Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


G. W. MORGAN 
 
was born in Theresa, Jefferson County, New York, April 30, 1831. He lived upon a 
farm and attended the neighboring schools, which were held in primitive log 
school-houses with high pine benches for seats, until fourteen years of age; and 
during the intervals when his time was not devoted to his studies, he did his 
share of
plowing and hoeing, as many of our prominent men have done whose boyhood days 
spent on a farm gave that vigor which enabled them to battle successfully for 
eminency in after years.  His family then emigrated to Wisconsin, and he 
remained with them for nine years. About 1855 he removed to Oberlin, Ohio, where 
he
lived for seven years, during a portion of which time he attended the Oberlin 
College. His intention had been to complete a college course, but being troubled 
with bronchial affections, on the advice of a physician he prepared to emigrate 
to California. After a short visit to his parents in Wisconsin, he went to New 
York City and took passage via Panama, and after an uneventful voyage he arrived 
in San Francisco a day or two before Christmas, 1862. On his way out he 
contracted a severe cold, and his ill health kept him in San Francisco for about 
eight months. At that time there was considerable excitement over the discovery 
of quartz mines in Contra Costa County, and the report of the richness of the 
Mt. Diablo mines induced him to go there, where he obtained his first mining 
experience. His claims, as well as those of others, proved a failure, and Mr. 
Morgan turned his attention to various other pursuits for about a year and a 
half. While in Contra Costa County diphtheria was very prevalent, and he had the 
misfortune to lose his wife and two children, who were all carried away so near 
the same hour that all were buried in the same grave. At about the same time the 
much lamented Rev. Starr King, to whose memory a handsome monument was erected 
last year by prominent Californians, died of the same disease. Not caring to 
remain on the scene of so much sorrow, Mr. Morgan went to San Francisco in the 
spring of 1865 and remained there for eight years, following the business of 
life insurance. So successful was he in this business that in one year he 
secured $900,000 worth of insurance. The intricacies of this calling so 
interested him that he became thoroughly wrapped up in it, and his earnestness 
and thorough familiarity with the problem of insurance bore him the most signal 
success. His reputation resulted in receiving the most flattering offers from 
first-class Eastern companies to take charge of their business on the coast. 
January 26, 1868, Mr. Morgan was again married, in Santa Barbara, to Miss Alice 
Brown, of that place, who had been a former acquaintance at Oberlin. The result 
of this union has been three children, one son and two daughters. It was on his 
wedding journey, in 1868, that he first visited Los Angeles. He became so 
favorably impressed with the place that he took up 320 acres of Government land, 
and after remaining one month went back to San Francisco. His land purchase at 
$1.25 per acre in 1868, the most of which he has disposed of, is to-day worth 
from $200 to $1,000 per acre. Even that price has been refused for some of it. 
Every winter thereafter for four years he visited Los Angeles in the interest of 
his business, and in August, 1872, he became determined to reside permanently. 
Soon after arriving he opened an office and engaged in the real-estate business 
and incidentally did a little insurance. His real-estate business, which he has 
followed ever since, became very extensive during the first twelve years of his 
residence. Almost one-half the sales transacted in the city passed through his 
hands. His business acumen and good judgment inspired everybody with confidence 
in his ability to buy or sell property to the best advantage, and his advice on 
such matters was eagerly sought for and acted upon. He was, it may be truthfully 
said, the first man in the city who bought large tracts of land and divided them 
into lots. Others followed the same plan, and from that time the boom in 
Southern California commenced. Mr. Morgan's time is now taken up in looking 
after his large personal interests. He has large interests in the Highland View 
tract; is a stockholder and president of the Highland Park Water Company. He is 
a Republican in politics, but has never desired or sought any political office. 
Mr. Morgan, who is a member of the Methodist Church, is an earnest and 
consistent Christian, believing in doing all the good to humanity within his 
power for their spiritual and moral welfare; and all charitable affairs and any 
movement tending to advance the interests of the city receive generous support 
from him. He has a very interesting family to whom he is devoted, and his 
fireside presents a picture of rare happiness.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 555
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler