A pic of James Morgan b. 29 Apr 1815 (Son of Capt. James)
JAMES "BUFFALO JIM" MORGAN
b. 11 Dec 1779
Buffalo Creek, Monongalia, WVA
d. 8 Mar 1860
of a "cold in the lungs" at Fairmont, Marion Co., WVA (D/C)
m1: 29 Apr 1801 to RACHEL BUNNER (Mother of all his children.)
m2: to Sarah Means who was to become his widow. No issue.
They had a total of 12 children; 7 reaching maturity.
A huge 6 footer, he was very athletic. A story is told that
after a coon hunt, the other young men bantered him into
lifting a gentle gray mare onto his shoulders. He walked 9
steps before breaking down.
Another time, when hunting for bear during the fall of the year,
his dogs scared up a particularly fat and lumbering creature
which was too fat to climb a tree. It lumbered from the mouth
of White Day Creek to Threefork Creek, a distance of several
miles, with the dogs in pursuit. Jim, sprinting behind,
realized his mountain rifle was not powerful enough to kill
the bear, took his butcher knife, and rushing the bear,
plunged the knife in [clear to the hilt].
He was Capt. in the War of 1812, and was Major Commander of
Ft. Meigs, Ohio.
Its said he killed the last 2 Indians around Fairmont,
Marion Co., WVA, by tricking them into putting their hands
into a log he was splitting, knocking out the wedges,
then crushing their skulls. A wild plum thicket is said to
have grown from the buried Indians provision bag.
(Some say stomachs.) There is supposed to be a monument to
him around the site.
James was called "Buffalo Jim" when he was young. Whether
this was because of his huge size and strength; or because
of his birth on Buffalo Creek, we may never know. The last
couple of generations claim it was because of the latter.
However, one closer to his generation, claims it was because
of his size. After the War of 1812, he was most often called
"The Captain."
I am a member of the United States Daughters of 1812;
through him.
RACHEL BUNNER
b. 9 Jan 1783
Bunner Ridge, Fairmont WVA
d. 3 Aug 1844
m: 29 Apr 1801 to JAMES "BUFFALO JIM" MORGAN
ISSUE: (1-8 is in order)
1 Morgan Morgan b. 8 Feb 1802 d. 15 Nov 1817. Aged 15 years.
2 John "Jack" Morgan b. 21 Jan 1804 d. 15 Jan 1854
m: Mary "Polly" Wilson
Members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Was a member
of the Whig party, later Republican. He could jump higher
than a pole that was held in the fingers of two men, over
their heads.
3 Capt. David Morgan
m: Pleasant Harris on 6 Sep 1826 Cattle Rancher.
Story of Black bear cubs. He fought in the War Between The States
on the union side.
He is the one whose photo appears here.
4 SARAH MORGAN b. 18 Sep 1808 d. 9 Oct 1876
m: JOSEPH SWISHER 23 Jan 1826
Grandmother of Charles W. Swisher, WV Secretary of State
1905-1909.
5 Mary Morgan b. 15 Dec 1810 d. 16 Dec 1884 had
illeg. Twin Daughters
6 Rachel Morgan b. 18 Jan 1813 d. 6 Mar 1816 Aged 3 years.
7 James Morgan b. 29 Apr 1815 d. 1851
m1: Lydia R. Wilson on 28 Oct 1834
Grandfather of Hon. Ephriam F. Morgan, prom.
attorney & Gov. of WV 1920-24.
8 Stephen Morgan m: Saloma Vangilder on 26 Dec 1839.
A Methodist Minister.
Served Civil War. Postmaster of Palace Valley. d. 1893
Alpheus Morgan died before reaching adulthood.
Salinda "Salindy" Morgan m: John May on 22 Dec 1840
Marcus Morgan
Child died in childhood
Capt. James Morgan b.11 Dec 1779 Monongalia Co., WV
