Freed-Hardeman Connections
Researching the Restoration Movement in Mississippi and West Tennessee
William Edmond Morgan (1876-1953)
W. E. Morgan
A good man passes
Fred W. Chunn
Henry, Tenn.
The Christian Visitor
William Edmond Morgan, son of G. C. and Mary Griffith Morgan, died at his home in Benton, Ky., on September 30, 193. He was born in Weakley County, Tenn., on May 10, 1876. He was married to Inez Hatler August 12, 1902. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Ela Bullington, Athens, Ala., and Mrs. Virginia Defenderfer, Oak Ridge, Tenn.; four sons, Hatler, Benton, Ky.; Paul, Paris, Tenn.; Luke, Shelton, Conn.; and Joe, Nashville, Tenn.; 26 grandchildren, and then great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Bertha Gage, Louisiana; two nieces and seven nephews.
Bro. Morgan’s education opportunities were very limited. When a child he suffered an attack of rheumatic fever, which prevented his entering school until the age of ten. His father was a poor tenant farmer who could neither read nor write. The only books in the home were a Bible and a hymn book. His mother read and sand to him daily and taught him to read them. Perhaps all of this in part accounts for his preserving efforts to help boys and girls (especially the poor) secure an education and a better knowledge of the holy Bible. At the age of 14 he assumed the responsibilities of the family when his father became a semi-invalid. It was his strong will and sheer determination that enable him to graduate from Hall-Moody Institute, Martin, Tenn., in 1907, and to take his B. S. degree from Murray State College, Murray, Ky., in 1926.
He was active as a school teacher and as a gospel preacher for 45 years. His activities were confined principally to West Tennessee and West Kentucky. He served as minister to more than 50 congregations, and taught in a number of schools in the area. He did some work, too in other sections. He lived in Henderson and taught at Freed-Hardeman College for two years. He was living at Sitka, Gibson County, Tenn., giving his full time to this congregation when he was stricken. Thus ended the active earthly career of a good and useful man. Whether preaching, teaching, farming, or go on missions of mercy and love, his philosophy of life always was “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it will all thy might.”
Bro. Morgan suffered a stroke more than three years ago, and was unable to walk or talk any more, however, his memory was unimpaired so he greeted his friends, and loved ones with his usual smile and warm handclasp until the last.
Bro, Morgan enjoyed and appreciated his large family. He, with sister Morgan, truly did a great job in rearing this family. He made many contributions to the world, but perhaps his greats was his family. His Christian influence in his own family is seen in that all of his children are members of the church, and within the family there are seven gospel preachers, namely; two sons, Paul and Joe; one son-in-law, E. Fl. Bullington Athens Ala.; three grand sons-in-law, M. F. Norwood, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.; Paul Hodges, Trenton, Tenn.; and Bill Redding, Abilene, Texas. Beside this, he encouraged and aided many other young preachers.
Funeral servers were held at Puryear, Tenn., and at Hatler’s Chapel near Dresden, Tenn. Quite fitting his body was brought back to Puryear where he had served as minister for 30 years and there this writer, assisted by Charles Pullen, Springfield, Tenn., and L. E. Garner, Benton, Ky., conducted services. Bro. W. Claude Hall, Henderson, Tenn. conducted the service at Hatler’s Chapel, and his body is laid to rest in the cemetery there beside a baby daughter, Fannie Marie, to await the coming of our Lord and the resurrection of the dead. The beautiful floral tributes and the presence of hosts of brethren and friends indicated the high esteem in which Bro. Morgan and his loved ones were held.
W. E. Morgan was at teacher at Freed-Hardeman in 1920-21.
Gospel Advocate Obituary
William Edmond Morgan
1876-1953
William Edmond Morgan, son of G. C. and Mary Griffith Morgan, died at his home in Benton, Ky., on September 30, 1953. He was born in Weakley County, Tenn., May 10, 1876. His mother, father and one sister, Mrs. C. E. Smith, and two brothers, Walter and Chesleigh preceded him in death. He was married to Inez Hatler, August 12, 1902. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Ela Bullington, of Athens, Ala., and Mrs. Virginia Defenderfer, of Oak Ridge, Tenn.; four sons, Hatler of Benton, Ky., Paul of Paris, Tenn., Luke of Shelton, Conn., and Joe of Nashville, Tenn.; twenty-six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Bertha Gage of Louisiana; two nieces and seven nephews.
Brother Morgan suffered a stroke more than three years ago and was unable to walk or talk, however, his memory was unimpaired so he greeted all of his friends and loved ones with his usual smile and warm handclasp until the last. He was active as a schoolteacher and as a gospel preacher for forty-five years. His activities were confined, principally, to West Tennessee and Kentucky.
He served as minister to more than fifty congregations within this area. He lived at Henderson, Tenn., and taught in Freed-Hardeman College for two years. He was living at Sitka, Gibson County, Tenn., giving his full time to the Sitka church when was stricken.
Brother Morgan's educational opportunities were very limited. When a child he suffered an attack rheumatic fever which prevented his entering school until the age of ten. The only books in the home were the Bible and a hymnbook. His mother read and sang to him daily and taught him to read them. His father was a poor tenant farmer who could neither read nor write. At the age of fourteen he assumed the responsibility of the family when his father became a semi-invalid. He graduated from Hall Moody Institute, Martin, Tenn., in 1907. He received a B.S. degree from Murray State College in 1926. He enjoyed and appreciated his big family. They were a source of much joy and comfort to him. All of his children are members of the church and within the family there seven gospel preachers, two are his sons, Joe and Paul.
Funeral services were held at Puryear, Tenn., and Hatler's Chapel Weakley County, Tenn. Fred W. Chunn, assisted by Charles Pullen and L. E. Gardner, conducted the services at Puryear where Brother Morgan had served as minister for thirty years. His body was laid to rest beside a baby daughter, Fannie Marie, in the cemetery at Hatler's Chapel where Claude Hall had charge of the services.
Gospel Advocate, December 17, 1953, 868
Hatler's Chapel Church of Christ Cemetery, Dresden
GPS N 36* 23' 03.40" W088* 43' 46.4"
W. E. Morgan
A good man passes
Fred W. Chunn
Henry, Tenn.
The Christian Visitor
William Edmond Morgan, son of G. C. and Mary Griffith Morgan, died at his home in Benton, Ky., on September 30, 193. He was born in Weakley County, Tenn., on May 10, 1876. He was married to Inez Hatler August 12, 1902. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Ela Bullington, Athens, Ala., and Mrs. Virginia Defenderfer, Oak Ridge, Tenn.; four sons, Hatler, Benton, Ky.; Paul, Paris, Tenn.; Luke, Shelton, Conn.; and Joe, Nashville, Tenn.; 26 grandchildren, and then great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Bertha Gage, Louisiana; two nieces and seven nephews.
Bro. Morgan’s education opportunities were very limited. When a child he suffered an attack of rheumatic fever, which prevented his entering school until the age of ten. His father was a poor tenant farmer who could neither read nor write. The only books in the home were a Bible and a hymn book. His mother read and sand to him daily and taught him to read them. Perhaps all of this in part accounts for his preserving efforts to help boys and girls (especially the poor) secure an education and a better knowledge of the holy Bible. At the age of 14 he assumed the responsibilities of the family when his father became a semi-invalid. It was his strong will and sheer determination that enable him to graduate from Hall-Moody Institute, Martin, Tenn., in 1907, and to take his B. S. degree from Murray State College, Murray, Ky., in 1926.
He was active as a school teacher and as a gospel preacher for 45 years. His activities were confined principally to West Tennessee and West Kentucky. He served as minister to more than 50 congregations, and taught in a number of schools in the area. He did some work, too in other sections. He lived in Henderson and taught at Freed-Hardeman College for two years. He was living at Sitka, Gibson County, Tenn., giving his full time to this congregation when he was stricken. Thus ended the active earthly career of a good and useful man. Whether preaching, teaching, farming, or go on missions of mercy and love, his philosophy of life always was “whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it will all thy might.”
Bro. Morgan suffered a stroke more than three years ago, and was unable to walk or talk any more, however, his memory was unimpaired so he greeted his friends, and loved ones with his usual smile and warm handclasp until the last.
Bro, Morgan enjoyed and appreciated his large family. He, with sister Morgan, truly did a great job in rearing this family. He made many contributions to the world, but perhaps his greats was his family. His Christian influence in his own family is seen in that all of his children are members of the church, and within the family there are seven gospel preachers, namely; two sons, Paul and Joe; one son-in-law, E. Fl. Bullington Athens Ala.; three grand sons-in-law, M. F. Norwood, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.; Paul Hodges, Trenton, Tenn.; and Bill Redding, Abilene, Texas. Beside this, he encouraged and aided many other young preachers.
Funeral servers were held at Puryear, Tenn., and at Hatler’s Chapel near Dresden, Tenn. Quite fitting his body was brought back to Puryear where he had served as minister for 30 years and there this writer, assisted by Charles Pullen, Springfield, Tenn., and L. E. Garner, Benton, Ky., conducted services. Bro. W. Claude Hall, Henderson, Tenn. conducted the service at Hatler’s Chapel, and his body is laid to rest in the cemetery there beside a baby daughter, Fannie Marie, to await the coming of our Lord and the resurrection of the dead. The beautiful floral tributes and the presence of hosts of brethren and friends indicated the high esteem in which Bro. Morgan and his loved ones were held.
W. E. Morgan was at teacher at Freed-Hardeman in 1920-21.
Gospel Advocate Obituary
William Edmond Morgan
1876-1953
William Edmond Morgan, son of G. C. and Mary Griffith Morgan, died at his home in Benton, Ky., on September 30, 1953. He was born in Weakley County, Tenn., May 10, 1876. His mother, father and one sister, Mrs. C. E. Smith, and two brothers, Walter and Chesleigh preceded him in death. He was married to Inez Hatler, August 12, 1902. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Ela Bullington, of Athens, Ala., and Mrs. Virginia Defenderfer, of Oak Ridge, Tenn.; four sons, Hatler of Benton, Ky., Paul of Paris, Tenn., Luke of Shelton, Conn., and Joe of Nashville, Tenn.; twenty-six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Bertha Gage of Louisiana; two nieces and seven nephews.
Brother Morgan suffered a stroke more than three years ago and was unable to walk or talk, however, his memory was unimpaired so he greeted all of his friends and loved ones with his usual smile and warm handclasp until the last. He was active as a schoolteacher and as a gospel preacher for forty-five years. His activities were confined, principally, to West Tennessee and Kentucky.
He served as minister to more than fifty congregations within this area. He lived at Henderson, Tenn., and taught in Freed-Hardeman College for two years. He was living at Sitka, Gibson County, Tenn., giving his full time to the Sitka church when was stricken.
Brother Morgan's educational opportunities were very limited. When a child he suffered an attack rheumatic fever which prevented his entering school until the age of ten. The only books in the home were the Bible and a hymnbook. His mother read and sang to him daily and taught him to read them. His father was a poor tenant farmer who could neither read nor write. At the age of fourteen he assumed the responsibility of the family when his father became a semi-invalid. He graduated from Hall Moody Institute, Martin, Tenn., in 1907. He received a B.S. degree from Murray State College in 1926. He enjoyed and appreciated his big family. They were a source of much joy and comfort to him. All of his children are members of the church and within the family there seven gospel preachers, two are his sons, Joe and Paul.
Funeral services were held at Puryear, Tenn., and Hatler's Chapel Weakley County, Tenn. Fred W. Chunn, assisted by Charles Pullen and L. E. Gardner, conducted the services at Puryear where Brother Morgan had served as minister for thirty years. His body was laid to rest beside a baby daughter, Fannie Marie, in the cemetery at Hatler's Chapel where Claude Hall had charge of the services.
Gospel Advocate, December 17, 1953, 868
Hatler's Chapel Church of Christ Cemetery, Dresden
GPS N 36* 23' 03.40" W088* 43' 46.4"