I. G. Morgan of Spring township has witnessed the great growth and development that has taken place in Butler county, within the last forty-five years, and he has been a potent factor in building this county up to the point where it ranks as one of the foremost political subdivisions of the State of Kansas. Mr. Morgan was born in New York in 1851, and is a son of Bradford and Sylvia (Gillett) Morgan. The Morgans are an old American family of Welsh descent, and a direct ancestor of I. G. Morgan fought in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war.

I. G. Morgan has two brothers and one sister living, as follows: Henry Morgan, Leon, Kans.; Mrs. Cora Smith, Smith Center, Kans.; and Frank Morgan, Smith Center, Kans. The Morgan family came west and settled in Missouri in 1865. In 1871, I. G. Morgan came to Butler county, Kansas, and he and his brother each took a claim in Spring township, and he still lives on the place which he homesteaded at that time. He has followed general farming and stock raising, and has met with well merited success, having been ably assisted by his faithful wife.

However, when Mr. Morgan first located on his claim, he was unmarried, and he and his brother "batched" for a number of years. They were young and strong, and really enjoyed the wild free life of the plains. They had plenty of buffalo meat at times, and Mr. Morgan had the reputation of making the best corn bread in the neighborhood. He relates one of his cooking experiences, which he kept a secret for a

number of years. He had a rooster all dressed and ready for the pot one day, and sat down to rest a little while before getting dinner, while his brother went to a neighbor's place on an errand. While resting, Mr. Morgan fell asleep, and the hogs came into the house and ate the rooster. Upon awakening, Mr. Morgan saw the situation and hastened to kill a hen which he had ready for dinner by the time his brother returned, and it was six years after this incident that he told his brother. He felt a little ashamed of himself for sleeping at the switch, and letting a dead rooster escape, at a time when roosters were so scarce.

After proving up on his claim, Mr. Morgan returned to New York State, where he was married to Miss Margaret Smith, a native of England, who came to America with her parents, when she was eleven years of age. She is a daughter of Richard Smith, a contractor and builder. Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan came to the home, which he had prepared in Butler county. They are the parents of the following children, all of whom are living: Mrs. Ethel Wheeler, Saskatchewan, Canada; Mrs. Louise Kenyon, Augusta, Kans.; Frank, Augusta, Kans.; Mrs. Susie Jones, Augusta, Kans.; Mrs. Jenet Gamble, Leon, Kans.; Joseph, Brawley, Cal.; Isaac, Jr., Brawley, Cal.; Mrs. Margaret Steviec, Des Moines, Iowa; Sadia B., El Dorado, Kans.; Lois, El Dorado, Kans.; and Willard, El Dorado, Kans.

Mr. Morgan does not boast of a finished education, but the fact is that he is one of the best informed men in Butler county. He is a great reader, and keeps himself well posted on the world's current events. He is a progressive and thrifty citizen, who has made a success in life; he has a broad acquaintance in this section of Kansas, and is one of the substantial citizens of Butler county.

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