The History of John Hunt Morgan

John Hunt Morgan was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the eldest of ten children of Calvin and Henrietta (Hunt) Morgan. He was an uncle of geneticist Thomas Hunt Morgan and a grandson of John Wesley Hunt, an early founder of Lexington, Kentucky, and one of the first millionaires west of the Allegheny Mountains. He was also the brother-in-law of A.P. Hill and of Basil W. Duke.

Morgan's father lost his Huntsville home in 1831 when he was unable to pay the property taxes following the failure of his pharmacy. The family then moved to Lexington, where Calvin Morgan would manage one of Hunt's sprawling farms. Morgan also attended Transylvania College for two years, but was suspended in June 1844 for dueling with a fraternity brother. In 1846, Morgan joined the Freemasons, as had his father before him.

In 1846 Morgan enlisted in the U.S. Army as a cavalry private during the Mexican-American War, and saw combat at the Battle of Buena Vista. On his return to Kentucky, he became a hemp manufacturer and eventually took over his grandfather's prosperous mercantile business. In 1848, he married Rebecca Gratz Bruce, 18-year-old sister of Morgan's business partner. Morgan raised a militia artillery company in 1852, but it was disbanded two years later.

In 1853, Morgan's wife delivered a stillborn son. Rebecca Morgan contracted septic thrombophlebitis, an infection of a blood clot in a vein, which eventually led to an amputation. Relations with his wife's family suffered over different views on slavery and with her health problems. In 1857, Morgan raised an independent infantry company known as the "Lexington Rifles," and spent much of his free time drilling them.

Excerpts taken from Wikipedia. To read more please visit wikipedia.

 

About Us

The Morgan House as we know it was established in 1985. It was erected from the original log cabin named after famed Civil War Veteran John Hunt Morgan. Shortly after the Civil War, the log cabin was dismantled and reassembled on Glick Road at the entrance to Dublin, Ohio near the Columbus Zoo.

Thousand of visitors pass through the doors of The Morgan House every week. Customers normally stop in during a Columbus daytrip to enjoy the cuisine of our beautiful Restaurant and often proceed to make a day out of it by visiting our Gift Shop, Furniture & Home Accents, Clothing & Jewelry, and Gourmet Foods departments.

Centrally located on a 5 acre lot in Dublin Ohio, The Morgan House is quite the departure from the log cabin it used to be in that it now boasts a virtual min-mall of boutiques, shops and stores within a building that spans over 18,000 square feet.

Have The Morgan House Restaurant host your next private event or ladies luncheon. We cater numerous Ohio weddings and we are located within minutes of the Columbus Zoo.

We also offer in-home decorating services for individuals looking to add some warmth to their homes.

Click here for driving directions and contact information for the Morgan House.