History of Port Chester, (Westchester County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

John Jordan Morgan, representative, was born in New York city in 1768. His father destined him for the Royal navy, and he received a thorough classical education. He was a member of the New York assembly in 1819, 1836 and 1840, and a Democratic representative from New York in the 17th and 18th congresses, 1821-25, and in the 23d congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Cornelius W. Lawrence, from Dec. 1, 1834, to March 3, 1835. He was also collector of the port of New York. While a young man he purchased lands under patent from the state in Madison, Herkimer and Chenango counties, and established a summer home in Madison county. He was married first to Catharine Warne, niece of Col. Marinus Willett, and after her death to Eliza, daughter of Robert Baldwin, a former mayor of Cork, Ireland, who settled in Canada with his family. Mr. Morgan, having no children, adopted Catharine Morgan Warne, daughter of first wife's brother, and she became the wife of John A. Dix. He died at Port Chester, N.Y., July 29, 1849.

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

Cornelius Mathews, author, was born in Portchester, N.Y., Oct. 28, 1817; son of Abijah Mathews. He was graduated from the University of the City of New York, A.B., 1834, A.M., 1837; was admitted to the bar in 1837, but after practising for one year he abandoned the profession for literature. He founded Yankee Doodle, the first successful comic paper in New York city, and with Evert A. Duyckinck he edited "Arcturus: a Journal of Books and Opinion" (3 vols., 1841-42). He founded the Copyright club in 1843, to promote international copyright, and was its first president. He was a friend of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the first American editor of her works. He devoted himself to dramatic writing in 1844 and produced the comedy, "The Politicans," and the tragedy, "Witchcraft," a story, of the Salem delusion, which was performed in Philadelphia and New York theatres in 1846, and translated into French; "Jacob Leisler," a drama, performed in Philadelphia in 1848, and "False Pretenses," a comedy, about 1842. He is the author of: The Motley Book (1838); Behemoth: a Legend of the Mound-Builders (1839); The Career of Puffer Hopkins (1842); Appeal on Behalf of International Copyright (1842); Poems on Man in his Various Aspects under the American Republic (1842); Various Writings (1843); Big Abel and the Little Manhattan (1845); Chanticleer: a Thanksgiving Story (1850); Moneypenny, or the Heart of the World (1850); Witchcraft (1852); A Pen-and-Ink Panorama of New York City (1853); The Indian Fairy Book (1856); The Indian Fairy Book Compiled from MS. of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (1869); The Enchanted Moccasins, and Other Legends of American Indians (1877). He died in New York March 25, 1889.

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