s company in the 3^rd battalion of Continental Troops for the state of Georgia, in a bad state of health and not fit for duty is discharged from the said battalion, received all pay and account of payment.

I cannot say if a pension was acquired for the children of Phillip Morgan.