Morgan Hickman

     Morgan Hickman was born in 1830 at Whiteley Twp, Greene Co, PA.. He was the son of Samuel Hickman and Elizabeth (---). He married Mary Eliza Parrott on 5 June 1857 at Pulaski Co, IL.. He died on 29 March 1896 at Jefferson Twp, Greene Co, PA.. He was buried at Morrisville, Greene Co, PA..


Morgan's parents separated when he was young and he was raised by his father in poor surroundings. In the 1850 Census, he is listed living with his brother Jesse. He apparently moved away from Greene County, PA, as he does not appear on any Greene County tax list until 1860. Where he lived during his twenties is unknown, but it is known that on June 5, 1857, Morgan married Mary Eliza Parrott in "Pulased" County, IL. In 1860, he and his wife returned to Greene County to live again with his father and brother.
Morgan was a carpenter by trade. For the next 22 years, Morgan lived on a 22 acre parcel of land in Jefferson and Whiteley Townships, Greene County, which he eventually inherited from his father.
Morgan served as a private in the Civil War, enlisting on September 8, 1862, in Company C, 18th Regiment of Calvary, Pennsylvania Volunteers. In the winter of 1862, they drilled and camped just west of Washington D.C. in log cabins with shelters for their horses. After frequent scouting assignments, the 18th Calvary participated in the battle of Gettysburg in the summer of 1863. At the end of the battle, the 18th Calvary followed and harassed the Confederate Army, riding and fighting for 48 straight hours. It was at this point, that Morgan Hickman left the 18th Calvary, being listed as a deserter on July 4th, at Emmitsburg, MD. When he filed for a pension in 1883, he stated that he had been ill with yellow jaundice at the time.
Where he lived during the time of his desertion is unknown. He is not listed in the tax records in Greene County in 1863, 1864 and 1865. If he lived in Greene County, he hid from the tax assessor as well as the Army's General Provost.
In April 1865, President Lincoln issued a Presidential pardon for all those who had deserted, and Morgan returned to the U.S. Army on April 27. He then mustered out on July 10, 1865, at Fairfax, VA., receiving an honorable discharge.
In 1882, Morgan sold his 22 acres in Greene County, PA. and moved south to Glover's Gap, Marion County, WV.
About 1884, Morgan and Mary adopted a ten year old boy, "Archibald." Archibald was born with the name "Otto", in the Greene County Poorhouse on Dec 30, 1873. He was the son of one of the unwed daughters of Morgan's sister, Christina Niceley, who lived in the Poorhouse.
In 1890 he returned to Greene County, PA. buying 32 1/2 acres, in Jefferson Township. Morgan and Mary lived their last years in poverty, with doctor's bills reducing the equity on their property. They relied on financial assistance from Morgan's nephew, William Riley Hickman.
Morgan died at his home on Sunday, March 29, 1896, after a 18 month long spinal illness. He was buried the following day at the Public Cemetery of Morrisville at N.188 E.78. His wife Mary died 21 May 1897 and was also buried in the Morrisville Cemetery.
Morgan and Mary had no children, other than their adopted son Archibald Hickman. Archibald married Matilda May Funk and they lived in Jefferson Township until 1917, when they moved to Washington, Washington County, PA, where they worked in a glass factory.

(Sources: Military Records and Pension Records for Morgan Hickman, National Archives; Greene County Tax Records, Waynesburg, PA; Greene County, PA. and Marion County, WV. Land Records; Greene County Death Records; Will of Morgan Hickman, File #4395, Greene County Will Book 7, pp.421-2; W.P.A. Veteran Burial Survey. Informant: S.S. Rinehart, 26 Nov 1935, Card File located at the Greene County Historical Society in 1988; "History of the Eighteenth Regiment of Calvary" by the Publication Committee of the Regimental Association, New York, 1909; U.S. Census records, Greene Co, PA: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910; Washington Co. PA: 1920. Family remembrances as told to great niece, Willa Hunter.).