History of Washington, (Berkshire County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Edwin Dennison Morgan, governor of New York, was born in Washington, Mass., Feb. 8, 1811; son of Jasper and Catherine (Copp) Avery Morgan, grandson of William Avery and Lydia (Smith) Morgan; and a descendant of James and Marjory (Hill) Morgan, New London, 1650. He removed with his parents, in childhood, to Windsor, Conn., where he worked on the farm, attended the free academy, and in 1826 he entered Bacon academy, Colchester, Conn. He became a clerk in the wholesale grocery store of his uncle, Nathan Morgan, at Hartford, Conn., in 1828, and was admitted into partnership in 1831. He was married Aug. 19, 1833, to Eliza Matilda, daughter of Capt. Henry and Lydia (Morgan) Waterman, of Hartford. He was a member of the city council of Hartford in 1832; removed to New York city in 1836, establishing himself as a merchant, and accumulated a large fortune. He was an alderman in 1849; a member of the New York senate, 1850-54; commissioner of emigration, 1855-58, and vice-president of the Republican national convention of 1856. He was chairman of the Republican national committee, 1856-64. As governor of New York, 1859-62, he reduced the state debt, increased the canal revenue, placed New York harbor in a state of defense, and sent 223,000 volunteer soldiers to the U.S. army. He was appointed a major-general of volunteers by President Lincoln, Sept. 30, 1861, and commanded the military department of the state of New York, refusing pay for his services. He was U.S. senator, 1863-69; was the temporary chairman of the Republican national convention of 1864; a delegate to the Loyalists' convention Philadelphia in 1866, and chairman of the Republican national convention of 1872, and conducted the campaign that resulted in the re-election of President Grant. He declined the portfolio of the treasury in President Lincoln's cabinet in 1865, and was defeated as the candidate for U.S. senator in 1875, and for governor of New York in 1876. He declined the secretaryship of the treasury in President Arthur's cabinet in 1881. He devoted large sums to the equipment of soldiers and the relief of their families, 1861-65. He gave more than $200,000 to the Union Theological seminary, New York city, and to Williams college library buildings, and $100,000 to Williams college for a dormitory. His philanthropic bequests amounted to $795,000. He received the degree LL.D. from Williams college in 1867 and was a trustee of Cornell university 1865-69. He died in New York city, Feb. 14, 1883.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Washington, (Berkshire County) Massachusetts

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