Individual Details

Birth

Pittsylvania, Russell, VA

Death

He was killed by Edward Osborn Sr. in debt dispute. In 1813, Ed Osborn incurred a debt with Morgan secured by land and slaves. When Morgan went to collect, Osborn turned on him and killed him with a knife. He then attacked Morgan's son William and killed him too. Osborn fled, but was captured in a few days. Allegedly Osborn escaped from jail and took up a new life in Ohio. Osborn's family believed he was taken from the jail and secretly lynched.

Burial

Davidson Memorial Gardens, Ivel, Floyd, KY
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Col David Morgan
BIRTH
12 Mar 1753
Pittsylvania County, Virginia, USA
DEATH
13 Oct 1815 (aged 62)
Floyd County, Kentucky, USA
BURIAL
Davidson Memorial Gardens
Ivel, Floyd County, Kentucky, USA
PLOT
N 37°35.662' W082°40.601 EL 731 ft
MEMORIAL ID
35484689 · View Source
MEMORIAL
PHOTOS 2
FLOWERS 11
Revolutionary War Soldier
American Patriot

The following is from William Ely, "The Big Sandy Valley", 1877; and Henry P. Scalf in the Floyd County Times, 1953:

William Ely in his 1877 book, "The Big Sandy Valley" presented this as the first story in his chapter of "thrilling Incidents" (page 29)

In 1811 Ed Osborn, a large farmer Owings slaves, was in debt, and his negroes were levied on by the Sheriff of Floyd County to satisfy an execution. The Sheriff, David Morgan, and his son, Bill, a deputy, being near the residence of Samuel Davidson with slaves, was overtaken by Osborn, who killed Morgan and his son in cold blood. Escaping, he was not heard from for over forty years, when an old Sandian, passing through South-eastern Ohio, saw and recognized the double murderer. Osborn denied hid identity at first, but when press, piteously begged the venerable Sandian never to divulge his whereabouts till after his death. During the whole time he had lived within two hundred and fifty miles, on a straight line, of the place where he had committed the atrocious crime.

Several decades later, Henry P Scalf, the outstanding historian of Floyd County and surrounding parts of Eastern Kentucky, talked with Osborn's descendants and wrote this more detailed and likely more authentic version for the Floyd County Times in 1953.

Edward L. Osborn, Virginia Immigrant, lived somewhere near the present community of Ivel--probably Iby Creek and on the east side of the river. He had married Sarah Burchett, a sister to the settler Drewry Burchett. Lucinda, a daughter, was in her teens and her brothers and sisters were in various stages of childhood and adolescence. Osborn was, comparatively speaking, well-to-do. He owned ample acres of land and slaves to work his estate, but a debt to David Morgan, Sr secured by a mortgage on the land and slaves brought insecurity to his hearthstone. The autumn days had turned the leaves brown and and red and gold. It was October 12, 1815. Edward worked in his home on the family shoes. while he worked, he brooded over his debt to Morgan and the approaching end to a lawsuit. Morgan had won in the Floyd Court, perhaps thought Osborn, because his son-in-law. Alexander Lackey, was the district judge. Any day, the court would issue an execution and the sheriff would take the slaves away. When he did not brood on the debt, there was the worry over of what he believed to be the infidelity of his wife.
She was too friendly with young Bill Morgan, son of his creditor, he thought. He worked on--humped over his leather and shoes. On a bench before him lay his tools. He picked up a long hunting knife and slit the leather with easy strokes. The knife was sharp for he and Lucinda had edged it on the grindstone the day before.

The sun had started its descent into the west when David and Bill Morgan came riding up to the Osborn home. It was no hospitable visit the master of the household knew so he did not rise from his workbench. They were here for the slaves and land. Edward laid the leather and knife aside as David Morgan entered the room. When he looked up at the elder Morgan, he saw young Bill Morgan as he passed into the kitchen. They talked of the debt and the lawsuit. David Morgan wanted a peaceful transfer of property. Edward Osborn heard the low voices of his wife and Bill Morgan in the kitchen.
Angry words between debtor and creditor now--wild charges from one of judicial connivance and fierce denials from the other. Suddenly the elder Morgan seized a set of bullet moulds from the workbench and struck Osborn over the eye. Rising, bloody and bezerk, one eye closed with the wound, Osborn seized the hunting knife and struck at Morgan. He struck again and again. The sound of the affray brought young Bill Morgan to the door of the room. Osborn charged-- the weapon held high in his right hand. Young Morgan, unarmed, fled out of the house, pursued by a mad man with a bloody knife. Soon young Morgan was fleeing the house by way of the back yard. He was cut off from the road. He vaulted a fence into the hog lot and as he struck the earth, he stumbled. He had not righted himself when Osborn was upon him. Morgan fell upon his back and the knife disemboweled him. Mrs. Osborn, who was following after the running men, screaming and imploring, arrived at the hog lot. Her husband, returning to sanity, threw down the knife and together they looked upon the dying Morgan. Lucinda came--not crying or screaming-- but eyes full of horror at what she saw. The hogs stirred at the smell of warm blood. Lucinda fought them with stones and sticks while her parents picked up the disemboweled man and took him over the fence.

Edward Osborne vanished into the night. Night came and he slept in the outdoors. Morning and he saw a wooden box carried into his home. Evening and he saw from the far off security of the wooded hill a lone box carried out. A concourse of people followed up the cemetery hill. One was alive, he thought. and hr wondered. that night, he approached his home and in seclusion of the wooded edge, Mrs Osborn told him both were dead. They had been buried in one coffin in a single grave. The hue and cry for the arrest of Osborn shook the county for the Morgans were prominent and wealthy for the times. Alexander Lackey, son-in-law of David Morgan Sr was District Judge. The sheriff, Spencer Adams, who was a friend; his deputies, Wilson Mayo, James P. Harris and James Honaker; were searching and watching every likely hiding place. We are told that John Hatcher made the arrest. No record shows that he was an officer at the time but since Osborne was a fleeing felon, he had the right of a citizen to make the arrest. He came upon Osborn, asleep in the woods, and there was no resistance.

The old log jail that served for the incarceration of prisoners in early Floyd County stood on the present First avenue in Prestonsburg. At the time of Osborn's confinement, it was presided over by John Harris. In the night following his incarceration, Osborne disappeared. There was a hole burst in the side of the log structure. Edward Osborne was never seen again on Big Sandy. Years passed, Lucinda grew to womanhood, married Joseph Baisden of Tug River. She and other members of the family never believed that their father escaped through the side of the old log jail. They averred that "Judge Lynch" presided at a lonely trail in the night time and that burial was a secret nocturnal interment in the swamp of what is now Garfield Bottom in Prestonsburg. Children of Edward Osborn claimed that no man the size of their father could crowd his body the opening pointed out by authorities. But rumors in confirmation of Osborn's flight were that he was seen in a canoe at the mouth of Sandy paddling away freedom.

A single headstone marks the burial place of Col David C. Morgan, Sr and his son, william C Morgan, who are buried in the old Davidson Cemetery at Ivel.

Family Members
Spouse
Anna Poteet Morgan Adkins
1755–1825 (m. 1780)

Children

Mary "Polly" Morgan Lackey
1781–1851


William C. Morgan
1783–1815

Created by: Sam D. Hatcher
Added: 3 Apr 2009
Find a Grave Memorial ID: 35484689
Hide citation
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35484689/david-morgan: accessed 06 June 2023), memorial page for Col David Morgan (12 Mar 1753–13 Oct 1815), Find a Grave Memorial ID 35484689, citing Davidson Memorial Gardens, Ivel, Floyd County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Sam D. Hatcher (contributor 47112906).

Military

Colonel
14th Regiment, Continental Line, VA, in 1777
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Revolutionary War
Posted 02 Dec 2007 by JillianHopewell
In the Revolutionary War his service was as a Private on payroll of Capt. Edward Garland's company of 14th Virginia Regiment of Foot, under Col. Chas. Lewis.
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