Butte County
Biographies
DANIEL C. MORGAN
DANIEL C. MORGAN—The Morgan family has been active in the agricultural development of Butte County since pioneer days, both Daniel C. and his father before him having been engaged in ranching and cattle-raising here, the father since the early sixties, and the son since he reached the age of helpfulness, for he is a native son of the county, and has spent his life in developing its resources. The father, Daniel Morgan, was a native of Glamorganshire, Wales, and was a farmer in that country. He married Janet Powell, also a native of Wales, and in 1854 came to California, via Panama, with his wife and four children. His wife’s paternal uncle, John Powell, was a forty-niner at Cherokee, and had returned to Wales, wealthy from his venture in to the new world’ so when Daniel Morgan brought his family across the sea, he made Cherokee, Butte County, his objective point, and, for a number of years after his arrival, engaged in mining. In 1865, he bought a ranch of two hundred acres and engaged in ranching and stock-raising until his death, in 1895, aged sixty-nine. His wife died in 1902. Seven children were born to this pioneer couple, two of whom are now living, Daniel C., of this review, and Prudence, Mrs. Davis, of Chico.
The only son in his parents’ family, Daniel C. Morgan was born in Cherokee, May 27, 1863. He was brought up on the home farm, obtaining his education in the public schools of Cherokee. From a lad he learned both mining and farming under his father’s guidance, and assisted him in both lines of work. On his father’s death, in 1895, Daniel C. came into possession of the home ranch and gave his entire attention to stock-raising, using their original brand, the letter D. He met with success in his operations, and as his herd increased found more land necessary to carry on the business, and purchased additional acreage, until he now has about four hundred acres in the ranch, all fenced, and watered by different springs, from one of which he has piped water to his residence for domestic use. His summer range for his cattle is in Plumas County.
The marriage of Mr. Morgan, in San Francisco, December 22, 1903, united him with Miss Retta Duensing, also a native of Butte County, born at Oregon Gulch, a daughter of George and Bettie (Pearson) Duensing, the father a native of Germany and the mother of Sweden. George Duensing came to California in 1849, by way of Panama, and first settled in Yuba County, then came to Butte County and mined, at Morris Ravine, for nine years. He was a partner of Mr. Fickert, father of the present District Attorney Fickert of San Francisco. He later engaged in stock-raising at Oregon Gulch, and still resides there, having reached the venerable age of eighty-four. The mother came to San Francisco from Sweden, and they were married in this country, and were the parents of seven children, four of whom are living, Mrs. Morgan being the second youngest in the family. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have had one child born to them, Stanley Morgan.
Always interested in bettering the educational advantages in his district, Mr. Morgan is trustee of Cherokee District, having served for the past eight years, and is clerk of the board. He has been a factor for progress in the county ever since reaching manhood’s estate, and his straightforward and fair-minded characteristics have won him the liking and esteem of the entire community. He has served on the grand jury, and has stood ready at all times to give of his services for the public good. Mr. Morgan was made a Mason in Table Mountain Lodge, No. 124, F. & A. M., at Cherokee, and has been treasurer of the Lodge for the past twelve years. Politically he supports the Republican platform, having been a member of the county central committee for the past twenty-six years, and has been a delegate to county and state conventions.
Transcribed
by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1124-1125, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sharon
Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies