Descendancy Narrative of John Morgan by Charles J. Vella, Ph. D

Ellen Vivian worked for 1 year at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn. From Sept. 1938 to May, 1940 she attended the A.I.B. business College in Des Miones, Iowa. She joined the Coed group Phi Rho Zeta Fraternity. Her work in Des Moines was: Mar. 1, 1940 to Mar. 21, 1940 she was bookkeeper at Schaaf’s feed store. May 1940 she worked for Iowa Road Builders addressing envelopes. May 13, 1940 to Jan. 5, 1942 she did general office work for Service Heatng Co. Jan. 6, 1942 to July 8, 9144 she was bookkeeper at the Victoria Hotel.

She belonged to the Y.W.C.A. and the Young Peoples society of the Grace Methodist church in Des Miones where she attended church while living in that city and helped at the U.S.O.

In 1944 Ellen Vivian took a correspondence course in radio. From July, 1944 to Aug. 1944 she studied at Midland Radio School in Kansas City, Mo. After graduating she went to Atlanta, Ga. where she worked as a teletypist from Aug. 28, 1944 to Nov. 15, 1946 for Eddie Rickenbacker’s company, Eastern Airlines. Christmas, 1945 all Eastern Airline workers were presented with autographed copies of Eddie’s life written by Hans Christian Adamson. She resigned in Dec. 1946 to prepare for marriage. After her marriage she worked as a typist from Jan. 26, 1947 to Mar. 24, 1947 for H. G. Hastings Co. of Atlanta, Ga.

On Dec. 20, 1946 at The Whitney Avenue Presbyterian Church, Hapeville, Georgia at 8 p.m. Ellen Vivian Uran was maried to Bill James Wilson in a double ring candelight ceremony. B. J. Wilson is one of 7 children born to Henry Eugene Wilson and Irma N. Gable-Wilson of Barnesville, Ga.

Ellen Vivian’s first home with her husband was in Hapeville, Ga. They sold that and bought a new home unfinished at 4191 Midway Rd., Decatur, Ga. Bill did the finishing work.

She joined the Presbyterian Church in Decatur and acted as sec’y of Religious Eduction of the evening group ot the Ladies Aid for several yrs. She was a Charter member of the United Service Women Unit 290 at Riceville, Iowa. She is a member of the Y.W.C.A. and helped at the U.S.O.

Her hobbies are scrap books and crocheting. She types all the family genealogy for her mother, World War II histories for riceville and Mitchell County. Sews for her children. She was sec’y of Annuities for Relief for her chruch 1 year and Sec’y for Foreign Missions for 1 year.

She is a republican.

Bill James Wilson was born Oct. 23, 1919 at Greggins, Georgia. He graduated in 1932 from Gordon Military School at Gainesville, Ga. and in 1936 from The American School in Chicago, Ill. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Decatur, Ga. He is a member of the American Legion and the Masons-Scottish Rite and a Shriner. On April 10, 1953 he was taken into the Shriner Club the Legion of Honor. This group are War verterans who form the Drum and Bugle Corps and the Color Guard. For one year he served as historian for the Legion of honor.

For over 10 years Bill was a Union Carpenter. One summer he donated his services to his church to help erect a new addition to the church. He graduated from a Watchmakers Trade School at Atlanta, Ga. His present work is dispatcher with Lockheed Airplane Corp. at Marietta, Ga.

On April 28, 1941 Bill was inducted into the army at Fort Barrancas, Florida. He was a private First Class and spent five years in service in World War II. Serving 3 ½ years in the European theater with the 267^th Co. He learned the Italian language and served as an interpreter for a time. His serial no. was 34-035-301.

He received the Good Conduct Star, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars and the American Defense Service medal.

Bill was with the Quartermaster Bakery Co. Army Class 267^th and received his discharge at Fort McPherson, Georgia on Sept. 15, 1945.

From Aug. 7, 1949 to April 30, 1951 he was a Sgt. in the Air Force Reserve. On March 19, 1951 he returned to active duty in the Air Force but was discharged April 30, 1951 on a dependency discharge. His duties during those two years was to repair airplanes. He was stationed at Mineral Wells, Texas the month and half before his discharge.

Bill and Ellen Vivian Uran-Wilson are parents of four daughters all born in the Crawford Long Memorial Hispital in Atlanta, Georgia.

Sharon Wilson b. Sept. 4, 1947, is in her second year at grade school at Decatur. She has attended Sunday School at the Midway Presbyterian Church in Decatur since she was two years old. She rec’d a pin on May 25, 1952 for perfect attendance at Sunday School for one year. She has attended Summer Bible School for four years. In 1955 Sharon joined the Brownies and sold cookies and doughnuts with all the other Brownies this year. Her hobbies are drawing and coloring. With her sisters she acts out plays they see on television. All four love to sing. Sharon was baptized July 25, 1948 by Rev. Lester James at the Midway Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia when the baptismal font was dedicated.

Janice Wilson b. October 8, 1949 and was baptized Feb. 11, 1951 by a retired minister presiding at the Midway Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia. Janice started to Sunday School at two years of age and has attended summer Bible School for three years. She will enter grade school in Sept., 1955 at Avondale, Estates, Georgia.

Rene Wilson b. Dec. 2, 1951. She is attending Sunday School at the Midway Presbyterian Church and was baptized June 22, 1952 by Rev. Lester James.

Jone Wilson b. Feb. 19, 1953. She attends Sunday School at the Midway Presbyterian Church.

4.) Margaret Uran-Longnecker

born: October 13, 1917 at Wellsburg, Iowa

Mother: Vivian Imogene Morgan-Uran

Father: Dr. Joseph Alfred Uran

Husband: Leornard Calvin Longnecker

Married: Jan. 25, 1947

Husband born: March 11, ____ in Kansas

Margaret was the fourth child born to Dr. Joseph A. and Imogene (Morgan) Uran. She started grade school in Waterloo, Iowa continuing her grade school and high school eduction when the family moved to Riceville, Iowa. She graduated in May, 1936. While in High School she played tennis and basketball, learned to swim, ice and roller skate. She sang in the Girl's Glee Club of the Riceville high School that won county and district first honors. She took flute and piano lessons and played in the high school band. She took lessons in acrobatic, tap and ballroom dancing. She was a Camp Fire Girl for many years and earned the Wohelo honors, highest honors awarded, three times. She sang in the church choir and was a member of the Pilgrim Fellowship Group and a Sunday School Class. She was baptized in a Presbyterian Church in Waterloo when 6 years old and joined the Riceville Congregational Church while in High School. She learned to sew while in high school and made many of her garments.

In June, 1937 Margaret with her sister Ellen Vivian went to St. Mary’s Hopital in Rochester, Minn. where she worked in the diet kitchen until Jan. 1939 when she entered A.I.B. Business College in Des Moines, Iowa. She was a member of the Phi Rho Zeta Fraternity. She finished her college training in Dec., 1939. She belonged to the Y.W.C.A. in Rochester, Minn., Des Moines, Iowa and later in Atlanta, Ga.

Her Des Moines Positions were with: Flynn Dairy Co. 1 year. U.S.O. stenographer and receptionist 2 ½ years. Red Cross stenographer part of one year.

She was President of the Live Y’ers Club while in Des Moines. Attended Y.W.C.A. camps, and was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club and joined the Grace Methodist Church and Young Peoples Society of that Church.

She took dramatic lessons for 6 months under Miss Sylvia Snook of Des Moines and was in the M.E. Young Peoples play one year.

From July, 1944 to Oct., 1944 she returned to Riceville to assist her parents. On Oct., 1944 Margart went to Atlanta, Ga. to join her sister Ellen Vivian. For 9 months she worked as secretary and office manager for Traveler’s Aid. She worked from July, 1945 to Sept., 1946 at Georgia Tech with Veteran’s Guidance Center as stenographer under a phychologist, Dr. Moore. Later, she worked with the Veteran’s Administration and as secretary to the manager of the basement department in Rich’s Department Store.

Margaret was a member of the Whitney Ave., Presbyterian church of Hapeville, Ga. where she sang in the choir, was a member of the Sunday School and the Ladies Circle. Rev. William James Hazelwood was the pastor. She took voice lessons for 1 year and was to go on the Atlanta radio station as a guest singer when a strep throat interfered. She attended the Y.W.C.A. Camp in South Carolina and was a member of their danding club.

Margaret and Leonard Calvin Longanecker were married in the church parsonage at Hapeville, Ga. on Saturday at 5 p.m. on Jan. 25, 1947 by Rev. Wm. James Hazelwood.

Their first home was an apartment at 3455 Fulton Ave., Hapeville, Ga. Leonard was a mortician employed at a funeral home in Atlanta, Georgia.

Leornard Calvin Longanecker, Jr. was born in Kansas March 11. He was a graduate of the Alhambra, Calif. High School and the California College of Mortuary Science in Los Angeles, Calif. He was a veteran of World War II having served with the 506^th parachute infantry. He rec’d a knee injury while making a parachute jump.

In May, 1947 Leonard and Margaret left Ga. to visit Margaret’s parents at Riceville. From July, 1947 to Dec., 1947 they lived in an apt. at Fort Dodge, Iowa where Leornard was employed at a funeral home.

Margaret joined a Federated Womens Club at Ft. Dodge. She was a charter member of the Riceville, Iowa United Service Women that later changed to Amvets. For one year she served as historian of the Riceville Amvets.

From Dec., 1947 to April 1948 Leonard and Margaret with their son Vaughn lived in Central City, iowa where Leonard conducted a funeral parlor. They joined the United Church and both sang in the choir.

For 1 year Margaret took voice lessons in Cedar Rapids and sang with the Women’s Farm Bureau Chorus of Lynn Co. She took lessons on the vibraphone and marimba. On Aug 14, 1948 she went with the group of 25 marimba players from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa vicinity to the 19^th Chicagoland Music Festival sponsored by the Chicago Tribune Charities, Inc. There were 7500 members of the cast from 30 states and Canada. 95,000 people were in the audience in Soldier’s Field. Margaret was one of the 250 players in the massed marimba orchestra which played 3 selections. This was the largest number of marimba players ever to be assembled.

The ladies in the marimba group were dressed in white formals and the men wore black. More than 300 rainbow colored bulbs mounted in specially constructed footlights threw an everchanging pattern of hues on the golden pipes of the marimbas.

After Leonard disposed of his mortuary in April, 1948 at Central City he went west to look for another location. Margaret and Vaughn moved to Riceville, Iowa to live with her parents. She became a member of the Mitchell Co. Chorus, rejoined the Congregational Church, sang in the choir and was a Sunday School teacher. She assisted her father in his office, sold Fuller Brush Cosmetics and Greeting Cards. When her brother Donald returned in Sept. of 1948 she assisted him in painting the inside of her parents home.

On Dec. 19, 1951 Margaret, her son Vaughn and brother Donald drove from Riceville to San Francisco, Calif. They arrived on Dec. 23, 1951. Margaret rented a cottage at 176 Peralta Ave. where she now resides with her son. She changed her church membership from Riceville to the Calvary Presbyterian Church at San Francisco where she sang with the choir and with her son attends Sunday School. For 6 months she was a member of the San Francisco Municipal Chorus, because of her son‘s illness she gave up the Municiapl Chorus. On Jan., 1953 she joined a drama class of Adult Education under Mrs. Beatrix Berry. Since Dec., 1952 she has studied voice at Community Music School under Mrs. C. Von Hulct. In 1954 she joined a class in Folk dancing and took a 6 week charm course. In 1955 she is taking a course in Sociology at a night school put on by the San Francisco City College. She was Pres. of the parents group of La Conte Day Center when Vaughn attended while his mother was at work, was Vice Pres. of the city wide P.T.A. and held an office in the Boys Club P.T.A. for several years. She votes the Republican ticket.

Her work in San Francisco, Calif. has been with the Pelton Water Wheel Co. as a stenographer for 2 months. With the Neil H. Peterson Co. as a stenographer, with a Travel Agency for a year. Her present work is bookkeeper with the Colon Heating and Sheet Metel Co. where she has worked for over a year.

Vaughn Dennis Longanecker only child born to Leonard Calvin and Margaret Uran-Longanecker was born Oct. 11, 1947, at the Lutheran Hospital in Ft. Dodge, Iowa. He was baptized Easter, 1948 by Rev. Fred Samek at the United Church in Central city, Iowa.

In Riceville, Iowa Vaughn was as faithful an attendant at Sunday School as he is at the Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. He attended the La Conte Day Care Center and Kindergarten school. In 1955 he belongs to the Boy’s Club, is in second grade in La Conte.

5.) Donald Maxwell Uran

born: Aug. 1, 1921 at Wellsburg, Iowa

Mother: Vivian Imogene Morgan-Uran

Father: Dr. Joseph Alfred Uran

Married: Mrs. Helen Thomas-Weyh (Dorothy May Thomas, called Helen) on Fri. May 13, 1955

Wife’s Father: John Forrest Thomas b. Jan. 5, 1873 in Leamington, England

Wife’s Mother: Ida May Robinson b. Jan. 2, 1883 in Lyons, Ne.

Donald is the youngest child born to Dr. Joseph A. and Imogene Morgan-Uran. When he was one year and seven months old the family moved to Waterloo, Iowa. At 2 years of age Donald was baptized at the Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, Iowa. The family moved to Riceville, Iowa on Aug. 1, 1925, on Donald’s 4^th birthday. He attended Sunday School at the Congregational Church. At six yrs. of age he started to first grade in Riceville and attended High School for two years. He played basketball and football in H. S. He took piano lessons, played tennis and learned to swim, ski, ice and roller skate.

In Oct., 1938 Donald and his older brother Marshall drove to Los Angeles, Calif. where Donald spent 1 year as a student at the Frank Wiggins Trade School.

During 1939, 1940, and 1941 Donald worked for Wm. Smith, Sr. and Kenneth Potter as a trucker and in the Standard Oil Station for Elwood Fouts.

In Dec. 1941 answering the nation wide appeal for Merchant Seamen, Donald put in an application at Charles city, Iowa for U. S. Maritime Service with the written consent of his parents. He went to San Francisco in July, 1942 and on July 13, 1942 entered the U. S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Training Station at Port Hunenema, Calif. He graduated Nov. 13, 1942 as Fireman.

Donald’s first trip lasted 10 months. He left on the ship Francis Drake from San Francisco, Calif. and going around the world returned by way of New York. Since then he has been around the world several times and has been on every continent but South America. The Allies were preparing for the invasion of Sicily when Donald was on his first trip of 10 months. None of the letters or cablegrams of the men on his ship were sent back to the U. S. It was 10 months before Donald’s parents heard from him. Their ship carried Italian and German war prisoners from Tripoli, Africa to Alexandria, Egypt. At the time of the invasion of Sicily the English Merchant ships carried the United States supplies. On this trip of Donald’s on the Francis Drake, the ship went to Australia, Aden Arabia; Catania, Cicily, and in Egypt it stopped at Suez, Alexandria, Port Said and Tripoli. Donald visited the pyramids and bro’t home many souvenirs. The most beautiful being a Mother of Pearl Picture of “The Last Supper” that came from Jerusalem. On their way home the ship anchored at the Island of Malta. The ship had traveled thro’ the Pacific Ocean, Indaian Ocean, Tasman Sea, Red Sea and Mediterranian Sea returning across the Atlantic Ocean.

From July 13, 1942 until Dec., 1946 Donald was in continuous service and rec’d a letter from Pres. Harry S. Truman from the White House with the gold U. S. Gov. Seal on it saying: “To you who answered the call of your country and served in its Merchant Marine to bring about the total defeat of the enemy, I extend the heartfelt thanks of the Nation. You undertook a most severe task—one which called for courage and fortitude. Because you demonstrated the resourcefulness and calm judgement necessary to carry out that task, we now look to you for leadership and example in further serving our country in peace.”

For Donald’s war time service he was awarded the Pacific War Zone bar, The Atlantic War Zone bar, Mediterranian Middle East War Zone bar and the Merchant Marine Combat Bar. He also rec’d a “Certificate of Substantially Continuous Service” #51890 from the U.S. Maritime Service dated Dec. 3, 1946 and signed by W.W. Smith, Chairman of the U. S. Maritime Commission and A. J. William, Secretary.

After a short furlough at home in 1943 he returned to the Maritime Service. From 1943 to 1950 he visited the fol’g places:

On board S.S. Wm. A. Coulter to Hawaaiian Islands and return.

On board Franklin Mcveigh to Alaska and return.

On board A.M. Baster to Alaska, Aleution Islands, 2 trips and return.

On board Aduna to fol’g ports in Alaska: Ketchan, Kodiak, Alitak, Ki Cove, Uganik and Cordova.

On board Motor ship Costal Champion to Manila P. I. where ship was left and ships crew flew back by way of Kwafelein Islands, Guam Islands, Johnston Island and Hawaii.

This was a perilous flight as the engines failed three times and the plane would return to the nearest island for repairs.

On board Wm J. Duane to Shanghai and Chinwangetwae in China and on ships return stopped at Brisbane and Townsville in Australia and Manila, P.I.

On board M. V. Rind Splice stopped at fol’g ports in Alaska: Ketchika Sitka, Wrangell, Juneau, Cordova, Seward, Kodiak Is. and various (?).

On board S.S.Provo Victory. Intercoastal-fol’g ports: Centa-Spanish Morocca-Ancoma in Italy. In Japan: Moji, Yawata, Sasebe, Kakadate. France: Cherbourg and Tonen. In Germany at Bremen. In Cuba at Tunas de Zaza and Oienfueges.

On board S.S. Washington from San Francisco, Calif. to Keeling Formosa-Mamla, Cebu and Ile Ile in P. I. To Bankok and Saigon in French Indo-China. Hong Kong, China to Seattle, Wash.

On board S. S. John H. Quick to Seward, Juneau, Ketchikan, Valdez, Anchorge and other ports on in side passage to Alaska.

Donald has also been on trips to the fol’g ports: Dutch Harbor, Unalaska(?) and Adak in Aleutian Is., Tsingtao in China, Honolulu, Hawaii and Isthmus of Panama. Unalaklat, Tin City and St. Michelall in Alaska.

In Sept., 1949 returned to his parents home in Riceville where he worked until Dec. 19, 1950 with the James Bathen and Stanley Setka Construction Crew. During that time he also remodeled the family home bo’t in 1944 from Mrs. Chris Fox. This 10 room home was built in 191(?) by C.L Scott for the Skillmans. Donald added a second bathroom downstairs and completely made modern the kitchen. He installed a shower in the upstairs bathroom and with his sister painted the inside of the house.

On Dec. 19, 1951 Donald, with his sister Margaret and her son Vaughn, drove to San Francisco, Calif. reaching there in 4 days. Jan. 12, 1951 Donald left on the S. S. Washington on the trip as given above. Since then he has been making trips to Alaska and return going as far north as Nome.

In 1943 Donald joined the Maritime Union of Firemean, Oiler, Water Tenders and Helpers. His rating now is Oiler. He calls Seattle, Wash., c/o Seaman’s Unit his home port.

He votes an Independent ticket. In Sept., 1955 Donald was on the ship Susitna owned by Alaska Steamship Co. His ship went to ports in Alaska by name—Wrangel, Petersburg, Juneau, Hanes, Sitka. Every other trip they went to Skagway.

Mrs. Helen Weyh and Donald M. Uran were married Fri. May 13, 1955 at 3:30 P.M. in the West Side Presbyterian Church at Seattle, Wash. in a double ring ceremony by the Rev. Charles Haffmeister. Attendents were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lannigan, sister & brother in-law of the bride.

The bride wore a navy blue suit with white accessories. Her corsage was a 5 bloom green orchid. Mrs. Lannigan wore black taffeta with a corsage of red roses.

Donald has been a Merchant Marine since he enlisted in July 1942. Above announcement put in fol’g Iowa papers—Mason City Globe-Gazette, Waterloo Courier, Riceville Recorder and Mitchell County Press of Osage.

On Nov. 1, 1955 they bought a new home at 319-E. 59^th Street, Seattle 5, Wash.

Family history of Helen Weyh:

John Forrest Thomas b. Leamington, England Jan. 5, 1873

Present address: Great Forks, Montana

Married: 1.) Ada May Robinson Jan. 2, 1883 in Lyons, Neb.

2.)

Elnora Thomas b. May 14, 1913 in Neb. Lives in Alaska

Dorothy May Thomas (called Helen) b. Mar. 10, 1915 in Belle Faurche, S. Dakota. Married first husband: Arthur Edward Weyh

Children by first husband:

1.) Dorothy May Weyh b. April 25, 1926 Harve, Mont.

Married ______Huff Aug. 18, 1952 in Seattle, Wash.

Children: Sandra Rae b. Aug. 10, 1953 in Harve, Mont.

Boy b. Aug. 1, 1955

2.)Jo Ann Weyh b. Oct. 6, 1940 in Harve, Mont. Graduated from 8^th grade in June 1955

Arthur Edward Weyh, Jr. b. Sept 18, 1946 Benton, Wash.

Married second husband: Donald M. Uran, May 13, 1955.

Laura Fern Thomas b. June 3, 1922 in Great Falls, Montana. Married Henry Lannigan. Children: Nancy Lee b. July 17, 1942 Seattle Wash. and Robert b. June 7, 1944.

Arthur Thomas b. July 29, 1917 in Ryegate, Mont., Married, no children.

Fred Thomas b. July 29, 1919 in Ryegate, Mont., unmarried.

C.) Maxwell Morgan

Born: Oct. 25, 1893 at Ranking house in Clarence, Iowa.

Died: July 28, 1961

Mother: Lydia Houghton-Morgan

Father: James Hamilton Morgan

Married: Marian Fry on June 7, 1923 in Cincinatti, Ohio

Wife’s Parents: Wilfred Mason Fry and Mary Camilla Buckingham-Fry

Education: Started Grade school at Clarence, Iowa and finished grade school when the family moved to Sigourney, Iowa and graduated at Glenwood, Iowa from high school in 1912. Before he finished high school he went to Tabor, Iowa in 1910 where he graduated in Business Administration in 1911 from Tabor College.

As a small boy Max loved to go barefoot and had more than his share of cut feet. The remedy was always a fat piece of pork tied over the cut or nail puncture. What virtue there was in that remedy is unknown but never once did he ever have an infection in his many cuts.

Everyone loved Max wherever he lived as a child and young man and he loved everyone. On one occasion when he ran home singing “Max Morgan swallowed a pin” over and over, all the ladies called out to him as he ran by “Have your mother give you dry bread to eat, Max.” As soon as his mother was told what he had swallowed- dry bread was the remedy. Max loved all animals and before he was 11 years old he broke all his friend’s colts for driving. He craved boy companionship so was very seldom home in the day time. Whenever he did return he could always be heard coming by the favorite song he always sang, going away or coming home. “Happy on the way, Happy on the way, Yes, my Lord, I’m happy on the way.”

While living at Clarence Mother Morgan punished Max for running away by tying his overall suspenders with a rope to the pantry door. Visitors called the mother to another part of the house. When she returned she found the overalls tied securely to the pantry door but no Max. Clad only in a long tailed shirt Max was “Happy on the way” some place to play.