In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1903) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1844
From Biographical record; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oakland County, Michigan .. (1903), Portrait and biographical album of Oakland county, Michigan (1891)
ILLIAM H. MORGANS, Superintendent of the L. R. Medbury Gas Works at Pontiac, which were established in 1862, is a prominent and popular citizen of Pontiac, residing in a pleasant home at No. 36 Wcssen Street. The gas works were former'ly called the Pontiac Gas Works, and were operated under this title until 1873 when they were sold out and purchased by the present company and the name changed. Mr. Morgans has been Superintendent of the works since 1880.
A portrait of the subject of this brief notice appears on the opposite page. He was born in the city of New York, October 5, 1844, and is the youngest son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Edwards) Morgans. The father, who was a native of Glenmorganshire, Wales, emigrated to the United
States when quite young and made his home with his parents in New York City. The mother, also of Welsh descent, was a native of New York City and daughter of John Edwards, Esq. She died at Detroit, Mich., January 17, 1884.
Isaac Morgans was in early life a shoemaker and manufacturer of boots and shoes. He died in Connecticut a short time before the birth of our subject. The orphan boy was carefully reared by his mother and educated in the city schools of New York. He then served an apprenticeship of three years to learn the trade of a sailmaker, and from 1865 to 1867 he traveled as a journeyman.
During the days of the Civil War our subject responded to the call of his country and enlisted in 1862 in the First New York Independent Battalion with a term of service of two years. Upon the consolidation of the regiment he was discharged with the rank of Sergeant, but after remaining at home two months he re-enlisted in the Eighth New York Cavalry. He belonged to the Third Division of the Army of the Potomac, and took part in the following engagements: Yorktown; the siege and capture of Morris Island, S. C.; Kenesaw Mountain and the siege of Atlanta. He accompanied Sherman on the famous march to the sea, and at Milledgeville, Ga., was taken prisoner, and confined for six months at Florence, S. C. He was then transferred to Richmond, Va., and exchanged, after which he rejoined his regiment which was stationed at Cloud's Mills, Va. On June 27, 1865, he received his discharge, after which he went to the city of New York and in October of the same year drifted westward.
The first stopping place of Mr. Morgans in the West was in the Southern part of Illinois, thence he went to Toledo, Ohio, where he engaged in making sails for vessels. In 1866 he came to Detroit, Mich., and for four years carried on the same work there. After this he was connected with the gas works, and diligently acquainted himself with the different departments of this business, thus fitting himself for his present position which he assumed in September, 1880.
Mr. Morgans was united in marriage, November 18, 1867, with Mrs. Mary E. Pittenger, at Detroit. Mrs. Morgans is a daughter of James A. Cole, and was born and reared in Detroit. Our subject and his good wife are the parents of four children: Onithia K., wife of Edward Morreil, now of Chicago; Florence E.; Anna A., and Morgans, the last three being still at home.
The political affiliations of the subject of this sketch are with the Republican party. He has held some offices of municipal and township responsibility and has served two terms as Alderman of the first Ward. He is a member of Pontiac Lodge No. 3, L O. O. F., Pontiac Lodge No. 21, F. *fe A. M.; Chapter R. A. M., Commanrlery K, T., and the Shrine at Detroit. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias of the Uniform Rank in which he is First Lieutenant, and also belongs to the Royal Arcanum, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is Past ("commander of the Dick Richardson Post, G. A. R., and is a Director in the State Home Aquatic Club. Religiously he is a useful and consistent member of the Episcopal Church.
lEUT. WALTER CRAWFORD has for many 3'ears been a resident and a noteworthy one ?)0f Mil ford. He is now filling the offices of Justice of the Peace and Notary Public and is a dealer in drugs and medicines, books and stationery under the firm name of Johnston <fe Crawford in the drug business and W. cfe M. Crawford in the book business. He also deals in ice, the firm name being Crawford & Hubbell.
Judge Alfred Crawford, the father of our subject, was born four miles north of Boston, parish of Firth well, Lincolnshire, England, in 1815. He was a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Robinson) Crawford, who were engaged in farming in that shire. The great-grandfather of our subject came from the North of England from the Scottish borders and is undoubtedly of Scotch descent. Judge Crawford was reared and educated in England and in 18B4 when he was twenty years old he came to America, making his first stop in Buffalo. He worked for Col, Prutz in Canada until the spring of 1835 and then came to Milford, this county. He worked for others for while and then entered land upon which he located. He proceeded to improve it and owned about three hundred and twenty acres upon which he engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He was one of the first to bring thoroughbred cattle and sheep into Milford Township. He was a man who was accommodating to'his neighbors, who often resorted to him for legal advice, as he was a great reader and richly endowed with information. He was one of the most influential men of the county and was loved and respected by all.
The father of our subject filled the office of Supervisor for thirteen years and during the war he was Deputy Provost-Marshal. In 1865 he placed his farm in the hands of a tenant and made his home in the village of Milford. In the fall of 186S he was elected Probate Judge, being placed 'there by the Republican vote. In order to attend to the duties of this office he removed to Pontiac at the beginning of 1869 and took his seat as Judge, which he occupied until his death, November 12, 1872. His remains lie at rest at Milford. He was a stanch Republican in his politics and an earnest adherent of that party.
The mother of our subject was Phoebe Clark, who was born in Sutherland County, N. Y., January 4, 1817. Her father, Joshua, a New Yorker by birth, was an early settler ni Milford, where he was engaged in farming until his death. He represented an old Eastern family which boasted of blue blood. His widow still resides in Milford with her children and is a devoted adherent of the Presbyterian Church.
Walter Crawford was born in Milford, October 24, 1843, being the fourth in a family of ten children. He was reared on the farm and had excellent educational advantages in the village of Milford, going through the regular course and the High School. Before reaching his majority his young spirit was so fired with patriotic zeal as to cause him to enlist August 18, 1861, in the First United States Lancers, Company B. They were mustered in at Detroit and served until they were mustered out in the same city in March, 1862. This boy, then only about eighteen years old, reenlisted in August, 1862, as a private in Company H, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, the regiment being brigade by Col. Alger under Gen. Custer. He was in all the battles, raids and skirmishes of the brigade till the close of the war, the engagements in which he took part numbering fifty-two.
At Trevilian Station our young hero was taken prisoner, but escaped by running, and then took a horse and fled, while the bullets grazed his body. He received the commission of Sekond-Lieutenant, and in various engagements led his company, at different times having three horses shot from under him. At the close of the war his regiment was sent to Leavenworth, Kan., where it was mustered out, their honorable discharge being granted at Detroit.
Returning to Milford, Lieut. Crawford then opened a store with a stock of groceries and after a few years took his brother Clark as his partner, the firm name being Crawford & Bro. The new firm enlarged the business, adding merchandise and clothing, but in 1870 they sold out their stock and dissolved partnership, our subject became Justice of the Peace and Notary Public, to which he has added the work of an insurance agent in which he still continues.
In 1878 this gentleman bought a stock of books and stationery and in 1881 engaged in the drug business with Dr. R. Johnston. He owns a farm within the corporation which he anticipates subdividing and plotting as an addition. He is engaged somewhat in buying and sellmg real-estate and owns a handsome residence and grounds. With his partner, Mr. Hubbell, he is engaged in packing and wholesaling ice.
Lieut. Crawford was married in Milford in 1871, to Miss Julia A. Seaver, a daughter of William P. Seaver, of New York, an early settler of Livingston County, but now living in Highland. Mrs. Crawford was before her marriage a teacher and is a native of Livingston County. She has two children: Merrill W. and Dana H. Mr. Crawford is the oldest Justice of the Peace in this vicinity, having filled the office and that of Notary Public for twenty years, and having been Supervisor since 1876. He has been Commander of the Grand Army Post at Milford with which he is identified.
He is a true Republican and is a frequent delegate to county and State conventions. The Michigan State Pharmaceutical Association county him as one of its prominent members.
As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Oakland county, Michigan (1891). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
WILLIAM H. MORGANS.
William H. Morgans, president of the Standard Vehicle Company of Pontiac and vice-president of the Pontiac Light Company, has been a resident of the city since 1880 and has been identified with many of its business enterprises. He was born in New York City, October 5, 1844,- and *s the youngest son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Edwards) Morgans.
Isaac Morgans was born in Glenmorganshire, Wales, and was quite young when he immigrated to this country with his parents, locating in New York City. He was a manufacturer of boots and shoes and was visiting in Connecticut at the time of his death, which occurred shortly before the birth of our subject. He married Elizabeth Edwards, who was born in New York City in 181 5 and was a daughter of John Edwards, a native of Wales. She died at Detroit, Michigan, January 17, 1884.
William H. Morgans received a limited education in the public schools of New York City, and at the age of 1 1 years began to learn the trade of a sailmaker, serving an apprenticeship of three years. March 21, 1862, he enlisted for a term of three years in Company G, ist New York Independent Batallion of Infantry; upon the consolidation of the battalion two years later with the 47th and 48th New York regiments, he held the rank of sergeant. After serving three years in those commands, he was mustered out by General Order No. 506. He remained at home for two months and then re-enlisted in Company E, 8th Reg., New York Vol. Cav., which was attached to the 3rd Division of the Army of the Potomac. During his service in the army, Mr. Morgans took part in the following engagements: Yorktown; siege and capture of Morris Island, South Carolina; Kenesaw Mountain, and the siege of Atlanta. He accompanied Sherman on the memorable "March to the Sea," and at Milledgeville, Georgia, was taken prisoner and for six months confined at Florence, South Carolina, He was transferred to Richmond, there exchanged and immediately after rejoined his regiment at Cloud's Mills, Virginia. June 27, 1865, he received his discharge and returned to New York City.
In October, 1865, acting upon the advice of an uncle, Mr. Morgans came west and located at Seller's Landing, Illinois. In the spring of 1866, he moved to Toledo, Ohio, where, in partnership with his brother David, he engaged in the manufacture of sails, and in the fall of 1866 located in Detroit, where he followed his trade for a period of four years. He then became connected with the gas works and by close application became acquainted with the work in all its details. In 1880, he came to Pontiac, and accepted the management of the Medbury Gas Works, owned by Mrs. L. R. Medbury, of Detroit. He continued in this capacity until 1899, when he purchased the gas plant of Mrs. Medbury and organized the Pontiac Gas & Electric Company, of which he became general manager. On January 15. 1902, he and his associates disposed of a portion of their interest to H. D. Walbridge, and the Pontiac Light Company was organized and incorporated, which company furnishes fuel and commercial lighting exclusively. The officers of the company are: H. D. Walbridge, president; W. H. Morgans, vice-president; and Miss Florence E. Morgans, secretary, treasurer and manager. The board of directors includes the officers and Aaron Perry, Joshua Hill, Frank G. Jacobs and Frank H. Carroll. The offices of the company are on Saginaw street, South, the gas plant on Wessen street, and the electric plant on Lawrence street, West. From 12 to 20 men are employed, and Miss Morgans has displayed great executive ability in the management. Mr. Morgans is director in the Wolverine & Buckeye Oil Company of Birmingham, Michigan, also a member of a Kentucky syndicate in the Kentucky oil fields.
On November 18, 1867, Mr. Morgans was married to Mrs. Mary E. Pittinger of Detroit, a daughter of James A. and Betsy (Newell) Cole, and they have four children; Onithia K., a graduate of the Pontiac High School and wife of Edward E. Morrill, a wealthy and prominent citizen of Oak Park, Illinois, by whom she has two children, Mary Rebecca and Helen; Florence E., a graduate of Akeley Hall, at Grand Haven, who is secretary and manager of the Pontiac Light Company; Anna A., a graduate in music of Akeley Hall and the Chicago Conservatory of Music; and Morgan, a graduate of St. Johns College. Annapolis, Maryland, who is engaged with the Snow Pump Works of Buffalo, New York. Our subject has always been a Republican in politics and has held numerous municipal and township offices, serving two terms as alderman from the First Ward. Fraternally, he is a member of Pontiac Lodge, No. 3, I. O. O. F.; Pontiac Lodge, No. 21, F. & A. M.; Chapter, R. A. M.; Commandery No. 2, K. T., of which he is past eminent commander; Moslem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Detroit; Knights of Pythias; Uniform Rank, K. of P., in which he has served as ist lieutenant, captain and major of the 4th Battalion, and is at present holding the office of assistant quartermaster general with the rank of colonel on the staff of the brigadier-general; the Royal Arcanum; Ancient Order of United Workmen; and Knights of the Maccabees. He is also past commander of Dick Richardson Post, G. A. R. Mr. Morgans and his family are members of the Protestant Episcopal Church. For a period of five years he has efficiently served as a member of the Board of Public Works. The family reside in a beautiful home at No. 509 Orchard Lake Avenue. A portrait of Mr. Morgans accompanies this sketch.
As printed in Biographical record; this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Oakland County, Michigan .. (1903). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Aaron Perry (b. 1848) Frank G. Jacobs Frank H. Carroll Joshua Hill (b. 1847)
Their biographies name William H. Morgans: L. W. Nichols (b. 1875)
The printed record stops around 1903. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.