Butte County
Biographies
JENKIN MORGAN
JENKIN MORGAN.—An
argonaut who showed much enterprise and public spirit
was Jenkin Morgan, who was born in Glamorganshire,
Wales, September 2, 1829, where also he was reared and educated. As soon as the
discovery of gold was heralded to the world and he learned of it, he came to
San Francisco, Cal., in 1849. Making his way to San Juan, Nevada County, he
followed mining there. Later he located at Cherokee, where he was one of the
pioneer miners, being one among the first to locate there, and became a member
of the old Welsh company known as the Spring Valley Mining Company, being
interested in it until it was sold to the Cherokee Company.
Becoming interested in farming and
stock-raising, Mr. Morgan soon saw that it would eventually become the leading
industry of the Sacramento Valley; and being optimistic, he purchased lands in
the foothills as well as in the valley. He owned the present site of Thermalito, which he subdivided and sold in small tracts
and which has become one of the best sections for orange and olive orchards in
the state. With his brother-in-law, William James, he owned large holdings of
land at Cherokee, Nelson, and Gridley. A large acreage is still owned by their
families, and is devoted to raising grain and cattle. He also had large
holdings at Magalia. Being a good judge of land and also a man of foresight, he
was very successful in his real estate operations.
The first marriage of Jenkin
Morgan united him to Hannah Williams. She died leaving a son, Evan Morgan, who
became a stockman in Butte County, and whose demise occurred at Oroville in
1912. Mr. Morgan’s second marriage united him with Catherine Lewis, a native of
Wales, who died at Cherokee at the age of twenty-three, leaving him two
children, one of whom, a daughter Maude, is living.
Maude Morgan was reared in San Francisco
and received her education in the public schools and at Mills College. She was
married in San Francisco, in 1900, to Frederick Skaggs, a native of Oregon, who
came to San Francisco and was there engaged in the
hotel business until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Skaggs had two children, Frederick
Morgan and Dorothy Maude.
Politically, Jenkin
Morgan was a prominent Republican. In his religious belief he was a
Congregationalist. Fraternally, he was a Mason, being a member of Table
Mountain Lodge, F. & A. M., at Cherokee; Franklin Chapter,
R. A. M., in Oroville; and the Oroville Commandery
of the Knights Templar. After retiring from active business he spent his last
days in San Francisco, where he received the loving care of his devoted
daughter, Mrs. Skaggs, until his death on July 18, 1900. Mr. Morgan was
respected and highly esteemed by all who knew him.
Mrs. Skaggs, with her two children, makes
her home in San Francisco. She retains her interest in the lands left her by
her father, however, and is deeply interested in Butte County, where she was
born.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
07 May 2009.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 1134, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies