View source for Edwin D. Morgan

{{short description|Union Army general and politician (1811–1883)}}
{{about|the New York politician|other people with the same name| Edwin Morgan (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox Senator
|image name=EDMorgan.jpg
|jr/sr1=United States Senator
|state1=[[New York (state)|New York]]
|party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|otherparty=[[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
|term_start1=March 4, 1863
|term_end1=March 3, 1869
|alongside=
|preceded1=[[Preston King (politician)|Preston King]]
|succeeded1=[[Reuben Fenton|Reuben E. Fenton]]
|order2=21st
|office2=Governor of New York
|term_start2=January 1, 1859
|term_end2=December 31, 1862
|lieutenant2=[[Robert Campbell (New York politician)|Robert Campbell]]
|predecessor2=[[John Alsop King]]
|successor2=[[Horatio Seymour]]
|order3 = 1st and 5th
|office3 = Chair of the Republican National Committee
|term_start3  = 1872
|term_end3    = 1876
|predecessor3 = [[William Claflin]]
|successor3   = [[Zachariah Chandler]]
|term_start4  = 1856
|term_end4    = 1864
|predecessor4 = ''Position established''
|successor4   = [[Henry Jarvis Raymond|Henry J. Raymond]]
|state_senate5= New York
|district5= 6th
|term_start5= January 1, 1850
|term_end5= December 31, 1853
|preceded5= William Samuel Johnson
|succeeded5= [[Erastus Brooks]]
|birth_name=Edwin Denison Morgan
|birth_date={{birth date|1811|2|8}}
|birth_place=[[Washington, Massachusetts]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1883|2|14|1811|2|8}}
|death_place=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
|religion=
|footnotes=
|signature= Edwin Denison Morgan signature.svg
|allegiance= United States<br/>[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]
|branch= [[United States Army]]<br/>[[Union Army]]
|serviceyears= 1861–1863
|rank= [[File:Union Army major general rank insignia.svg|35px]] [[Major general (United States)|Major General]]
|commands= Department of New York
|unit= 
|battles= [[American Civil War]]
|awards= 
}}
'''Edwin Denison Morgan''' (February 8, 1811{{spaced ndash}}February 14, 1883) was an American politician and [[List of American Civil War generals (Union)|Union Army general]] who served as the 21st [[governor of New York]] from 1859 to 1862 and as a [[United States senator]] from 1863 to 1869. He was the [[List of chairs of the Republican National Committee|first and longest-serving chairman]] of the [[Republican National Committee]]. Morgan was known for his progressive views on education, prison reform, and women's suffrage. He helped to found the [[New York Republican State Committee|Republican Party in New York]] and was a strong supporter of the [[Presidency of Abraham Lincoln|presidency]] of [[Abraham Lincoln]].

In 1836 he moved to [[New York City]], becoming a successful wholesale grocer and bond broker. He served as an assistant alderman and member of the [[New York State Senate]].  Originally a [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]], he was one of the founders of the [[History of the Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], and he served as chairman of the [[Republican National Committee]] from 1856 to 1864 and 1872 to 1876.

In 1858, Morgan was elected [[Governor of New York]], and he served from 1859 to 1862.  As governor during the [[American Civil War]], Morgan supported the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]].  Appointed a [[Major general (United States)|major general]] of volunteers in the [[Union Army]], he commanded the military's Department of New York while serving as governor.  In 1863, he was elected to the [[United States Senate]], where he served one term.  He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1869, and the unsuccessful Republican nominee for governor in 1876.  Morgan had been a patron of [[Chester A. Arthur]] at the start of Arthur's career; when Arthur became president, he nominated Morgan as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]].  Morgan was confirmed by the Senate, but declined on the grounds of age and ill health.  Morgan died in New York City in 1883, and was buried in Connecticut.

==Early life==
Morgan was born on February 8, 1811, in [[Washington, Massachusetts]], to Jasper and Catherine (Copp) Morgan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/updatedmorgangen00morg|title=Updated Morgan genealogy : a history of James Morgan, of New London, Connecticut, and his descendants, from 1607 to 1997|first1=Freeman E. (Freeman Ernest)|last1=Morgan|first2=Nathaniel H. (Nathaniel Harris)|last2=Morgan|date=1998|publisher=Bowie, Md. : Heritage Books|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The family moved to [[Windsor, Connecticut]], where Morgan received his early education before attending [[Bacon Academy]] in [[Colchester, Connecticut|Colchester]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc11818.htm|title = Edwin D. Morgan Papers, 1833–1883 (finding aid)|access-date = January 4, 2016|website = New York State Library Website|publisher = [[New York State Library]]}}</ref> Edwin Morgan was a cousin of [[Morgan G. Bulkeley]], the [[Governor of Connecticut]] from 1889 to 1893.  In addition, he was a cousin of Congressmen [[Edwin B. Morgan]] and [[Christopher Morgan (politician)|Christopher Morgan]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Archives and Special Collections |date=2011 |title=Biographical Note, E. B. Morgan Collection |url=https://www.wells.edu/files/public/library/E_B_Morgan_Collection.pdf |location=Aurora, Cayuga County, NY |publisher=Wells College |page=2 |access-date=November 17, 2017 |archive-date=November 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117122426/https://www.wells.edu/files/public/library/E_B_Morgan_Collection.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Career==
He began his business career as a grocer in [[Hartford, Connecticut]].  He became a partner with his uncle and served on the city council. In 1836, he moved to New York City and became a successful wholesaler, broker and banker.

In 1843, Morgan organized E.D. Morgan & Company, an import house, in partnership with George D. Morgan, his cousin, and Frederick Avery, who left the firm a year later and was replaced by [[John T. Terry]]. Solon Humphreys was taken in as a full partner in 1854 after working several years as an agent in St. Louis, Missouri. Largely through his connections, the firm became the principal agent for Missouri securities. Nearly two-thirds of the bonds issued by the State of Missouri from 1835 to 1860, plus a large share of securities of St. Louis, were sold through the house of Morgan – in all perhaps thirty million dollars' worth. All the while the firm maintained its wholesale grocery trade.<ref name=":0" />

===Political career===
[[File:Edwin D. Morgan (portrait by George Peter Alexander Healey).png|thumb|left|180px|Gubernatorial portrait of New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan.]]In 1849, Morgan was elected as a member of the New York City Board of Assistant Aldermen. He made a name for himself as chairman of the Sanitary Committee during the cholera epidemic of 1848.<ref name=":0" /> He was also a member of the [[New York State Senate]] from 1850 to 1853, and State Commissioner of Immigration.<ref name="reeves19">{{cite book | last = Reeves | first = Thomas C. | title = Gentleman Boss | url = https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev/page/19 | url-access = registration | publisher = Alfred A. Knopf | year = 1975 | location = NY, NY | pages = [https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev/page/19 19] | isbn = 0-394-46095-2 }}</ref>

Morgan became highly influential in [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politics of his time and twice served as chairman of the [[Republican National Committee]], 1856 to 1864 and 1872 to 1876.<ref name="reeves19"/>

From 1859 until 1862, he served as [[Governor of New York]], elected in [[New York state election, 1858|1858]] and [[New York state election, 1860|1860]]. He was appointed [[Major general (United States)|major general]] of volunteers in September 1861 and commanded the Department of New York until he resigned on January 3, 1863, serving simultaneously as governor and head of the military department.<ref name="Eicher397">Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher]], ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|0-8047-3641-3}}. p. 397</ref>

In [[United States Senate election in New York, 1863|February 1863]], he was elected to the U.S. Senate, and served one term until 1869. In [[United States Senate election in New York, 1869|January 1869]], he sought re-nomination, but was voted down by the Republican caucus of State legislators who instead nominated Ex-Governor [[Reuben E. Fenton]]. In [[New York state election, 1876|1876]], Morgan ran again for Governor but was defeated by Democrat [[Lucius Robinson]].

In 1881, Morgan was nominated by President [[Chester A. Arthur]] as [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Treasury Secretary]] and was confirmed by the Senate, but declined the position.<ref name="reeves">{{cite book | last = Reeves | first = Thomas C. | title = Gentleman Boss | url = https://archive.org/details/gentlemanbosslif00reev | url-access = registration | publisher = Alfred A. Knopf | year = 1975 | location = NY, NY | isbn = 0-394-46095-2}}</ref>{{Rp|255}}

==Personal life==
In 1833, he married Eliza Matilda Waterman (b. 1810), daughter of Henry Waterman (1782–1854). Together, they had:

* Edwin Denison Morgan, M.D. (1834–1879), who married Sarah Elizabeth Archer, daughter of Thomas Archer.<ref name="EDMObit1933"/>
* Frederick Avery Morgan (1838–1841), died young
* Gilbert Henry Morgan (1843–1843), died young
* Caroline Matilda Morgan (1846–1847), died young
* Alfred Waterman Morgan (1847–1848), died young

Known for generous contributions to charities and causes, he contributed large sums to the [[Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York|Union Theological Seminary]].<ref name="Eicher397"/>

Morgan died in New York City on February 14, 1883.<ref name="EDMObit1883">{{cite news |title=Edwin D. Morgan. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1883/02/15/102799621.pdf |access-date=September 4, 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 15, 1883}}</ref> He was buried at the [[Cedar Hill Cemetery (Hartford, Connecticut)|Cedar Hill Cemetery]] in Hartford.<ref name="Eicher397"/><ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000949  Edwin Denison Morgan], ''[[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]]''</ref>

===Descendants===
Through his son Edwin, he was a grandfather of [[Edwin D. Morgan III|Edwin Denison Morgan III]] (1854–1933), who married Elizabeth Mary Moran.<ref name="EDMObit1933">{{cite news |title=E. D. MORGAN DIES; FAMED YACHTSMAN; Member of Successful Group That Time After Time Sent Lipton Back Without Cup. OWNER OF MANY VESSELS The Columbia and Gloriana Among Them—Former Commodore of New York Yacht Club. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/06/14/105392640.pdf |access-date=September 4, 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 14, 1933}}</ref> Through his grandson, he was the 2x great-grandfather of [[Edwin D. Morgan (businessman)|Edwin D. Morgan]] (1921–2001), businessman and [[Pioneer Fund]] director from 2000 to 2001.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Founders|url=http://www.pioneerfund.org/Founders.html|access-date=November 6, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130130929/http://www.pioneerfund.org/Founders.html|archive-date=November 30, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|American Civil War}}
*[[List of American Civil War generals (Union)]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*[http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc11818.htm Finding Aid to Edwin D. Morgan Papers, 1833–1883] at the [[New York State Library]]. Retrieved January 4, 2016
{{CongBio|M000949}}
*[http://www.mrlincolnandnewyork.org/inside.asp?ID=62&subjectID=3 Mr. Lincoln and New York: Edwin D. Morgan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716195131/http://www.mrlincolnandnewyork.org/inside.asp?ID=62&subjectID=3 |date=July 16, 2012 }}
* Eicher, John H., and [[David J. Eicher]], ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|0-8047-3641-3}}.

==Further reading==
* Rawley, James A. ''Edwin D. Morgan 1811–1883'' (Columbia University Press, 1955). Scholarly biography; [https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7312/rawl90978/html#contents online]

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Find a Grave|5895161|access-date=12 February 2008}}
*{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Morgan, Edwin Dennison |volume=18 |page=833 |short=1}}

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{{succession box | before = [[William Samuel Johnson (state senator)|William Samuel Johnson]] | title = [[New York State Senate]] <br>6th District | years = 1850–1853 | after = [[Erastus Brooks]]}}
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{{U.S. Senator box|state=New York|class=1|before=[[Preston King (politician)|Preston King]]|after=[[Reuben Fenton|Reuben E. Fenton]]|alongside=[[Ira Harris]] and [[Roscoe Conkling]]|years=1863–1869}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Edwin D.}}
[[Category:1811 births]]
[[Category:1883 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Washington, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Morgan family|Edwin D.]]
[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]
[[Category:Republican Party United States senators from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Republican National Committee chairs]]
[[Category:Governors of New York (state)]]
[[Category:Republican Party governors of New York (state)]]
[[Category:New York (state) Republicans]]
[[Category:New York (state) Whigs]]
[[Category:New York (state) state senators]]
[[Category:New York City Council members]]
[[Category:Politicians from Hartford, Connecticut]]
[[Category:People of New York (state) in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:Union (American Civil War) state governors]]
[[Category:Union army generals]]
[[Category:Burials at Cedar Hill Cemetery (Hartford, Connecticut)]]
[[Category:Bacon Academy alumni]]
[[Category:19th-century United States senators]]
[[Category:19th-century members of the New York State Legislature]]