Richard Jacob (Dick) Morgan

  General Notes:

The 1920 Federal Census for Augusta, Richmond Co., Georgia, ED#11, page 214A taken February 5, 1920 records the widow Lily Morgan (45 - GA/SC/GA) with daughter Mildred (22). Also in the household is Lily's brother, Willie Wolfe (40 - GA/SC/GA)

Willie dies of Tuberculosis on December 7, 1920 while living with his sister, Lillie, at her home at 6 1/2 Miles Deansbridge Road in Augusta, GA. He is buried in the Walker Family Cemetery. The Georgia Death Certificate records Mrs. R. J. Morgan [Lillie] as the informant and his parents as Daniel T. A. Wolfe (born in Orangeburg, SC) and Mary C. Glover (born in Robbins, GA). William Barney Wolfe's date of birth is listed as Sept 26, 1881 in Richmond Co., GA.

See general notes on his mother for 1900 census facts and brother, Francis Evan Morgan, for 1910 census facts. In 1910, Richard and his wife, Lillie, and daughter Mildred, are living with Richard's parents. Richard and Lillie have been married for 9 years and have had 1 child, Mildred, who is born in 1902.


From a March 11, 2012 email from Candace Jeffers Smith:
Obituary for Richard J Morgan
THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE
September 1, 1919
COUNTY OFFICER DIES IN PISTOL DUEL WITH JOHN JONES
Policeman Dick Morgan and Will Williams Attacked on Returning From Moonshine Raid
MORGAN DIES ON WAY TO HOSPITAL JONES DIES FEW HOURS LATER
County Officer Williams Also Wounded Slightly Results Over Capture of Whiskey Still on Briar Creek---Officers Meet Jones On Their Way Back To Augusta and On Learning That Had Been Accomplished the Latter Whipped Out Pistol and Began To Fight
County police officer Richard Morgan and John Jones, a farmer residing about fifteen miles from Augusta, are dead and county officer Will Williams is wounded slightly in the thigh as the result of a pistol duel which occurred between the officers and Jones at a barbecue about ten miles from Augusta on the Deans Bridge Road, just before dark yesterday afternoon.
Morgan was rushed to this city immediately after the shooting, but died a few minutes before the University Hospital was reached. Three bullets had entered his left side just below the pit of the arm. Jones was also rushed to the hospital where he lived until 2 of this morning. Seven bullets from the officer pistols took effect in his body. One entered the neck, just below the jaw, another passed through the upper part of the skull, while the other five took effect in the fleshy part of the chest ad thighs.
Officer Williams is not seriously hurt, having been hit by only one bullet, which passed through the fleshy part of the upper thigh. He was brought to the hospital with Morgan. but was able to go to his home a short while later.
The shooting was a result of the capture of a whiskey still by the county officers early yesterday afternoon, near Patterson Bridge on Briar Creek about 28 miles from Augusta.
Yesterday Sheriff Plunkett was informed by reliable sources that a still was being operated near Patterson Bridge and it was very objectionable to many people living in that section. County Officer Morgan, who knew that section of the county suggested that if the still was to be captured the best time to go for it would be Monday.
Around noon yesterday Morgan and Williams with two other county officers, Wolfe and Murphy, were dispatched by the sheriff to make a raid on the still.
Upon reaching Patterson Bridge, the officers found the still just as they had been informed. It was not in operation at the time but showed evidence of having been run in the past few days.
In the capture of the still, a white man, Clarence Day, was arrested following the discovery of between 500 and 600 pounds of sugar in his home which was connected by a small footpath to the still.
Wolfe and Murphy left in an automobile truck for Augusta carrying the prisoner and the sugar. They returned to the city by way of Hephzibah. Morgan and Williams came back toward the city on Dean Bridge Road stopping at a barbecue and dance which was being held just beyond the Lombard Place, about 10 miles from Augusta. It was then that Officer Morgan was killed.
According to the statement made by Officer Williams, he and Morgan had stopped the automobile in which they were riding in the road near where the celebration was in progress, when Morgan, on seeing his brother-in-law, Fate Anderson, said to him in a joking manner, I've got your still.
Anderson replied, according to the officer, that it was not his still and at the same time mentioned to John Jones, better known as Jones, who was standing nearby and who came up to the automobile. Upon reaching the car, Williams said., Jones, who was in a state of drunkenness, looked in the automobile and began cursing Morgan in the most vile and violent manner, and at the same time reached toward his hip pocket as if to draw a gun.
Instantly, he said, he and Morgan jumped from the car toward Jones who pulled a pistol and began firing, almost the first bullet from his pistol fatally wounding Morgan.
Although fatally wounded, Morgan opened fire on Jones according to the statement of his brother officer and the fight to the death was on. Williams said that when he jumped from the car he caught Jones pistol but because of his right hand being deformed was unable to hold his grip. Already he had his pistol in his left hand and seeing that Morgan had been struck, he said that he opened fire himself and was struck by a bullet by Jones pistol about that time. There the three men fought in a deadly battle at a little more than pistol length distance until every lead in their revolvers had been exhausted. Morgan fell to the ground shooting and then rose on his elbow and fired his last shot. Williams stated at which he fell again exhausted from his wounds and loss of blood.
Jones, who was a man of powerful statue. Wounded three different places by officer bullets fell to the ground after he had fired six shots, four of them which hit their mark, three fatally wounding Morgan and the fourth hitting Williams.
The pistol which Jones used, a Colt 32 caliber, strange to say, formerly belonged to the man that was killed with it. Morgan disposed of it several years ago and it finally came into the possession of Jones. The history of the pistol is crowded with death, Before disposing of it County Officer Morgan had killed two Negroes with it some years ago, who had come to his house at night armed with the purpose of taking his life.
Immediately it was learned that Morgan was fatally injured and probably dying, he was rushed in an automobile to Augusta. On the way to Augusta he was conscious and only a few moments before death came said to Williams in a low voice these words, "I have been shot through the heart." He was right, all three of the bullets which had hit him lodged near the heart and he was dead when taken from the automobile at the University Hospital.
Jones also in a dying condition was rushed to the hospital. He was unconscious and blood flowed freely from his many wounds. Jones who followed the occupation of farmer, lived just off the Deans Bridge Road about 15 miles from Augusta. He was a middle age man of powerful physique.
Several years ago, it was learned from the sheriff office, Jones was paroled on a charge of distilling whiskey after he had pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of Richmond County. Jones was married and leaves a wife and five children, among them a son who has recently been discharged from the army
Morgan who was 45 years of age has been connected to the sheriff office of Richmond county for the past seventeen or eighteen years and was considered on of the most able and ---- officers in this section. He was first affiliated with the county authorities during the term of Sheriff O'Connor when he was appointed deputy by the sheriff. Since that time he had been steadily engaged in the duties of a county officer and was most popular with all who knew him.
He was a resident of the neighborhood in which he was killed, having resided for a number of years on the DeanBridge Road, about six miles from Augusta.
He is survived by a wife, Mrs. Lilly Morgan, an adopted daughter, Mildred Morgan, an aged father, Thomas Morgan who resides on Dean's Bridge Road; two brothers, L D and Frank Morgan, and a sister Mrs. Minnie M. Anderson., who at the time of her brother's death was in Virginia.
The body was removed to R.E. Elliot & Sons Funeral Home early last night and funeral arrangements will be announced later.

  Research Notes:

AUGUSTA CHRONICLE HERALD
BURIAL TODAY OF MORGAN AND JONES

Funeral Services Over Victims of Pistol Duel Will Be Held at Churches DeanBridge Road Near Scene of Shooting

Funeral services over the remains of county Officer Dick Morgan and John Jones both victims of a pistol duel, will be held today as a sad aftermath of the tragic shooting that occurred at a barbecue, ten miles from the city on the Dean's Bridge Road just before sundown Monday afternoon.
The services over Morgan's body will be held at Barton's Chapel about 12 miles from Augusta on the Dean's Bridge Road this afternoon at 3:00 o'clock (new time). Rev. W.I. Dolph officiating. The interment will take place in King cemetery, near the church. The body was removed from T.E. Elliot & Sons Funeral Home to the home of the deceased early yesterday afternoon.
The following gentleman, all of who were associated with the dead officer in his duties as county police, will act as pallbearers: W.E. Murphy, Charles Reid, J.T. Plunkett, Gary Whittle, Frank E. Turner, and William Williams. The last named officer who was wounded when he and Morgan were attacked by John Teet Jones.
The services over Jones body will be held at Friendship Methodist Church 12 miles from Augusta on the DeanBridge road, this morning at 11 o'clock (new time). Rev A. E. Silvey officiating. The interment will take place in the Friendship Church.
The auto funeral cortège will leave R.E. Elliot & Sons funeral Home this morning at 9 o'clock for the church.
Besides his wife, Mrs. Dora Jones, John Teet is survived by one son, Alvin Jones, four daughters, Misses Annibel, Frances, Alberta, and Carrie Jones; one brother Webster Jones and one sister Mrs. Payton Dykes.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Policeman.

Richard married Lillie Wylds Wolfe circa 1901 in Richmond Co., GA. (Lillie Wylds Wolfe was born on 26 Nov 1873 in Georgia, died on 10 Jan 1930 in Richmond Co., GA and was buried in King/Morgan Family Cemetery, Richmond Co, GA.)