Cornelius Morgan, Postmaster and Justice of the Peace, is one of the prominent, respected and honored citizens of which the town of National boasts. He was born in Vermont, May 23, 1833, and is a self-made man in all that the word implies; whatever success he has met with in life is attributable to his own push and energy, as he has received no legacy from any source whatever. The parents of our subject were Cornelius and Hannah (Hartwell) Morgan, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. After their marriage they moved to the state of New York and located at Parishvillie, St. Lawrence County, where they resided until their demise. There were eight children born to them, seven of whom are still living. They were earnest members of the Free Will Baptist Church. The grandfather of our subject served in the War of 1812 and figured prominently in the battle of Plattsburg, N.Y.

The subject of this biography was reared on a farm in St. Lawrence County, N.Y. from the time he was three years old until he was twenty-three, when he came to this county and located at McGregor, which then boasted only a few houses. Here he followed the trade of a carpenter and contractor, building houses all over the county and erecting two at Prairie du Chien, Wis.

In the year 1857 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary R. Hudson, a daughter of Washington and Roxana (Bagley) Hudson. This family came from Vermont to this township in the year 1845.

Mr. Morgan enlisted in Company E, Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteers, as a private and joined his regiment in Mississippi. He participated in the following engagements: At the charge and capture of the rebel Ft. Du Russy, Pleasant Hill, under General Banks, Kane River, Old Oaks, Lake Chicot, Ark., under Gen. A.J. Smith; the first day's fight at Tupelo and afterward at Old Town Creek; Nashville, under Gen. G.H. Thomas; and after steaming down the Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers to Dauphine Island in Mobile Bay, in the battle of Fish River and Ft. Blakely. The regiment was discharged at Montgomery, Ala., and he was transferred to Compnay E, Twelfth Iowa Volunteers. He remained with this regiment until January 25, 1866, when he was honorably discharged. He was wounded by a bayonet at the charge of Ft. Du Russy, resulting in a running sore, which was a constant annoyance to him.

Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have five children, as follows: George L., Hugh B., Lewis D., Stella E. and James Garfield. Socially he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. In political belief and action he is a stanch adherent to the Republican party. He has been Justice of the Peace for twenty-four years in a Democratic township; Township Clerk for twenty years; and a member of the School Board almost constantly for twenty-four years. When Harrison was elected President our subject was appointed Postmaster here and has since held that position.