WILLIAM DENISON MORGAN, cashier of
the AEtna National Bank, of Hartford, has already made unusual progress
along the highway to success in the business world. He was born Dec. 19,
1873, in Brooklyn, N. Y., son of William Gardner Morgan, and is of the
ninth generation in descent from James Morgan.
(I) James Morgan was born in 1607 in Wales,
likely in Llandaff, Glamorganshire, but later lived in Bristol, England,
coming from the latter place to Boston in 1636; to Ruxbury before 1640;
to New London, Conn., in 1650; and to Groton in 1657, flying at the place
last named in 1685. He married in 1640 Margery Hill, of Roxbury. From this
ancestor William Gardner Morgan is descended through Capt. John William,
William (2), William Avery, Col. Avery and Nathan Denison Morgan.
(II) Capt. John Morgan, son of James the emigrant,
born in 1645, married (second) Widow Elizabeth Williams, daughter of Lieut.-Gov.
William Jones, of New Haven, and granddaughter of Gov. Theophilus Eaton.
Capt. Morgan moved to Preston, Conn., about 1692, and died in 1712.
(III) William Morgan, son of Capt. John, born
in 1693, married in 1716 Mary, daughter of Capt. James Avery. William Morgan
died in 1729, and his wife Mary passed away in 1780.
(IV) William Morgan (2), son of William, born
in 1723, married in 1744 Temperance, daughter of Christopher Avery, of
Groton. They resided in Groton, where Mr. Morgan died in 1777, and his
widow died in 1801.
(V) William Avery Morgan, son of William (2),
born in 1754, married (first) Lydia, daughter of Nathan Smith, of Groton.
They settled in Groton, and in 1796 removed to Colchester. Mrs. Morgan
died in 1804, and in 1814 Mr. Morgan moved to New London, where he died
in 1842.
(VI) Col. Avery Morgan, son of William Avery,
born in 1781, married in 1802 Jerusha, daughter of Jonathan Gardner, and
settled in Bozrah, thence about 1807 removing to Colchester, and later
to Hartford, where he died in 1860, and his widow in 1861. Col. Morgan
was a carpenter, merchant and farmer; was an officer in the militia; and
served in the State Legislature.
(VII) Nathan Denison Morgan, son of Col. Avery,
born Oct. 22, 1818, married (first) Mary B. Churchill, born in Portland,
Conn., daughter of Capt. Henry Churchill, of Portland, and they had seven
children, four of whom are still living: Col. Henry C., of Colchester,
a retired United States army officer, now Commissary-General of Connecticut;
Matilda, Mrs. Julian W. Merrill, of Bronxville, N. Y.; William Gardner,
father of our subject; and James H., who lives in Brooklyn, and is engaged
in the insurance business in New York City. Mrs. Mary B. Morgan died in
1854, at the age of thirty-two years. Her parents were members of the Episcopal
Church at Portland. In 1860 Mr. Morgan married (second) Helen M., daughter
of Gen. James Watson Webb, former editor of the New York Courier and
Engineer,
and United States minister to Brazil. They had two children, one living,
Robert Webb Morgan, who is a resident of Bronxville, N. Y., and is engaged
in business in New York City. Nathan D. Morgan was for some time president
of the Manhattan Life Insurance Co., of New York, and after leaving that
company organized the North American Insurance Co., of which he was president
from 1872 to 1894, when he retired from business. He was also a director
of the Farragut Fire Insurance Co., of New York. He passed away in 1897,
at the age of seventy-nine years. Mr. Morgan was reputed to have been one
of the most accomplished insurance officers in the country. He was a director
of the Eye & Ear Infirmary in Brooklyn. In religious connection he
was identified with the Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, being warden of St.
Paul's.
(VIII) William Gardner Morgan, son of Nathan
D., born Dec. 23, 1846, was married in 1868 to Elizabeth C. Hall, of Portland,
Conn., daughter of Joel Hall, president of the Shaler & Hall Quarry
Co., and the only survivor of his family of four children. To Mr. and Mrs.
Morgan have been born three children: Elizabeth Hall, William Denison,
and Samuel St. John, the latter now attending Trinity College. William
G. Morgan spent his early years in Brooklyn. New York and Hartford, and
was in the United States Naval Academy at Newport and Annapolis for a time,
but in 1867 he was injured and obliged to resign. He then entered the life
insurance business, as a clerk in the North America Life Insurance Co.
In 1870 he became its actuary, continuing in that position until 1874,
when he left the company and engaged in manufacturing gas burning goods,
and small articles in New York, until 1879. He then came to Hartford and
formed a connection with the AEtna Life Insurance Co., being now editor
of the "AEtna," and its advertising manager, he also edits the "AEtna Life
News," entirely for agents, which has a circulation of 3,500; and the accident
edition of the "AEtna," devoted to accident business, which has a circulation
of 35,000. The regular "AEtna" has a circulation of 275,000. Mr. Morgan
is a Republican in politics. Religiously he is a member of Trinity Episcopal
Church, to which his family also belong.
William D. Morgan received his education in
Connecticut, attending the common schools and Public High School in Hartford.
In September, 1890, he entered the AEtna National Bank as clerk, and worked
himself up to the position of discount clerk. In 1899 he was made cashier,
being the youngest cashier of a National bank, with one exception, in the
United States. Theirs is the finest banking office in the State, and the
bank, which was organized in 1857, is the second largest. In 1900 Mr. Morgan
married Lucile S. Couch, of Providence, R. I., daughter of Albert and Jennie
S. Couch, the former a native of Danielson, Conn.; he was in the real-estate
business in Providence for many years. Mrs. Morgan is an only child. Our
subject is secretary to the board of directors of the bank. Socially he
holds membership in the Bachelors Club; the Hartford Canoe Club; the Farmington
Canoe Club; the Hartford Scientific Society; and the Church Club. He is
a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, and is a Republican in politics.
Commemorative
Biographical Record
of
Hartford County,
Connecticut
Illustrated
Chicago
J. H. Beers & Co.
1901
pgs 9 - 10
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