Captain Rufus M. Morgan

He was born in Connecticut and came to Augusta County, Virginia as a child with his parents in 1790. He appears on the 1793 and 1810 tax lists of Wythe County, Virginia. In 1807 he married Elizabeth Trigg in Washington County, Virginia.

In December 1808 he began a brief involvement with the Speedwell Iron Works in Wythe County as foreman under the firm of King, Trigg, & Morgan. In 1809 he wrote to Thomas Jefferson from the Speedwell Ironworks, asking for advice on establishing a nail factory, and whether Jefferson might be interested in selling his tools and machinery.

In September 1813 he was a successful merchant at Knox County, Tennessee. He organized a company of "choice lads" to march against the Creeks, and served as Captain of that company in the Creek War (1813-1814) during the War of 1812, in the East Tennessee Volunteer Infantry (3rd Tennessee Militia).

In 1815 he was living in Knox County, Tennessee. He was one of the founders of Knoxville, Tennessee. He served on the first board of aldermen and attended the first meeting of the board on 13 January 1816.

In 1816 he was named in a lawsuit in Wythe County where the issue was an 1811 delivery of iron to the ironworks at Abingdon.

In 1825 he and his business partner Abram Trigg were sued for debt in Roane County, Tennessee over business dealings in Natchez, Mississippi.

1809 Letter to Thomas Jefferson

Speedwell Iron Works Wythe County Virginia May 21t 1809

Dear Sir

Your retiring from public1 life will I hope enable you to attend to matters of small importance, which still may leed to public utility.

I have it in contemplation to establish a Nail Manufactory, and knowing that you once carried on that business, I have taken the liberty of requesting your Idea of it. Whether it is proffitable, and if you are disposed to sell your tools and Machinery, if so, your price.

I remain Dear Sir yours with Esteem

Rufus Morgan

RC (MHi); between dateline and salutation: “Mr Thomas Jefferson”; endorsed by TJ as received 4 June 1809 and so recorded in SJL.

Rufus Morgan (1781–1826) was born in Connecticut but settled in Virginia before moving to Roane County, Tennessee. In December 1808 he began a brief involvement with the Speedwell Iron Works as foreman under the firm of King, Trigg, & Morgan (John A. Whitman, The Iron Industry of Wythe County from 1792 [1935], 5–7; Mary B. Kegley, Glimpses of Wythe County, Virginia [1986], 126; Walter H. Cunyus, “Morgan and allied families records” [1969 typescript at Vi]).

1. Manuscript: “bublic,” here and later in sentence.

• Rufus Morgan to Thomas Jefferson, 21 May 1809 at Founders Archive.

1816 Court Case

“In an action for debt in the Superior Court of Wythe county, the plaintiff Beatty declared upon a writing obligatory, sealed, &c. by the defendants John Smith, Andrew Kincannon and Joseph Bell, for the sum of $140, payable on the *first day of April 1811, in the usual form. A writing obligatory was inserted by Clerk in his transcript of the record, and certified by him to be the bond on which the declaration was filed :-- but without any praying of Oyer by the defendants ;--which writing appeared to be for the sum of $140, “to be discharged by the payment of one ton of good merchantable bar iron, assorted, at Rufus Morgan’s in Abingdon, for value received.”

“The defendants pleaded payment, and, afterwards, by leave of the court, three other pleas : viz. 1st, that, “on the said first day of April 1811, they did deliver at Rufus Morgan’s one ton of iron pursuant to the tenor and effect of the said note in writing, whereby the same became discharged ; and this they are ready to verify ;-- 2nd, that, before and on the first day of April 1811, they were ready to deliver the said ton of iron according to the tenor and effect of the said writing ; but that the plaintiff had no agent at the place mentioned to receive the same ; and this, &c.; 3d, that the plaintiff, by the tenor and effect of the said writing, appointed the said Rufus Morgan his agent, so far as respected the receipt of the iron ; and that defendants did deliver at Rufus Morgan’s one ton of iron in discharge of the said writing, which the plaintiff has received ; and this, &c.” . . . .

“The cause was argued here, on the 31st day of January 1816, by the counsel for appellant only, no counsel appearing for the appellees, who were solemnly called and came not.”

Saturday, February 10th, 1816. JUDGE ROAN pronounced the court’s opinion . . . .”

The higher court set aside all other pleas and remanded to the lower court for decision only on the please of payment.

• Virginia Reports, 5 Munf. 41 (1816).

1825 Court Case

Chancery Court, Roane County, Tennesse, pages 183-188

December Term 1825

William Trigg and Abram Trigg vs Rufus Morgan and Abram Trigg

Bond - Abram Trigg and Thomas S. Williams . . . bound unto Rufus Morgan and M. Trigg . . . 11 March 1820.

To the Honorable the Judges of the Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals for the Second Judicial Circuit

... your Orator William Trigg a citizen of Sumner County and Abram Trigg a citizen of Giles County . . . Tennessee . . . that in the year 18_(blank) they erected a Bagging factory in Gallatin in the County of Sumner, for the purpose of making bailing lining, having made a considerable quanity of linen at that factory and not finding ready sale for the same . . . concluded to send the same to Natckey, then in the Mississippi Territory where they were informed the price was better . . . concluded to send the same to the house of Trigg & Morgan if they would agree to receive it, and undertake the selling thereof . . . your Orator William Trigg addressed a letter to one of the firm . . . Orators in reply were informed they would receive & sell said linen for them . . . been informed and believe that Stephen Trigg now deceased, Abram Trigg who now resides in the State of Virginia and Rufus Morgan were the individuals who composed the firm of Trigg and Morgan . . . year 1811 they sent twenty pieces of Bagging lining to the defendants for which they give a receipt . . . Exhibit No. 1 . . . (several shipments listed) . . . total of near 12,000 yards . . . have not received any compensation whatever, said defendants utterly '.refuse to settle with your Orators . . .

There are five receipts recorded marked Exhibits and signed by Jesse Pierce, Adam Crump, Edward Saunders, Jesse Weaver, and David Dement.

Answer of Defendants filed May 15, 1820

Abram B. Trigg and Rufus Morgan . . . answer to the bill filed against them, by William Trigg and Abram Trigg . . . they are two of the persons who formerly belonged to the house of Trigg & Morgan at Natchez in the Mississippi Territory, that prior to the establishment of said house several other persons had been established and doing business at the same place . . . Stephen Trigg was partner to wit the house of "Trigg King & Co., Trigg Doherty & Co., Doherty King & Co. and Trigg & Giles" . . . defendants had no interest in none of these houses. The King mentioned was known to be William King of Abingdon . . . have no knowledge of any such articles having been ever sent by them to the house of Trigg & Morgan . . . Probable that it was sent to Stephen Trigg alone, or to some of those other houses, in which he was concerned. James Trigg who signed receipt number two and three as agent for Trigg and Morgan never was agent for Trigg and Morgan and your Respondant Abram Trigg well remembers that said James left Abingdon with Stephen Trigg . . . employed by said Stephen and going to Natchez with and to do business for him. Francis Day was once employed of the house of Trigg & Morgan, but James Trigg never was . . . The house of Trigg & Morgan was entirely dissolved in the summer of 1812 . . . your respondant Abram B. was present when one of the Complainants applied to John J. Trigg as executor of Stephen Trigg for payment . . . denies all manner of fraud . . . humbly prays to be dismissed . . .

A. B. Trigg

Rufus Morgan

Decree - 8 December 1825 The Complainants bill was dismissed for want of proof.

He was a merchant, manufacturer.
In 1813 he organized a company of soldiers, of which he was named captain, that marched to aid Andrew Jackson in his war with the Creeks.
When Knoxville was incorporated in October 1815,Rufus was made an alderman.
He was a member of the Knoxville Library Company in 1817.
In 1820 he built a large merchant-mill on First Creek,near the river.
He and his brother, Calvin were both appointed trustees of East Tennessee College.
He built an iron furnace at Embreeville. He was also going to build one at Rockwood but he died before he was able to do so.
He died in Kingston, Tennessee and buried in the Kingston cemetery.

He was born in Connecticut and came to Augusta County, Virginia as a child with his parents in 1790. He appears on the 1793 and 1810 tax lists of Wythe County, Virginia. In 1807 he married Elizabeth Trigg in Washington County, Virginia.

In December 1808 he began a brief involvement with the Speedwell Iron Works in Wythe County as foreman under the firm of King, Trigg, & Morgan. In 1809 he wrote to Thomas Jefferson from the Speedwell Ironworks, asking for advice on establishing a nail factory, and whether Jefferson might be interested in selling his tools and machinery.

In September 1813 he was a successful merchant at Knox County, Tennessee. He organized a company of "choice lads" to march against the Creeks, and served as Captain of that company in the Creek War (1813-1814) during the War of 1812, in the East Tennessee Volunteer Infantry (3rd Tennessee Militia).

In 1815 he was living in Knox County, Tennessee. He was one of the founders of Knoxville, Tennessee. He served on the first board of aldermen and attended the first meeting of the board on 13 January 1816.

In 1816 he was named in a lawsuit in Wythe County where the issue was an 1811 delivery of iron to the ironworks at Abingdon.

In 1825 he and his business partner Abram Trigg were sued for debt in Roane County, Tennessee over business dealings in Natchez, Mississippi.
1809 Letter to Thomas Jefferson
Speedwell Iron Works Wythe County Virginia May 21t 1809

Dear Sir

Your retiring from public1 life will I hope enable you to attend to matters of small importance, which still may leed to public utility.

I have it in contemplation to establish a Nail Manufactory, and knowing that you once carried on that business, I have taken the liberty of requesting your Idea of it. Whether it is proffitable, and if you are disposed to sell your tools and Machinery, if so, your price.

I remain Dear Sir yours with Esteem

Rufus Morgan

RC (MHi); between dateline and salutation: “Mr Thomas Jefferson”; endorsed by TJ as received 4 June 1809 and so recorded in SJL.

Rufus Morgan (1781–1826) was born in Connecticut but settled in Virginia before moving to Roane County, Tennessee. In December 1808 he began a brief involvement with the Speedwell Iron Works as foreman under the firm of King, Trigg, & Morgan (John A. Whitman, The Iron Industry of Wythe County from 1792 [1935], 5–7; Mary B. Kegley, Glimpses of Wythe County, Virginia [1986], 126; Walter H. Cunyus, “Morgan and allied families records” [1969 typescript at Vi]).

1. Manuscript: “bublic,” here and later in sentence.

Rufus Morgan to Thomas Jefferson, 21 May 1809 at Founders Archive.
1816 Court Case
“In an action for debt in the Superior Court of Wythe county, the plaintiff Beatty declared upon a writing obligatory, sealed, &c. by the defendants John Smith, Andrew Kincannon and Joseph Bell, for the sum of $140, payable on the *first day of April 1811, in the usual form. A writing obligatory was inserted by Clerk in his transcript of the record, and certified by him to be the bond on which the declaration was filed :-- but without any praying of Oyer by the defendants ;--which writing appeared to be for the sum of $140, “to be discharged by the payment of one ton of good merchantable bar iron, assorted, at Rufus Morgan’s in Abingdon, for value received.”

“The defendants pleaded payment, and, afterwards, by leave of the court, three other pleas : viz. 1st, that, “on the said first day of April 1811, they did deliver at Rufus Morgan’s one ton of iron pursuant to the tenor and effect of the said note in writing, whereby the same became discharged ; and this they are ready to verify ;-- 2nd, that, before and on the first day of April 1811, they were ready to deliver the said ton of iron according to the tenor and effect of the said writing ; but that the plaintiff had no agent at the place mentioned to receive the same ; and this, &c.; 3d, that the plaintiff, by the tenor and effect of the said writing, appointed the said Rufus Morgan his agent, so far as respected the receipt of the iron ; and that defendants did deliver at Rufus Morgan’s one ton of iron in discharge of the said writing, which the plaintiff has received ; and this, &c.” . . . .

“The cause was argued here, on the 31st day of January 1816, by the counsel for appellant only, no counsel appearing for the appellees, who were solemnly called and came not.”

Saturday, February 10th, 1816. JUDGE ROAN pronounced the court’s opinion . . . .”

The higher court set aside all other pleas and remanded to the lower court for decision only on the please of payment.

Virginia Reports, 5 Munf. 41 (1816).
1825 Court Case
Chancery Court, Roane County, Tennesse, pages 183-188

December Term 1825

William Trigg and Abram Trigg vs Rufus Morgan and Abram Trigg

Bond - Abram Trigg and Thomas S. Williams . . . bound unto Rufus Morgan and M. Trigg . . . 11 March 1820.

To the Honorable the Judges of the Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals for the Second Judicial Circuit

... your Orator William Trigg a citizen of Sumner County and Abram Trigg a citizen of Giles County . . . Tennessee . . . that in the year 18_(blank) they erected a Bagging factory in Gallatin in the County of Sumner, for the purpose of making bailing lining, having made a considerable quanity of linen at that factory and not finding ready sale for the same . . . concluded to send the same to Natckey, then in the Mississippi Territory where they were informed the price was better . . . concluded to send the same to the house of Trigg & Morgan if they would agree to receive it, and undertake the selling thereof . . . your Orator William Trigg addressed a letter to one of the firm . . . Orators in reply were informed they would receive & sell said linen for them . . . been informed and believe that Stephen Trigg now deceased, Abram Trigg who now resides in the State of Virginia and Rufus Morgan were the individuals who composed the firm of Trigg and Morgan . . . year 1811 they sent twenty pieces of Bagging lining to the defendants for which they give a receipt . . . Exhibit No. 1 . . . (several shipments listed) . . . total of near 12,000 yards . . . have not received any compensation whatever, said defendants utterly '.refuse to settle with your Orators . . .

There are five receipts recorded marked Exhibits and signed by Jesse Pierce, Adam Crump, Edward Saunders, Jesse Weaver, and David Dement.

Answer of Defendants filed May 15, 1820

Abram B. Trigg and Rufus Morgan . . . answer to the bill filed against them, by William Trigg and Abram Trigg . . . they are two of the persons who formerly belonged to the house of Trigg & Morgan at Natchez in the Mississippi Territory, that prior to the establishment of said house several other persons had been established and doing business at the same place . . . Stephen Trigg was partner to wit the house of "Trigg King & Co., Trigg Doherty & Co., Doherty King & Co. and Trigg & Giles" . . . defendants had no interest in none of these houses. The King mentioned was known to be William King of Abingdon . . . have no knowledge of any such articles having been ever sent by them to the house of Trigg & Morgan . . . Probable that it was sent to Stephen Trigg alone, or to some of those other houses, in which he was concerned. James Trigg who signed receipt number two and three as agent for Trigg and Morgan never was agent for Trigg and Morgan and your Respondant Abram Trigg well remembers that said James left Abingdon with Stephen Trigg . . . employed by said Stephen and going to Natchez with and to do business for him. Francis Day was once employed of the house of Trigg & Morgan, but James Trigg never was . . . The house of Trigg & Morgan was entirely dissolved in the summer of 1812 . . . your respondant Abram B. was present when one of the Complainants applied to John J. Trigg as executor of Stephen Trigg for payment . . . denies all manner of fraud . . . humbly prays to be dismissed . . .

A. B. Trigg

Rufus Morgan

Decree - 8 December 1825 The Complainants bill was dismissed for want of proof.

Father of

William Trigg Morgan
1808–1829 • G3RM-DNX​​

Rachel Kibby Trigg Morgan
1810–1842 • 29ML-VRR​​

Eliza P. Morgan
1812–1850 • 2MPN-3SG​​

Sarah Frances Morgan
1818–1847 • 2MPN-3QH​​

Rhoda Frances Campbell Morgan
1819–1867 • M3XM-LN6​​

Calvin Rufus Morgan
1823–1845 • K8SZ-NDP
sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20920241/rufus-morgan

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/K1D9-GK2

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/K1D9-GK2

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/535762-redi...

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/K1D9-GK2